Contributions
1,459 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLitter StrategyI agree with the noble Countess that our roads are not a good advertisement. That is why we have been working with Highways England. Highways England has been working on 25…15 Jul 2019HANSARDLitter StrategyThat is precisely why we are working on it. The noble Lord is right: we want to have a consistent, clear and easy to understand range of products—the widest range of products—that…15 Jul 2019HANSARDEnvironment (Legislative Functions from Directives) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019My Lords, this statutory instrument transfers a series of limited, technical legislative functions that are currently conferred by EU environmental directives upon the EU…15 Jul 2019HANSARDEnvironment (Legislative Functions from Directives) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Baronesses for their comments on these regulations. I repeat that they create powers that will enable us to adapt our environmental…15 Jul 2019HANSARDLitter StrategyMy Lords, we have a great dilemma. We can do all that we need to do and want to do, with many more people picking up litter—over half a million were doing so in the Great British…15 Jul 2019HANSARDLitter StrategyMy Lords, progress includes improved enforcement powers for councils, with a near doubling of the maximum on-the-spot penalty, the launch of our ambitious Keep it, Bin it…15 Jul 2019HANSARDLitter StrategyMy Lords, my noble friend is absolutely right. That is why education and awareness are key elements of the litter strategy; we want every child to learn about the impacts of…15 Jul 2019HANSARDLitter StrategyMy Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness that the deposit return scheme is a very important part of what we need to do. There clearly needs to be further work with business to…15 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, I declare my farming interests as set out in the register. Soil is one of our greatest assets; good soil health is essential for food production, biodiversity, carbon…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthThe environment Bill has yet to be published while the Agriculture Bill is in the public domain; it is in the other place. In the payment of public money for public goods, we…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, I did not raise it because soil is a devolved matter and it will therefore be for the other Administrations to work on this. All I can say is that soil is an asset of…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthThe noble Countess is right that part of min-till or no-till is that glyphosate is required because of the accumulation of weeds. We in the department will always act on the best…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, in a number of earlier replies I suggested that work on this is ongoing. A considerable number of farmers across the land are involved in tests and trials, which will be…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, as part of the England Peat Strategy, and the research we are undertaking feeding into it, we are also establishing a lowland agricultural peat task force. The…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, I am very pleased to say that research was commissioned in November 2018 to develop soil monitoring. It is being undertaken by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology,…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, this will clearly be a collaborative matter between industry and government. I am very pleased that regenerative agriculture is very much the buzzword among the farming…08 Jul 2019HANSARDSoil HealthMy Lords, as I just said, one of the research projects is undertaking to have indicators and a framework. Good soil health provides a public benefit. It obviously provides a…08 Jul 2019HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillFor the sake of the record, I understand that among the considerable number of travelling circuses there are only two which use wild animals. This is not the end of travelling…03 Jul 2019HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillMy Lords, my noble friend’s amendment seeks to introduce a definition of “travelling circus” into the Bill. As has been said, these matters were discussed at Second Reading. My…03 Jul 2019HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillMy Lords, it is wonderful to be able to thank the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge, for his very kind remarks. I cannot promise it will be the beginning of a new order, but it…03 Jul 2019