Your questions answered
Below are the most popular questions and answers on current hot topics to the public.
1. Why is the Government phasing out old style light bulbs?
2. I have read in the press about a new Marine Bill. What exactly is it?
3. What is the Government doing to stop overfishing and conserve fish stocks?
4. Why are there differences in recycling services between different councils?
5. Where can I find out more about the South Downs National Park Inquiry?
Why is the Government phasing out old style light bulbs?
The EU is currently finalising a measure under the Energy-using Products Directive that will see the removal of incandescent lamps from the market. It will begin in September 2009 with the removal of frosted incandescent lamps and 100W clear incandescent lamps. There will also be a gradual phasing out of other incandescent lamps by 2012. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) will remain on the market as a replacement technology, offering 75-80% energy savings, as will halogen ‘look-alike’ lamps, which offer 25-45% energy savings.
In order to pre-empt carbon savings and save money on householders’ energy bills while allowing time for manufacturers to adapt their production capacity, the Government is involved with a voluntary initiative with a significant number of retailers and energy suppliers. Because of this initiative, 100W incandescent lamps were removed from participating retailers’ shelves in January 2009. The phase out of other lamps will be completed by 2011.
I have read in the press about a new Marine Bill. What exactly is it?
The UK is a world leader in many aspects of marine management and protection, and as our seas are some of the busiest in the world, demands on their resources are increasing. With so much going on at sea and around our coastline, there is a real need to create a more effective framework to ensure that we can make the best sustainable use of our marine resources. The Marine and Coastal Access Bill will help us do that. It will be the first of its kind in the world. No other country has attempted such a strategic approach to the enormously complex issue of marine management.
The draft Bill includes a number of provisions that will protect our seas and respond to some of the concerns raised by individuals and organisations. The marine conservation proposals in the draft Bill provide for the designation and protection of a new type of marine protected area - Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) - which will help the UK meet our commitment to establishing an ecologically coherent and well managed network of marine protected areas by 2012. We intend, therefore, to designate MCZs for rare and threatened habitats and species, as well as for those which are representative of the biodiversity found in our seas. In addition, we are including a new duty in the Bill which will require Ministers to report to Parliament on progress in establishing the network.
We are pleased to confirm that the Government introduced the Marine & Coastal Access Bill into the House of Lords on 4 December 2008.
What is the Government doing to stop overfishing and conserve fish stocks?
The UK and other Member States agreed on wide ranging reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in December 2002. The new CFP has sustainability at its core.
The Fisheries Council agreed reforms relating to the conservation of and access to resources, more effective control and enforcement, curbs on fleet capacity, international fisheries, aquaculture, the socio-economic impacts of the Common Fisheries Policy, increased integration of environmental concerns into fisheries management and stakeholder participation in decision making.
We believe the reformed Common Fisheries Policy is a much more robust framework to develop sustainable fisheries and we ensure industry is consulted on crucial elements to ensure successful implementation of these reforms.
Why are there differences in recycling services between different councils?
The variation in recycling and composting between local authorities and regions reflects local priorities, the historical availability of landfill, and demographic differences, including the unique problems associated with trying to encourage recycling in built-up, urban areas and in sparsely populated rural areas.
It also reflects Defra's strategy to increase recycling, which allows local authorities the freedom to set their own strategies to meet government targets. This has led to a number of different approaches to encourage people to recycle more.
For further information please visit our recycling and waste pages.
Where can I find out more about the South Downs National Park Inquiry?
The deadline for submitting representations to the inquiry has passed. The re-opened Public Inquiry closed on 4 July and Defra received the Inspector’s report on 28 November. We currently anticipate that a decision will be made in early summer 2009.
Details of the inquiry can be found on the Planning Inspectorate website at
www.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/southdowns/whats_new.htm.
Why is Defra saying no to a badger cull and what is being done to control the spread of TB?
The Secretary of State based his decision not to issue any licences to farmers to cull badgers for preventing bovine TB on a wide range of evidence. This included discussions with farming, veterinary, wildlife and conservation groups, the conclusions of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG), and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (EFRA) report. Delivering an effective large area cull in practice would be a difficult and costly operation and need to be sustained for a number of years. Public opposition to culling could increase the challenge of effective delivery. We therefore cannot be certain any cull would be effective, and a badly delivered cull would make the situation worse.
We will instead be putting our efforts into strengthening our programme of research to develop cattle and badger vaccines and plan for their deployment. £20 million will be invested over the next three years in developing usable cattle and badger vaccines.
Cattle-based measures are critical to tackling this disease. The current cattle control measures which form part of the government’s TB control policy include the routine cattle testing programme, pre-movement testing for cattle moving from high risk herds, a zero tolerance regime for overdue tests and targeted use of the gamma interferon test. We are also encouraging good husbandry practice and actively pursuing the future use of vaccination of cattle or wildlife. For further information on bovine TB please visit: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/
Page last modified: 17 February 2009
Page published: 23 June 2008