The UK Government, Welsh Government, Scottish Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for Northern Ireland are all committed to tackling plastic pollution and its impact on our environment, economy and health. Our goal is to maximise resource efficiency and minimise plastic waste, by following the principles of the waste hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This includes moving away from a take, make, waste model and towards a circular economy for plastic....More
Following support at public consultation, the Environment Act 2021 amended the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to include new requirements relating to the separate collection of waste in England. In 2021 the government consulted on the detail to go into regulations, including on the materials in scope of collection, exemptions, and implementation dates. This consultation seeks views on related policies regarding the collection of waste from non-domestic premises and information to...More
An effective cattle [1] traceability system is essential to control the spread of infectious diseases. Failure to do so can have a devastating impact on the economy, international trade, and public health. The Foot and Mouth outbreak of 2001 resulted in over 6 million cattle and sheep being culled and was estimated to have cost the UK economy £8 billion [2] .
When we can identify and trace cattle to a location, we have...More
Dartmoor National Park Authority is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These areas are known as ‘open access land’. Much of the ‘coastal margin’ of the England Coast Path is also open access land under the same Act. Landowners have the right to...More
The UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 establish a system in which producers of equipment are required to finance the cost of collection, treatment, recovery and recycling of WEEE arising from private households. The WEEE Regulations establish a system of annual collection targets that are imposed on producer compliance schemes (PCSs). The Secretary of State has discretionary powers to approve a compliance fee methodology as an alternative form of compliance...More
Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at this site. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These areas are known as ‘open access land’. Much of the ‘coastal margin’ of the England Coast Path is also open access land under the same Act. Landowners have the right to apply to the relevant...More
Proposals for expanding the use of remote electronic monitoring in English waters
This consultation launches Defra’s vision for expanding the use of remote electronic monitoring in English waters. It proposes an approach to the long-term adoption of remote electronic monitoring that moves from pilots to fishery wide implementation alongside policy reforms such as Fisheries Management Plans and a new approach to managing discards . It is part of an ongoing package of...More
Discarding is when unwanted catches of fish are thrown back to sea, dead or alive, during commercial fishing operations. This is a complex problem with no easy solution. There is a discarding ban in place, called the landing obligation, but it has not been effective in changing fishing practices. We need a different approach.
The discards reform consultation sets out proposals to change the way we manage discards in England. This will contribute to achieving the bycatch objective of...More
Following consultations in 2019 and 2021, the UK Government and Devolved Administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales confirmed in March 2022 the proposals to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging. Since then, we have been working to develop the draft Regulations which will introduce the measures set out in the Government Response of March 2022.
We remain committed to introducing measures that work for business, local government, the...More
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Channel Demersal Non Quota Species Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and the policies and proposed measures it contains. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental impacts of the FMP set out in the environmental report.
Nineteen demersal non quota species (NQS) were prioritised for an FMP due to their vulnerability to over-exploitation, the economic value of the fisheries and a lack of evidence to...More
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Bass Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and the policies and proposed measures it contains. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental impacts of the Bass FMP set out in the environmental report.
Bass contributes culturally, socially, and economically to coastal communities through, for example, employment and recreational fishing interests. However, a combination of overfishing and poor year class...More
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Whelk Fisheries Management Plan (FMP), its policies and proposed measures. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental impacts of the whelk FMP set out in the environmental report.
Whelks were prioritised for an FMP due to the stock’s vulnerability to over-exploitation, the economic value of the fishery and a lack of evidence to properly assess and monitor the state of the stock.
The Whelk...More
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Crab and Lobster Fisheries Management Plan (FMP), the policies and proposed measures it contains. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental impacts of the Crab and Lobster FMP set out in the environmental report.
The FMP has been prioritised for early development due to the vulnerability of these stocks to over-exploitation, their economic value, and the need for more evidence and...More
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed King Scallop Fisheries Management Plan (FMP), its policies and proposed measures. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental impacts of the King Scallop FMP set out in the environmental report.
King scallops have been prioritised due to the stock’s vulnerability to over-exploitation, the economic value of the fishery and a lack of evidence to properly assess and monitor the state of the stock. ...More
The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel mixed Flatfish Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and the policies and proposed measures it contains. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental impacts of the FMP set out in the environmental report.
The Flatfish FMP applies to lemon sole, witch, turbot, brill, dab, flounder, Atlantic halibut, plaice and sole in English waters within International Council for...More
Hedgerows are important ecological building blocks across our landscapes. They provide habitat, act as wildlife corridors, slow soil erosion and water run-off, support crop pollinators and sequester carbon.
As we replace the EU’s land-based subsidies with our new farming schemes, we also move away from cross compliance regulation. We are improving the way farm regulation works to make it fairer, clearer and more proportionate and effective, while working in partnership with...More
Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is consulting on a proposed byelaw to prohibit fishing activity to protect and allow full recovery of all species and habitats and associated ecosystem processes in the following three English highly protected marine areas (HPMAs).
Allonby Bay
Dolphin Head
North East of Farnes Deep
Questions to consider
Please provide us with any information you feel could be...More
Just under a quarter of English registered 10 metre and under (u10m) vessels are subject to a limit, or cap, of 350kg on the amount of finfish quota species they can fish per annum. The cap was introduced to help manage the utilisation of quota available to this section of the fleet who fish for quota species from the u10m quota pool. In recent years the level of quota in the pool has increased, partly as a result of Brexit, with the pool not being fully utilised.
Licence capping is...More
The government has set out its intention to ensure action is taken to address all storm overflows from water companies wholly or mainly in England. This follows an announcement from the Secretary of State on 20 February 2023 requiring individual action plans on all storm overflows, including coastal and estuarine overflows. We are now consulting further on the expansion of the Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan to cover coastal and estuarine waters, which had not been specifically...More
Leaving the European Union has given us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to review how we make and shape Great Britain's regulatory framework for food and drink. The current 400-page rulebook for wine is overly complex and bureaucratic. It blocks innovation in the wine sector, including banning practices that could help us reduce carbon emissions, increases production costs and reduces consumer choice.
We want to make changes that ensure England and Wales continue to have a...More
Defra are launching this consultation to seek your views on the introduction of a specialist private primate keeper licensing regime in England, through regulations made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
This consultation will seek views on the proposed specialist private primate keeper licensing regime, as well as the new primate-keeping welfare standards.
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Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges and action is urgently needed. In 2019 we became the first major economy to set a legally binding target to achieve net zero by 2050. In 2021 the UK government published its Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener , becoming the first major economy to set a legally binding target to achieve net zero by 2050.
The environmental impacts of biodegradable waste entering landfill are well known. In the absence of oxygen (below...More
Defra has developed a charging model to recover operating costs for government-run border control posts (BCPs) in England ahead of planned implementation of SPS checks on EU imports in January 2024. The legal basis for charging is Article 81(b) of the retained Official Control Regulations (OCR).
Defra proposes administering a single Common User Charge: a flat rate levied on every SPS consignment (Plants and Plant Products (P&PP) and Animal Products) which is eligible for BCP...More
The Animals and Animal Products Reg of 2015 (AAPR) is due a Post Implementation Review (PIR). This stage of the legislative lifecycle is mandatory after a set amount of time and provides an opportunity to review whether the legislation has met and continues to meet it's intended objectives, with opinions being sought from users and stakeholders.
The AAPR is a legislative tool which enables the sampling of products of animal origin (POAO) to test for residues of prohibited substances,...More
We are seeking your views on a small number of proposed changes to the Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Regulations for England and Wales.
The amendments are being proposed in a draft Statutory Instrument (SI) which is available to view as part of this consultation. The purpose of the SI is to clarify four regulations where volumes of PCBs are referred to. The first regulation relates to a requirement to remove pieces of equipment containing PCBs by the end of 2025, the second relates...More
A new Master Outline Planning Application is being prepared for the world-leading Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) site off Woodham Lane, New Haw. This represents a significant Government investment and will safeguard and enhance the UK’s main facility protecting animal health and welfare. Over 1,000 people work at APHA’s site in New Haw which underpins our economy with billions of pounds of trade, whilst protecting public health and the welfare of animals. The Science...More
This consultation sets out proposals to update the regulations for batch testing and batch releasing of imported veterinary medicines. The Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) were amended after EU Exit to reflect the UK’s independence from the EU. We now wish to improve the regulations (as they apply in Great Britain) and seek your views on the proposals. Changes will then form part of the wider changes to the VMR (see the separate consultation here , which closed on 31 March...More
Natural England is the public body responsible for conserving and enhancing the natural environment in England. One of Natural England’s statutory duties is to decide whether an area should be given special status and protection by designating it as a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The purpose of AONB designation is to conserve and enhance an area’s natural beauty. AONBs are designated by Natural England using statutory powers in the Countryside and...More