Sewage: Pollution
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with (a) local authorities, (b) water companies and (c) Surfers Against Sewage on the terminology they use when issuing sewage alerts, in the context of potential confusion with storm overflows.
Answer
The Secretary of State has regular meetings with a wide range of stakeholders. Local authorities use information from the Environment Agency (EA) to issue pollution alerts relating to designated bathing waters in England, and Surfers Against Sewage use information from the EA’s Pollution Risk Forecasting service for bathing waters to inform the alerts they provide, along with information about storm overflow discharges.
Robbie Moore MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
29th February 2024
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
River: Trees
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of kilometres of tree cover there are along the banks of (a) rivers and (b) tributaries in England.
Answer
Defra can provide both a rapid indicative estimate and a longer-term definitive estimate to the question.
It will take within the region of two to four weeks’ time to produce an indicative estimate, with estimates solely based upon earth observation techniques.
It may take up to one year’s time to achieve a definitive answer, as we await the completion of field work undertaken as part of the Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment.
The main difference between the indicative estimate and a comprehensive estimate is the ability to include smaller tree size and tributary sizes:
- The indicative estimate would be derived from earth observation and would not include smaller trees less than 2.5m in height and would exclude smaller tributaries less than 0.5m in width.
- The comprehensive estimate would be supported by field survey work that would include estimates for smaller trees down to 30cm in height and tributaries less than 0.5m in width.
Parochial estimates would be that possibly up to 30% of trees are less than 2.5m in height and 5% of tributaries are less than 0.5m in width.
Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
26th February 2024
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Timber
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to help increase domestic production of virgin and waste wood.
Answer
Trees are at the forefront of Government action on Net Zero – not just because of the carbon they lock up as they grow, but because of the carbon that stays locked up when timber is put into long-term use.
We have set a new legal target that will see tree cover reach 16.5% of England’s total land area by 2050, which will increase productive woodland.
Our Woodlands into Management Forestry Innovation Funds are supporting projects that will develop new technologies and working practices to help homegrown timber production meet demand.
Last year, we published the Timber in Construction Roadmap setting out the Government’s plan to increase the safe use of timber in construction in England.
We increased the recycling target for businesses handling wood packaging in 2024 to 42% (from 35% in 2023) and will be setting recycling targets to 2030 as part of the new packaging Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations that will come into force later this year.
Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
26th February 2024
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Land Use
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the Land Use Framework.
Answer
The Land Use Framework will be published in 2024. The Framework will build on the insight from the House of Lords Land Use in England Committee’s inquiry and support delivery of the full range of Government commitments through multifunctional, resilient, and productive landscapes. The Secretary of State for Defra has written to Lord Cameron of Dillington to explain the decision to delay publishing and to reiterate the Government’s commitment to a Land Use Framework for England.
The Government has made significant progress over the past year in the areas that the Committee identified as policy priorities in their ‘Making the most out of England’s land’ report. We have launched the 2023 Sustainable Farming Incentive, a further round of Landscape Recovery, and legislated to require plan makers to take account of Local Nature Recovery Strategies in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act. The Government has also invested in the "Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People" Hub in collaboration with UK Research and Innovation and the devolved governments, to support us to meet legal commitments on net zero and the environment, increasing food security and economic growth.
We continue to work with other Government departments to understand and take account of their land use expectations as well as those within Defra. This includes the Geospatial Commission at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, following their 'Finding common ground' report.
Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
19th February 2024
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Water: Standards
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) ask the Environment Agency to conduct bathing water tests in the context of the activation of storm overflows and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of routinely conducting bathing water tests all year round.
Answer
Event duration monitoring (EDM) data shows how often storm overflows are active and for how long. Government directed water companies to increase their storm overflow monitoring in 2013 and achieved 100% EDM coverage before the end of 2023. This increased transparency will help regulators hold water companies to account to reduce storm overflow discharges and will support public understanding of water quality. The Bathing Water Regulations require the Environment Agency to sample bathing waters at a fixed location using a pre-determined sampling schedule during the bathing season, which is fixed in the Bathing Water Regulations as 15 May to 30 September. The government is committed to reviewing the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 to ensure they reflect changes in how and where people use bathing waters.
Robbie Moore MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
31st January 2024
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Barbecues and Sky Lanterns
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the research study into single use sky lanterns, disposable barbecues and helium balloons that concluded in March 2023.
Answer
Defra commissioned Eunomia in September 2022 to assess the environmental impacts of single use barbecues, sky lanterns and helium balloons. The research concluded earlier this year and we are hoping to publish the report soon.
Robbie Moore MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
12th December 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Packaging: Recycling
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June to Question 186951 on Packaging: Recycling, how her Department plans to define the life of packaging.
Answer
The Department has no plans currently to define the life of packaging.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
13th June 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Fires: Temperature
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the potential for an extremely hot and dry summer season in 2023, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the risk of wildfires; and when the findings of her Department’s research into the fire and environmental risks of sky lanterns and disposable BBQs will be published.
Answer
The Government has a key role to play in making our natural landscapes resilient to the risks posed by wildfire.
We are working with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Park Authorities and other Government departments to promote a series of guidance videos to educate users about travelling to and spending time outdoors safely in the wider countryside. This includes an updated Countryside Code which advises not to have barbecues or fires.
In 2021 we supported the development of a new accredited training programme, designed to consolidate knowledge, skills and understanding of vegetation fires including wildfire incidents. Within the first two years more than 800 prevention and response modules have been completed by public and private land managers.
The Government has committed further funding for the next two years and we continue to work closely with a range of stakeholders including land managers, the Forestry Commission, NFU, ENGOs and the National Fire Chiefs Council to embed this training across England, and to identify and respond to further training requirements.
Research into the environmental impacts of single use barbecues and sky lanterns concluded in March. We are currently considering next steps which we aim to finalise soon.
Trudy Harrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
12th June 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Packaging: Recycling
Question
What steps her department is taking to incentivise reuse within its packaging reforms.
Answer
Under the current packaging producer responsibility regime businesses that use reusable packaging are required to meet recycling obligations the first time this packaging is placed on the market.
Where the packaging has a life of at least four years, the business may discharge its obligation in relation to that packaging in four equal instalments over four years commencing in the year in which that packaging is first used. This will also apply under the new extended packaging producer regime.
In addition businesses using reusable household packaging will only be required to pay disposal cost fees the first time the packaging is used. In the Government Response to the consultation on extended producer responsibility published in March 2022 we stated we would consider other measures to encourage the use of reusable packaging with the intention of introducing these in 2025.
Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
5th June 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Nature Conservation
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect rare species.
Answer
The Government remains committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species. In England, we have set four legally binding targets for biodiversity: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; then to reverse declines by 2042; to reduce the risk of species extinction by 2042; and restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042. We have set out our plan to deliver on these ambitious targets, along with our other environmental targets, in the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23), published 31 January 2023. The EIP23 revises the 25-Year Environment Plan as part of our obligations under the Environment Act 2021.
We know that to meet our targets we will need large-scale habitat restoration, creation and improved connectivity; to tackle pressures on species including pollution, unsustainable use of resources and climate change; and targeted action to recover specific species. Measures introduced in the Environment Act, such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), will help deliver actions to enable wildlife to recover and thrive. Additionally, our new Environmental Land Management schemes will pay for sustainable farming practices, creating and preserving habitat such as woodland, heathland and species-rich grassland, as well as making landscape-scale environmental changes, all of which could benefit our threatened native species.
Additionally, Natural England's Species Recovery Programme (SRP) supports the recovery of threatened and declining species, such as lady’s slipper orchid, water vole, natterjack toad, wartbiter cricket, and curlew. On 3 April 2023, Natural England launched the Species Recovery Programme Capital Grant Scheme which will support projects over two years, delivering targeted conservation action through the creation and improvement of specific wildlife habitats, conservation translocations, as well as supporting research and creating solutions to address species decline.
Trudy Harrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
14th April 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Flood Control: North Devon
Question
What steps her Department has taken to reduce storm overflows in North Devon constituency.
Answer
We are requiring water companies to deliver their largest ever infrastructure investment worth £56 billion over 25 years. South West Water are now required to undertake improvements to storm overflows in your constituency for example by increasing capacity of storm storage. I have also asked every water and sewerage company in the country to provide an action plan for every storm overflow, including South West Water.
We are driving increases in monitoring across the country with coverage increasing from 7% in 2010 under Labour to around 90% today, and 100% by the end of this year.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
30th March 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Highly Protected Marine Areas Review
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the independent report entitled Benyon review Into Highly Protected Marine Areas, published on 17 August 2022.
Answer
As confirmed in the recent Environment Improvement Plan, we intend to designate the first HPMAs this year. Following the public consultation on candidate HPMAs last summer, we will soon be making an announcement on which of those sites will be designated.
Trudy Harrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
13th February 2023
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Deposit Return Schemes
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to introduce the new Deposit Return Scheme in England and Wales; what progress she has made on setting up an administrator for that scheme; and if she will make a statement.
Answer
In its 2019 manifesto, HM Government committed to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers to incentivise people to recycle more and to reduce littering of in-scope containers. HM Government has consulted twice on the introduction of a DRS and further details will be set out in HM Government’s response to the 2021 consultation. We are working towards publication of HM Government’s response in late 2022.
The DRS will have a central organisation to manage its operation which will be a new not-for-profit body established for the purpose of running the scheme - the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO). We are currently developing secondary legislation which will set out the obligations imposed on the DMO. Once the secondary legislation is in place, we will progress with selecting the DMO.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
3rd November 2022
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Horticulture: Seasonal Workers
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the recent recommendation in the Automation in Horticulture Review on a long-term Seasonal Workers Scheme for edible horticulture starting in 2022.
Answer
During 2021 my Department undertook a review of automation in horticulture, covering both the edible and ornamental sectors in England. We have now published this review (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-led-review-of-automation-in-horticulture). The review recommended extending the Seasonal Worker visa route to 'mind the gap' until automation technologies have developed enough to reduce the sector's reliance on seasonal labour.
The review provides a better understanding of what is required to accelerate the development and uptake of automation technologies in both the edible and ornamental sectors, in England, with the view to reducing the sector's long-term dependency on seasonal migrant labour from 2022 onwards. Non-binding recommendations are put forward to increase adoption of available technology and accelerate development of innovative automation and robotics. HM Government will consider the report's recommendations and will respond in due course.
Our responses to the review will work alongside the recently extended and expanded Seasonal Workers visa route - and Defra's efforts to attract more residents of the United Kingdom into agricultural work - to support the overall aim of reducing the sector's dependency on seasonal migrant labour.
HM Government recognises the importance of a reliable source of seasonal labour for crop picking and packing, and that it is a key part of bringing in the harvest for the horticultural sector. That is why the Prime Minster committed to look at expanding seasonal workers schemes in the leadership campaign and we have already extended the seasonal worker visa route to 2024. Discussions are on-going with the Home Office on the visa allocation for 2023.
As announced in the Government Food Strategy in June, HM Government has now commissioned an independent review which will consider how automation, domestic labour and migrant labour can contribute to tackling labour shortages in the food supply chain. The review will focus on farming, processing, and food and drink manufacturing as sectors which are critical for food production and food security. This review, due to report in spring of 2023, will inform our thinking on the Seasonal Workers scheme beyond that.
Mark Spencer MP, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
18th October 2022
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Horticulture: Imports
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that UK (a) garden centres and (b) tree and plant growers are able to trade effectively once the Border Control regime is implemented.
Answer
In April 2022, HM Government announced that it was accelerating its transformative programme to digitise Britain’s borders, harnessing new technologies and data to reduce friction and costs for businesses and consumers, while maintaining and enhancing our high standards of biosecurity.
A Target Operating Model will be published later this year which will set out how and when we will introduce this improved global regime of border controls. It will aim to create a seamless new ‘digital’ border, where technologies and real-time data will cut queues and smooth trade.
This new approach will ensure that controls for plants and plant products are implemented in a way which removes friction for businesses while safeguarding our national biosecurity.
In developing the Target Operating Model, Defra officials are engaging extensively with businesses and trade bodies, including those representing the horticulture sector, to deliver the best possible user experience for those involved with border processes.
Scott Mann MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Growth and Rural Affairs
29th September 2022
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Wildfires: Barbecues
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the role of (a) disposable barbecues and (b) other factors in causing wildfires; and what recent steps her Department has taken to help prevent wildfires.
Answer
The Government intends to research the issue further, looking at the impact of disposable barbecues, as part of a research project led by Defra. This research will also include the impact of sky lanterns which may be a factor in causing wildfires.
Should the evidence indicate that these items represent a risk, we will of course examine the most appropriate options.
At a local level, each Fire and Rescue Authority is required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfires) through their Integrated Risk Management Plan. This will include plans to prevent and respond to incidents and Fire and Rescue Services will have regard to other key local responders including landowners and other emergency services in their planning.
Jeremy Quin MP, Minister of State at the Home Office
21st September 2022
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Farming: Accreditation Body
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an accreditation body to approve and administer standards for nature markets for the purposes of enabling farmers and land managers to realise new revenue streams.
Answer
The Government is committed to scaling up private investment in sustainable farming and nature recovery. Robust standards and accreditation arrangements are already established for some ecosystem service markets, namely though the UK Woodland Carbon Code and UK Peatland Code. We are exploring with the British Standards Institute other opportunities to support standards' development in order to unlock investment for a broader suite of sustainable farming and nature recovery activities.
Mark Spencer MP, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
16th September 2022
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Fish: Conservation
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what species the Government classifies as forage fish; and if he will take steps to introduce an ecologically protective programme for the management of those species in UK waters.
Answer
Forage fish are important to the ecosystem as they provide food for predator fish and sea birds. We are reviewing our policy on forage fish that are caught for industrial purposes. In the context of the Northeast Atlantic, there are specific fleet segments that specialise in this type of fishing, and their effort within UK waters is targeted on particular species, principally sandeel and Norway pout.
Victoria Prentis MP, Minister of State for Farming, Fisheries and Food
21st July 2022
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
Nappies: Recycling
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the recommendations of the UN Environment Programme’s Life Cycle Initiative’s report on single-use nappies and their alternatives, published March 2021.
Answer
In line with the 25 Year Environment Plan, and our Resources and Waste Strategy, we are considering the best approach to minimise the environmental impact of a range of products, including nappies, taking on board the environmental and social impacts of the options available. Potential additional policy measures include standards, consumer information and encouraging voluntary action by business.
Through the Environment Bill, we are seeking powers that will enable us to, where appropriate and subject to consultation, introduce eco-design and consumer information requirements. This could include labelling schemes that provide accurate information to consumers, to drive the market towards more sustainable products. The Environment Bill will also enable us to put in place extended producer responsibility schemes as well as design and labelling requirements, that relate to the efficient use of resources, for a wide range of products, including potentially nappies.
We are aware of the UN Environment Programme's report which references a number of life cycle analyses on nappies from around the world, including the work carried out by the Environment Agency in the UK in 2005 and 2008. We are also funding our own environmental assessment of disposable and washable absorbent hygiene products, with the primary focus on nappies, to bring the research for the UK up to date. The work will be published later this year, following peer review, and the sources of the information used will be included in the final report. Any future action on nappies by Government and industry will take this and any other relevant information into account.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment
7th July 2021
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website.
Fisheries: Sustainable Development
Question
What steps he is taking to promote sustainable fisheries.
Answer
The Fisheries Act sets out clear objectives on sustainability with detailed policies published in the Joint Fisheries Statement. We will publish our Fisheries Management Plans to meet our commitment to fishing within sustainable limits. As an independent coastal state, we are committed to working with our international partners to manage our shared stocks sustainably.
Victoria Prentis MP, Minister of State for Farming, Fisheries and Food
21st January 2021
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website.
Economic Situation: Rural Areas
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to join up the work on the Biomass Strategy, the England Tree Strategy and development of the Agricultural Transition Plan to encourage tree planting and support rural economies.
Answer
There are many important interdependencies between our policies on trees, agriculture and biomass. Defra and BEIS are working closely in partnership to maximise the role of nature-based solutions to meet net zero and ensure that these strategies are mutually supportive.
- The England Tree Strategy will set out policies to deliver planting commitments, support nature recovery, protect and improve woodlands, and provide a source of employment, sustainable wood fibre and energy.
- The Biomass Strategy will set out the results of a review of the amount of sustainable biomass – including woody biomass - available in the UK, and how this could be best utilised across the economy to help achieve net zero.
- These strategies will set out long term priorities to be implemented alongside the Agricultural Transition, and the introduction of the Environmental Land Management scheme, which will support farmers, foresters and land managers to improve the environment, improve animal health and welfare, and reduce carbon emissions.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment
15th January 2021
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website.
Plastics
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce the (a) production and (b) sale of single use plastics?
Answer
It is the Government’s ambition to have zero avoidable waste going to landfill by 2050. The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how we will eliminate avoidable plastic waste and move towards a more circular economy.
We have already made significant progress, by introducing one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and significantly reducing the use of single-use carrier bags in the main supermarkets by 95% with our 5p charge. We have announced our plans to increase the minimum charge to 10p and to extend the charge to all retailers from April 2021. We will also introduce a ban on the supply of single-use plastic straws, plastic drink stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds from October 2020. The Government also remains committed to introducing the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, which will apply to plastic packaging manufactured in or imported into the UK containing less than 30% recycled plastic.
Our landmark Environment Bill will enable us to go even further. The Bill will include powers to create extended producer responsibility schemes; introduce deposit return schemes; establish greater consistency in the recycling system; better control the export of plastic waste; and allow us to set new charges for other single-use plastic items. Further information can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/news/stronger-protections-for-the-environment-move-closer-as-landmark-bill-takes-shape.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment
25th September 2020
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website.
------------------------
Plastics: Pollution
Question
What steps he is taking to tackle plastic pollution?
Answer
We have made real progress in tackling plastic pollution. We have introduced a microbead ban and reduced single-use plastic carrier bag usage by 95% in the main supermarkets. We are increasing the single-use carrier bag charge to 10p and extending it to all retailers and we are restricting the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton-buds. We are seeking powers in the Environment Bill to charge for single-use plastic items, make recycling more consistent and reform packaging waste regulations.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment
10th September 2020
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
--------------------------
Agriculture: Subsidies
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to ensure that opportunities to improve access to the natural environment are included in the Environmental Land Management scheme?
Answer
Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of "public money for public goods", ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.
Farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following public goods:
- clean air
- clean and plentiful water
- thriving plants and wildlife
- reduction in and protection from environmental hazards
- beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment
- mitigation of and adaptation to climate change
Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment is a public good identified in the 25 Year Environment Plan and an important objective of ELM. ELM could support this through providing funding for access to infrastructure or educational visits, for example.
We will engage with a range of stakeholders as we develop the scheme.
Victoria Prentis MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment
8th June 2020
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
-----------------------------
Zoos: Coronavirus
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the welfare of animals in zoos is safeguarded during the covid-19 outbreak?
Answer
We recognise that zoos are undertaking very valuable work at this time to ensure that the health and welfare needs of the diverse range of animals they care for are well met. We are aware of the issues currently facing zoos and we have been engaging with the main industry association, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), and with individual zoos about the best way forward.
The Government has provided a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support businesses, including zoos, through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. Zoos are eligible to apply for a range of support schemes including the Job Retention Scheme, VAT deferral, Business Rates Relief, the Business Interruption Loan schemes, the option to reclaim the costs of Statutory Sick Pay and grant funding of up to £25,000.
In addition, specifically for zoos in severe financial distress, the Government is introducing a Zoos Support Fund for licensed zoos in England. Similar support will be provided by the Devolved Administrations. Where a zoo in England is in severe financial distress and has fully explored and exhausted all other reasonable avenues to generate income and reduce costs, including the existing COVID-19 business support schemes, then they should approach Defra as quickly as possible. Defra has already written to all licensed zoos in England to make them aware of the COVID-19 support schemes available as well as the new Zoo Support Fund.
Victoria Prentis MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment
27th April 2020
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website