Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Abundance of Wildlife Species: Legislative Proposals

Thursday 22 July 2021 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Tan Dhesi asked the Minister to bring forward legislative proposals to set a target for the abundance of wildlife species by 2030.
  • The Minister stated that the Government aims to halt the decline of nature and recover it by 2030, and is working on the detail of the target.
  • Olivia Blake questioned the effectiveness of the Government's policies, noting a lack of enforcement mechanisms and delivery plans.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Environment
Context

The question arises from the need to set a legally binding target for species abundance by 2030, following amendments in the Environment Bill.

Question

If he will bring forward legislative proposals to set a target for the abundance of wildlife species by 2030. The UK is among the most nature-depleted countries; half our wildlife has decreased since 1970 and one in seven species is now at risk of extinction. Given a decade of huge cuts, all the rhetoric and the modest uplift in Natural England funding cannot hide the fact that the Government have consistently missed United Nations biodiversity targets. Minister, in order to show leadership and set an example to the rest of the world, should a natural target not be set now, rather than wait, so that we can stop and reverse the decline of nature by 2030?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

I hope the hon. Gentleman will agree that the Government are taking this issue really seriously. We are the first Government to set a target such as this, aiming to halt the decline of nature, and indeed recover it by 2030. We are working on the detail of that target. It will be set, along with all the other targets, through the Environment Bill, which will enable us to work together to raise up nature everywhere, and we will be announcing those targets in October 2022.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for an immediate target was not addressed directly; instead, the answer focused on future actions in October 2022.

How: Working On Detail Of That Target

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Climate Environment
Context

The UK has seen a significant decline in wildlife since 1970, with half of the species decreasing and one in seven at risk of extinction. The Government have missed UN biodiversity targets due to decade-long budget cuts.

Question

Half our wildlife has decreased since 1970 and one in seven species is now at risk of extinction. Given a decade of huge cuts, all the rhetoric and the modest uplift in Natural England funding cannot hide the fact that the Government have consistently missed United Nations biodiversity targets. Minister, should a natural target not be set now to stop and reverse the decline of nature by 2030?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

The Government are taking this issue really seriously. We are bringing through groundbreaking legislation that will put in all the measures needed to tackle these serious issues, including targets in the Environment Bill and a range of grants such as the woodland creation grant and Nature for Climate peatland restoration grant scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for an immediate target was not addressed directly; instead, the answer focused on future legislative actions and funding mechanisms.

How: Bringing Through Groundbreaking Legislation

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Olivia Blake Lab Sheffield Hallam
Environment
Context

The Environmental Audit Committee Chair criticized the Government for grandiose statements without effective delivery mechanisms regarding biodiversity.

Question

Does she agree with the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, who says that despite numerous policies to leave the environment better than found, they often lack teeth and delivery mechanisms? Where is the plan?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

The plethora of press releases demonstrate just how much work is going on. We have groundbreaking legislation, targets in the Environment Bill, and grants such as the woodland creation grant and Nature for Climate peatland restoration grant scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about detailed plans was not addressed directly; instead, the answer focused on ongoing work and press releases.

How: The Plethora Of Press Releases

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email