Thursday Volume 498 29 October 2009 No. 133 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 29 October 2009 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2009 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 421 29 OCTOBER 2009 422 House of Commons CANTERBURY CITY COUNCIL BILL Motion made, That the promoters of the Canterbury City Council Bill which Thursday 29 October 2009 was originally introduced in this House in the previous Session on 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next The House met at half-past Ten o’clock Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Private Business Standing Order 188A (Suspension of bills).—(The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) PRAYERS Hon. Members: To be considered on Thursday 5 November. [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] LEEDS CITY COUNCIL BILL BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Motion made, That the promoters of the Leeds City Council Bill which was CANTERBURY CITY COUNCIL BILL (BY ORDER) originally introduced in this House in the previous Session on Third Reading opposed and deferred until Thursday 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings 5 November (Standing Order No. 20). on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Private Business Standing Order 188A (Suspension of bills).—(The Second NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL BILL (BY ORDER) Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) Third Reading opposed and deferred until Thursday 5 November (Standing Order No. 20). Hon. Members: Object. To be considered on Thursday 5 November. BOURNEMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL BILL [LORDS] (BY ORDER) NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL BILL Consideration of Bill, as amended, opposed and deferred Motion made, until Thursday 5 November (Standing Order No. 20). That the promoters of the Nottingham City Council Bill which was originally introduced in this House in the previous Session on MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL BILL [LORDS] 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings (BY ORDER) on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Consideration of Bill, as amended, opposed and deferred Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Private until Thursday 5 November (Standing Order No. 20). Business Standing Order 188A (Suspension of bills).—(The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) CITY OF WESTMINSTER BILL [LORDS] Hon. Members: Object. Motion made, To be considered on Thursday 5 November. That so much of the Lords message [12 October] as relates to the City of Westminster Bill [Lords] be now considered.— (The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) READING BOROUGH COUNCIL BILL Motion made, Hon. Members: Object. That the promoters of the Reading Borough Council Bill To be considered on Thursday 5 November. which was originally introduced in this House in the previous Session on 22 January 2008, should have leave to suspend any BOURNEMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL BILL [LORDS] further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the Motion made, provisions of Private Business Standing Order 188A (Suspension That the promoters of the Bournemouth Borough Council Bill of bills).—(The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) which was originally introduced in the House of Lords in the Session 2006-07 on 22 January 2007, should have leave to suspend Hon. Members: Object. any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the To be considered on Thursday 5 November. provisions of Private Business Standing Order 188A (Suspension of bills).—(The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) Hon. Members: Object. Oral Answers to Questions To be considered on Thursday 5 November. MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL BILL [LORDS] ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS Motion made, That the promoters of the Manchester City Council Bill which was originally introduced in the House of Lords in the Session The Secretary of State was asked— 2006-07 on 22 January 2007, should have leave to suspend any further proceedings on the Bill in order to proceed with it, if they Natural Environment think fit, in the next Session of Parliament according to the provisions of Private Business Standing Order 188A (Suspension of bills).—(The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) 1. Mrs. Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) (Lab): What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Hon. Members: Object. his Department’s policies to protect the natural To be considered on Thursday 5 November. environment; and if he will make a statement. [296300] 423 Oral Answers29 OCTOBER 2009 Oral Answers 424 The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and State talks of more targets for some date way in the Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn): We have seen improvements future. Is it not the truth that there remains a marked in water quality, more species have been protected, lack of will in the Government to reverse biodiversity pollution levels are decreasing, and 89 per cent. of our loss? sites of special scientific interest are in a favourable or recovering condition. However, we all need to do more Hilary Benn: I profoundly disagree with that last to protect our natural environment, and securing a statement. The Government are very committed. If the good deal at Copenhagen would be a very important hon. Gentleman considers, for example, bird numbers, step forward. we have managed in this country to stop the decline that happened between the 1970s and the 1990s. The number Mrs. Moon: My right hon. Friend will be aware that of sea birds is up, we have offered protection to Lyme last Monday night I hosted the fourth annual bat and bay to safeguard the pink sea fan and there are otters in moth evening in the House. A large number of Members every single English county for the first time in 40 years. attended to see how those vital species, which are However, we need to do more, and the point about interdependent, are declining. In this year when we are having a target is that it gives one something to aim for. celebrating 150 years since the writing of “On the Origin of Species”, and with next year being the Floods (Pitt Report) international year of biodiversity, what is he going to do to ensure that in another 150 years, our descendants 2. Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): What progress has will not be attending museums and looking at further been made in implementing the recommendations of bat and moth species that we have lost? the final Pitt report on the 2007 floods. [296301] Hilary Benn: I congratulate my hon. Friend on hosting The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the event, and I am sorry that I was not able to join her Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Huw Irranca-Davies): for it. The single most important thing that we can do is The Government published their response to the Pitt understand and appreciate more the value of biodiversity, review last December. It set out what we had already including what it does for us, because it is fundamental achieved and what we needed to do to implement the to human existence and we have taken it for granted for remaining recommendations. far too long. It sustains our economy, our clean water We published the first progress report in June 2009, and air and the production of our food. We need next and it showed that further good progress had been year to get a new target internationally agreed that we made across the board. The next progress report will be can measure and make progress on. published in December. Mr. Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex) (Con): Does the Philip Davies: Does the Minister agree that one of the Secretary of State agree that the scourge of ragwort is a best ways to stop houses being flooded is to stop shame to this country? His Department has issued a building them on floodplains? If he agrees, why have the code, which appears to be widely ignored. Will he Government presided over building so many houses on therefore take steps to see to it that this infection is so many floodplains? removed from our countryside? Huw Irranca-Davies: Ultimately, the hon. Gentleman Hilary Benn: I share the hon. Gentleman’s concern, knows about the progress on the review of planning and we are trying to find the most effective way to deal policy guidance note 25 and that approximately 98 per with such invasive species. I am happy to write to him to cent. of developments follow the Environment Agency’s set out the steps that we are seeking to take. recommendations. I am slightly disappointed that he has not remarked on the doubling of investment under Mr. Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): Does the Government for flood defences since 1997. my right hon. Friend agree that if we are to protect the natural environment, we have to get people to visit it? Mr. Eric Martlew (Carlisle) (Lab): The Pitt inquiry Has he seen the Natural England survey showing that states that the public utilities should be protected—the children’s access to green space and the natural environment fresh water, electricity and waste water plants.