Pippa Heylings MP: written questions
625 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Agriculture: ForestryDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49514More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to provide funding for agroforestry support to include (a) multi-species planting and (b) increased tree planting densities to enable woodland systems suitable for (i)
Answer: Our in-field agroforestry offers under the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes allow flexibility for land managers to decide on tree species and densities that suit their objectives, to realise the multiple benefits that trees provide in the farmi...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to adapt farming subsidy schemes to encourage farmers to (a) house farmed animals in woodlands and (b) plant woodlands in permanent pasture.
Answer: Our in-field agroforestry offers under the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes include support for establishing and maintaining silvopastoral systems, where trees are planted in pasture to realise their multiple benefits such as enhanced animal we...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity Diagnostic Centres: Blood TestsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49512More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that a full blood count is (a) categorised as a core diagnostic service and (b) available at all community diagnostic centres.
Answer: Blood tests, particularly full blood count (FBC) tests, are among the most commonly requested diagnostic investigations across primary and secondary care, and are readily available across all 27 National Health Service pathology networks. FBC tests play a...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: LicensingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what role the Treasury holds in approving new oil and gas fields.
Answer: The Oil & Gas Authority (operating as the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA)) are the licensing authority for offshore oil & gas. The NSTA are also responsible for granting consents and authorisations for subsequent activities (including develo...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: LicensingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44676More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who approves new oil and gas fields.
Answer: The Oil & Gas Authority (operating as the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA)) are the licensing authority for offshore oil & gas. The NSTA are also responsible for granting consents and authorisations for subsequent activities (including develo...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordClimate ChangeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to meet climate change adaptation commitments.
Answer: Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, and as such it is responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. Defra is the owning department for about half of the 61 risks and opportunities ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support nature-friendly farming.
Answer: The Government is supporting farmers to implement nature-friendly farming practices through a range of measures. These include habitat restoration and creation, and changes to limit emissions while maintaining agricultural profitability and increasing pro...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHorticulture: PeatDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislation to end retail sales of horticultural peat.
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Defra is committed to protecting our nature-rich habitats, including peat bogs, and is looking at next steps regarding measures to ban horticultural peat. The Depart...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPeatlands: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44672More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help restore peatlands.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of England’s peatlands, and in our manifesto, we committed to expanding nature-rich habitats such as peatlands. This will contribute to ensuring nature’s recovery, one of Defra’s five priorities. We have ambitions ...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine Environment: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44671More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the carbon storage potential of natural blue carbon habitats; and what steps he is taking to help protect these habitats.
Answer: To progress the evidence base on blue carbon habitats in UK waters the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership (UKBCEP) was established in 2022. Through the UKBCEP, Defra is working together with Devolved Governments and DESNZ to address key blue carbon resea...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine Environment: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44670More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect blue carbon habitats from damaging human activities.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Poole, Neil Duncan-Jordan, in February 2025, PQ 28248. In England, we have established a comprehensive network of 181 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which cover the majority of o...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGame: Gun SportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a licensing system for grouse shooting in England.
Answer: The Government recognises well-managed grouse shooting can be an important part of a local rural economy, providing direct and indirect employment. It also appreciates that many people hold strong views on the issue of grouse shooting and there is evidenc...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBirds of Prey: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44668More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle persecution of birds of prey.
Answer: Bird of prey persecution is a national wildlife crime priority and there are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey and other wildlife. Where any wild bird of prey is killed illegally the full force of the law should apply ...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44667More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the UK meets its 2030 nature recovery targets.
Answer: Our biodiversity targets, alongside other statutory targets on tree canopy and woodland cover, water and air quality, marine protected areas, and resource efficiency, will drive action for nature recovery.We have pledged up to £400 million for tree planti...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBirds: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44666More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the UK’s declining wild bird populations.
Answer: This Government remains committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species including wild birds. That is why, on the 30 July 2024 the Government announced a review of the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and the intention to deve...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to help support authorities responsible for local nature recovery strategies to (a) facilitate partnership working, (b) collate a pipeline of nature reco
Answer: The Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has appointed 48 responsible authorities to prepare Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) across England. Responsible authorities must follow the LNRS regulations when pre...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44664More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide guidance to authorities responsible for local nature recovery strategies on the delivery of those strategies.
Answer: The Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has appointed 48 responsible authorities to prepare Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) across England. Responsible authorities must follow the LNRS regulations when pre...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44663More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the delivery of local nature recovery strategies by responsible authorities.
Answer: The Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has appointed 48 responsible authorities to prepare Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) across England. Responsible authorities must follow the LNRS regulations when pre...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44662More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to announce further steps to help reduce waiting times for mental health treatment.
Answer: Nationally, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. We will also introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the trees burnt at the Drax power station are imported and transported on diesel freighters.
Answer: Drax sources the vast majority of its supply of biomass pellets from the US, with a small percentage from Canada, and elsewhere. It transports pellets to the UK by shipping them on bulk carriers, unloading at ports including Immingham, Liverpool and Port ...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: SubsidiesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his proposed extension of subsidies for the Drax power station would raise the guaranteed strike price for the company from £100 MW/h to £113 MW/h.
Answer: The new CfD arrangement caps the volume of supported generation to an annual load factor of 27% compared to Drax’s current 65%. This incentivises dispatchable biomass generation only when the system needs it, ensuring consumers can benefit from cheaper wi...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43726More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has issued a response to BBC Panorama’s reports that the Drax powerplant has burned wood from primary forest sites.
Answer: Following the Panorama reports, Ofgem, as the independent regulator, conducted a comprehensive investigation into Drax’s sustainability arrangements and concluded that, whilst no subsidies were issued for unsustainable biomass, there was an absence of ade...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43725More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to stop unabated burning of wood at Drax power station.
Answer: The Government has agreed Heads of Terms with Drax for time-limited support from 2027 to 2031. The National Energy System Operator advised that without Drax we would face increased security of supply risks from 2027 to 2031. No decisions have been made on...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43724More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to legislate to prevent the Drax power station burning wood from primary forests for producing non-subsidised electricity.
Answer: The Government only provides support for biomass sourced from forests which are sustainably managed.Under the agreed Heads of Terms for short term support from 2027-2031, Drax must source 100% of its biomass from sustainable sources, and must exclude prim...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing hon. Members to access (a) the KPMG interim report of December 2022 and (b) the full NESO report on the alternatives to b
Answer: The KPMG report is an internal fact-finding document, commissioned by Drax to review their biomass supply chain against the sustainability requirements of existing arrangements. Whilst DESNZ Officials were granted time limited access to view the report, w...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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