Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 January 2017.
Oliver Colvile
Conservative, Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
12:00,
19 January 2017
What plans her Department has to increase awareness of the potential benefits of the natural environment.
Therese Coffey
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
This Government established the Natural Capital Committee, which we re-established in this current Parliament. We will also be publishing our 25-year environment plan in due course. We want to help everyone to understand how a healthy environment improves their lives and how spending time in the natural environment benefits health and wellbeing.
Oliver Colvile
Conservative, Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
Live long and prosper, Mr Speaker.
As my hon. Friend knows, I have been running a national campaign to save the hedgehog. She may also know that
Therese Coffey
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
I commend my hon. Friend for his continuing support of the hedgehog. The Government support efforts to make our gardens more hedgehog-friendly through the creation of havens, and the campaigns within local communities to work together to look out for the hedgehog, including that of BBC Suffolk; I encourage him to get BBC Devon to do the same. We do have a proud tradition, and we want to continue that with our next generation.
Mary Creagh
Chair, Environmental Audit Committee, Chair, Environmental Audit Committee
Indeed, Mr Speaker. Many happy returns.
Hedgehogs and other wild mammals, and precious bird species, are currently protected under European Union regulations. The Environmental Audit Committee’s report on the effects on the natural environment of leaving the EU recommended a new environmental protection Act. Has the Minister had a chance to read the report, and what is her assessment of our recommendation?
Therese Coffey
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
I read it from cover to cover on the day it came out, as is appropriate for a Minister in serving the needs of the House. I can honestly say that our intention is to bring environmental legislation into law on the day that we leave the European Union. As a consequence, we see no need for any future legislation at this stage.
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