Every parliamentary written question tabled by Damian Hinds this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–9 of 9 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timetable is for (a) reviewing and (b) publishing her assessment of Southern Water’s Water Resources Management Plan 24.
We are currently reviewing Southern Water’s draft Water Resources Management Plan with water regulators. The Secretary of State will make a decision on the next steps is due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the average return on capital employed of family-owned farms in (a) England and (b) the UK.
Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) for family-owned farms is not available. Data are collected at the commercial farm business level by the Farm Business Survey. The survey does not collect information on whether farms are family-owned so it is not possible to infer any estimate answering this question.
Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the retail price of a basket of food goods (a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of average family income spent on food goods in (i) the UK and (b) comparable countries.
The Office for National Statistics reports the average weekly household expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages in the UK, which is collected via ONS’s Living Costs and Food Survey and published in Family Spending in the UK. OECD Data Explorer publishes annual household final consumption expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as total expenditure, in the G7 countries. Using this data, it is possible to calculate the proportion of expenditure spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages. The UK data is taken from the Office for National Statistics’ Consumer Trends publication. G7 countries% of expenditure spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages (2022)Canada9.4France13.2Germany11.5Italy14.4Japan15.9United Kingdom8.4Unites States6.9
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) commission an independent assessment of the potential (i) environmental and (ii) health impact of using recycled waste water and (b) pause approval of water (A) transfer and (B) recycling projects until that assessment is published.
For any water recycling scheme to proceed it must comply with the Water Environment Regulations (formally the Water Framework Directive) and the Habitats Regulations. The Environment Agency will ensure environmental requirements are met through their roles as statutory consultee of the planning process and regulator for environmental permits. Environmental Impact Assessments are required to support planning and permitting and appropriate mitigation must be provided for any impacts. Water re-abstracted from the environment for public water supply must also be treated to meet our high drinking water standards before use, in accordance with a robust risk assessment. Recent research carried out for the Drinking Water Inspectorate indicated a high level of support (79% agreement) for the use of water recycling to supplement drinking water supplies. Options such as water recycling mark a transition to water supplies that are not dependent upon the uncertainties of rainfall. These options are well established elsewhere around the world and in the UK, to ensure resilient supplies in a changing climate. There are currently no plans to commission an independent assessment on the potential of using recycled waste water.
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Water Commission on the proposed water transfer and recycling project at the Havant Thicket Reservoir.
The independent water commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will consult experts in areas like the environment, public health, engineering, customers, investors and economics, reporting to the Secretary of State for Environment and Wales’ Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs by Q2 2025. The commission will consider the challenges the water sector faces as a whole and use the evidence to set out recommendations that will help transform the sector. The Terms of Reference for the Independent Commission are available at GOV.UK.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential relevance of international comparisons of the potential (a) merits, (b) risks and (c) costs of proposals for recycling waste water in (i) Havant Thicket and (ii) elsewhere.
Southern Water are currently consulting on their Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), which includes the proposed water transfer and recycling project at Havant Thicket Reservoir. Water regulators will review and scrutinise the plan to ensure it is fit for purpose, the risks to the environment including the impact on chalk streams are low, and it is value for money. Options such as water recycling mark a transition to water supplies that are not dependent upon the uncertainties of rainfall. These options are well established elsewhere around the world and in the UK, to ensure resilient supplies in a changing climate. For any water recycling scheme to proceed it must comply with the Water Environment Regulations (formally the Water Framework Directive) and the Habitats Regulations. The Environment Agency will ensure environmental requirements are met through their roles as statutory consultee of the planning process and regulator for environmental permits. Environmental impact assessments are required to support planning and permitting and appropriate mitigation must be provided for any impacts.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) merits, (b) risks and (c) cost to the public purse of the proposed water transfer and recycling project at the Havant Thicket Reservoir.
Southern Water are currently consulting on their Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), which includes the proposed water transfer and recycling project at Havant Thicket Reservoir. Water regulators will review and scrutinise the plan to ensure it is fit for purpose, the risks to the environment including the impact on chalk streams are low, and it is value for money. Options such as water recycling mark a transition to water supplies that are not dependent upon the uncertainties of rainfall. These options are well established elsewhere around the world and in the UK, to ensure resilient supplies in a changing climate. For any water recycling scheme to proceed it must comply with the Water Environment Regulations (formally the Water Framework Directive) and the Habitats Regulations. The Environment Agency will ensure environmental requirements are met through their roles as statutory consultee of the planning process and regulator for environmental permits. Environmental impact assessments are required to support planning and permitting and appropriate mitigation must be provided for any impacts.
Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues on criteria for approval of a water transfer and recycling project.
Southern Water are currently consulting on their Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), which includes the proposed water transfer and recycling project at Havant Thicket Reservoir. Water regulators will review and scrutinise the plan to ensure it is fit for purpose, the risks to the environment including the impact on chalk streams are low, and it is value for money. Options such as water recycling mark a transition to water supplies that are not dependent upon the uncertainties of rainfall. These options are well established elsewhere around the world and in the UK, to ensure resilient supplies in a changing climate. For any water recycling scheme to proceed it must comply with the Water Environment Regulations (formally the Water Framework Directive) and the Habitats Regulations. The Environment Agency will ensure environmental requirements are met through their roles as statutory consultee of the planning process and regulator for environmental permits. Environmental impact assessments are required to support planning and permitting and appropriate mitigation must be provided for any impacts.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of potential impact of the proposed water transfer and recycling project at the Havant Thicket Reservoir on Hampshire’s chalk streams.
Southern Water are currently consulting on their Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), which includes the proposed water transfer and recycling project at Havant Thicket Reservoir. Water regulators will review and scrutinise the plan to ensure it is fit for purpose, the risks to the environment including the impact on chalk streams are low, and it is value for money. Options such as water recycling mark a transition to water supplies that are not dependent upon the uncertainties of rainfall. These options are well established elsewhere around the world and in the UK, to ensure resilient supplies in a changing climate. For any water recycling scheme to proceed it must comply with the Water Environment Regulations (formally the Water Framework Directive) and the Habitats Regulations. The Environment Agency will ensure environmental requirements are met through their roles as statutory consultee of the planning process and regulator for environmental permits. Environmental impact assessments are required to support planning and permitting and appropriate mitigation must be provided for any impacts.