Written questions by Hollinrake.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to (a) amend and (b) repeal assimilated EU law on the Habitats Directive on (i) newts and (ii) other protected species.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. As the Prime Minister said in his speech on 5 December the Government will streamline development processes to meet new and ambitious targets to build 1.5 million homes and advance 150 major infrastructure projects. The Government will also use the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to establish a more efficient and effective way for obligations related to our most important sites and species to be discharged at a scale that has the greatest environmental benefits. The Government has committed to only act in legislation where we can confirm to Parliament that the steps we are taking will deliver positive environmental outcomes. Necessary amendments may be made to assimilated EU law on the Habitats Directive to secure the operability of the proposed new approach.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the requirements set out in the interim planning guidance on the consideration of the Environment Act PM2.5 targets in planning decisions, published in November 2024, on the (a) viability and (b) cost of new developments.

The interim planning guidance is expected to have minimal impact on the viability and cost of new developments. It is interim guidance whilst Defra develops substantive technical guidance, and as such an assessment is not required.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Ensuring good waste collection services for households, published on 29 November 2024, and the consultation outcome on exemptions and statutory guidance for simpler recycling in England entitled Government response, published on 9 May 2024, for what reason that guidance does not specify minimum levels of service frequency for residual waste collections.

This Government is simplifying the rules to make recycling easier for people in England, while stimulating growth and maximising environmental benefits. Local authorities are already legally required to deliver waste collection services to all households in their area. Simpler Recycling in England will go further by mandating weekly food waste collections ensuring that the most unpleasant waste is dealt with quickly and reliably. Local authorities are best placed to determine the effective delivery of local services. As is currently the case, authorities will continue to decide collection frequency of waste collections in a way that suits the needs of their local community. There has never been a statutory requirement regarding the frequency of bin collections for local authorities, under any Government. We recognise that as recycling services are expanded and improved under Simpler Recycling in England, local authorities may choose to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now. Defra recently published guidance to ensure that local authorities consider certain factors when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained. These include ensuring that there are no disamenity impacts, such as the build-up of odorous waste at the kerbside or an increase in fly-tipping of residual waste. We expect local authorities to monitor any changes to collection frequencies to ensure there are no unintended adverse consequences.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to issue guidance on issuing of litter fines to householders.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 November 2024 to the hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, Question 14343.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) take steps to allow local authorities to set unlimited fines for littering and fly-tipping offences and (b) make an assessment of the financial resources local authority refuse departments have available to collect fly-tipping.

The Government is currently not considering further increases to the maximum levels of fixed penalty notices that can be issued by local authorities. At present these stand at £500 for littering and £1000 for fly-tipping. Local authorities must spend this income on enforcement or clean up. Local authorities also have powers to prosecute anyone suspected of littering or fly-tipping. This can lead to potentially higher fines, criminal records or, for fly-tipping, a community sentence or even imprisonment The Government is not planning to make an assessment of local authority resources to collect fly-tipping. We recognise the challenges that local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services. The Government have listened to voices across the sector, and we prioritised local government at the Budget, where we announced over £4 billion in additional funding for local government services, including £1.3 billion which will go through the Settlement.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of hazardous waste was exported by the type of hazardous waste in the latest period for which data is available.

The regulation of hazardous waste is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Waste exports are reported using a different classification system to domestic movements of hazardous wastes. The two datasets are therefore not directly comparable meaning the precise information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs. In 2023, 6,017,823 Tonnes of Hazardous waste were produced in England. Of this, 256,518 Tonnes (4%) was exported for treatment and recovery overseas. There are robust systems and processes in place to ensure that these wastes go to the right place and are treated appropriately. The top 5 categories of hazardous waste exported overseas from England are as follows: Waste typeTonnage exportedWaste mineral oils unfit for their originally intended use97,846 TonnesWaste lead-acid batteries, whole or crushed31,490 TonnesWastes from the production, formulation and use of inks, dyes, pigments, paints, lacquers, varnish20,894 TonnesWates containing Heavy metals14,769 TonnesWastes from production, formulation and use of resins, latex, plasticisers, glues/adhesives10,540 Tonnes

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste.

In May 2024, Defra officials were asked by the previous Government to prepare a briefing note for the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Democratic Scrutiny Committee on the implications for Northern Ireland of EU Regulation 2024/1157 on shipments of waste. The briefing note is published here: https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/committee-blocks/windsor-framework-democratic-scrutiny-committee/reg-eu-20241157/a-response-from-the-uk-gov-by-defra---30-may-2024.pdf Defra officials continue to assess the implications of EU Regulation 2024/1157 for businesses in Great Britain that trade with the EU.