Countryside

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on the countryside. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
23.07.2013Export of Live Animals within the European Union
This notes summarises the rules governing the export of live animals within EU countries.
06.06.2013Septic tanks: new regulations
Septic tanks within groundwater source protection zone 1 had to be registered or have an environmental permit by 2012. All other septic tanks may have to be registered depending on the outcome of the consultation by DEFRA due to be announced in 2013.
05.06.2013Bees and Neonicotinoids
The European Commission is going ahead with proposals to restrict the use of three common neonicotinoids from December 2013 because of their impacts on bees. The UK Government does not support these plans, arguing that the scientific case has not yet been made and the impacts of such restrictions have not been fully assessed. However, the European Food Safety Agency has recently criticised UK field trials used to support the Government's position. This note outlines the policy developments in the context of the scientific evidence and stakeholder comment. It touches on bee health and the overall role of pollinators in the ecosystem and agriculture.
04.06.2013Badger Culling
This note summarises the proposals for allowing farmers in England to cull badgers and the Governments decison to go ahead with a cull, starting with two pilot areas in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset. The cull was postponed until 2012, but licences were for it to go ahead from 1st June 2013
15.03.2013Marine Conservation Zones
This note describes the designation of Marine Conservation Zones in England, which were introduced under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. The Government has proposed to designate 31 MCZ in 2013; additional MCZ may be designated in following years. A public consultation on the proposals closes on 31 March 2013.

Research Papers

DateDescription
13.12.2012Growth and Infrastructure Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill. It complements Research Paper 12/61 prepared for Commons Second Reading
01.11.2012Growth and Infrastructure Bill
The Growth and Infrastructure Bill seeks to reduce delays in the planning system and to facilitate new development, through various means. It would allow planning obligations (section 106 agreements) relating to affordable housing to be renegotiated. To promote economic growth, it makes provision for a planned revaluation of business rates in England to be postponed and to create a new employment status of employee owner. Its second reading date has been moved from 30 October to 5 November 2012.
11.01.2012Daylight Saving Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Daylight Saving Bill.
19.07.2009Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report. Bill 137 2008-09.
The Bill would set up a new Marine Management Organisation (MMO); streamline marine licensing; introduce marine planning; reform fisheries management; provide for Marine Conservation Zones; and enable the creation of a route around the English coast.
16.06.2009Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
The Bill covers a broad range of marine issues and would: (1) set up a new Marine Management Organisation (MMO) under which many of the existing, diverse areas of marine regulation would be centralised; (2) streamline the existing marine licensing system and provide powers to create a joined up marine planning policy; (3) introduce new measures to reform fisheries management; (4) provide a framework for establishing marine conservation zones; and, (5) enable the creation of a route around the English coast.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
21.07.2010The National Forest.
Government response. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]
14.01.2009The potential of England's rural economy.
Government response. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
20.12.2011DELIVERY CHARGES FOR CONSUMERS IN RURAL AREAS
That this House welcomes the campaign by Citizens Advice Scotland and Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland to tackle unfair delivery practices for consumers in remote and rural areas; ...
10.10.2011RURAL BROADBAND
That this House believes that mobile broadband has an important role to play in delivering internet access to rural communities; welcomes the action taken by the Rural Broadband Working ...
14.09.2011BIG LOTTERY FUND VILLAGE SOS INITIATIVE
That this House welcomes the Big Lottery Fund's Village SOS initiative, launched in conjunction with a BBC1 series broadcast from 10 August to 14 September 2011; recognises that community ...
12.07.2011JOHN CLARE TRUST AND OUT OF SCHOOL LEARNING
That this House notes that 13 July is John Clare's birthday; congratulates the John Clare Trust on the launch of Every Child's Right to the English Countryside campaign; further notes ...
12.07.2011STOP THE DROP CAMPAIGN
That this House supports the Stop the Drop campaign, run by the Campaign to Protect Rural England and its President Bill Bryson, to clean up litter and fly-tipping in the countryside; ...

Lords Library Notes

DateDescription
24.12.2012Growth and Infrastructure Bill (HL Bill 72 of 2012-13)
The purpose of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill is to promote investment in infrastructure projects, reduce delays in the planning system and introduce a new employment status of employee shareholder. This Library Note provides background information for the second reading of the Bill in the House of Lords on 8 January 2013.
05.10.2010Debate on 7 October 2010: the Prince's Countryside Fund and support for rural communities. LLN 2010/021
Debate on 7 October 2010: the Prince's Countryside Fund and support for rural communities. House of Lords Library Note 2010/021

POST Papers

DateDescription
05.09.2012Balancing Nature and Agriculture
This POSTnote explores two approaches to managing land for balancing nature conservation with sustainable food production. Land sharing integrates the objectives of agriculture and benefits to wildlife on the same land. Land sparing on the other hand separates intensive farming areas from protected natural habitats at larger scales.
15.03.2012Livestock Super Farms
This POSTnote examines the current issues surrounding intensification of livestock production in the UK.
01.01.2010Insect pollination, January 2010
This POSTnote examines the risks of insect pollination decline for the UK and explores strategies to provide stable pollination services into the future.
01.02.2008Ecological networks, February 2008
Ecological networks, February 2008. POSTnote 08/300.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - papers compiled by the House of Lords Library on Bills and for debates in the Lords