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1190472

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to promote rural broadband; and if she will ensure that Downe and Cudham in Orpington constituency and other rural areas that have yet to receive funding for broadband are prioritised.
tabling member constituency	Orpington
tabling member printed	Gareth Bacon
uin	40784
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>We recognise that access to fast and reliable broadband is essential to support economic growth and thriving rural communities. We are working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to ensure rural businesses and communities get the connectivity they need.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is investing record amounts to level up digital infrastructure across the UK. We are already connecting some of the hardest to reach places in the country, including through the Superfast Broadband Programme and £200 million Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme.</p><p> </p><p>The Government wants nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband as soon as possible and we are supporting rural areas as a priority. We have committed £5 billion of public funding to close the digital divide and ensure rural areas are not left behind. Further details will be announced in due course.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has also allocated up to £79.5 million of grant funding from the Rural Development Programme for England, targeted at helping to connect businesses with broadband in some of the hardest to reach rural areas.</p><p> </p><p>Those premises that do not have access to 'decent broadband' (10 Megabits per second download speeds) are able to request a Broadband Universal Service Obligation connection.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 05/05/2020 16:24:55 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4798 label Biography information for Gareth Bacon

1190484

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Supermarkets: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2020 to Question 33719 on Supermarkets: Coronavirus, what steps he is taking to ensure supermarkets improve the accessibility of online shopping for (a) people with disabilities and (b) housebound people.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Edgbaston
tabling member printed	Preet Kaur Gill
uin	40719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>Supermarkets have been working at pace to expand the total number of delivery and click and collect slots and we are working with major retailers to ensure that they prioritise delivery slots for those who are most vulnerable and at risk. This means that we have shared with supermarkets the details of those who have registered as clinically vulnerable and needing to shield, and who need help accessing food. These details are then processed by supermarkets, who match these names against their own customer databases. They then offer people the option of priority access to online delivery.</p><p>We have also been working quickly to support vulnerable people who do not fall into the shielded definition. This includes all people who are unable to access food and other essential supplies due to a Covid-19 related change in physical and / or financial circumstance. Most supermarkets are offering prioritised delivery or click and collect slots to those they have identified as vulnerable from their customer database (for example by age, shopping habits, previous use of vulnerable customer helplines etc.). We are working closely with retailers and local authorities to stand up a service to allow local authorities to refer vulnerable people to supermarkets for a priority delivery or click and collect slot.</p><p>We are also working with a range of suppliers to make available an increased range of food packages that can be ordered online or over the phone.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/05/2020 16:45:03 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4603 label Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill

1190490

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Milk: Competition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of long-term competition rules derogation for milk processors in non-aligned dairy farms for (a) facilitating trading cooperative and (b) building resilience in the milk processing and supply industry.
tabling member constituency	Bridgwater and West Somerset
tabling member printed	Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger
uin	40513
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>In order to support milk producers, we have temporarily eased some elements of competition law to make it easier for the dairy industry to come together to maximise production, processing and storage efficiency and ensure as much product as possible can be processed into high quality dairy products. This approach will allow the market for milk to adjust to the change in demand for milk while allowing production to be restored when shops, restaurants and pubs are able to open again. Exempted activities have been developed in conjunction with the dairy industry.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond this immediate and temporary measure, the Government plans to launch a range of initiatives to improve the position of milk producers. Government is keen to see greater levels of collaboration between producers and will continue to support farmers who want to harness the benefits of working together. Our Agriculture Bill includes powers to introduce a new domestic system for recognising producer organisations, which will be better tailored to the requirements of UK producers.</p><p> </p><p>The Bill also includes powers to introduce and enforce statutory codes of practice to address unfair trading practices which can occur between milk producers and purchasers. We will carry out a full consultation on dairy contracts to take account of the range of stakeholder views and hope to launch the consultation later this year.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/05/2020 13:38:52 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	1396 label Biography information for Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger

1190508

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Food: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support has been made available to the food and drink wholesale sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Swansea East
tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
uin	40827
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>The Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. The measures available to food and drink wholesale businesses depend on their size, and include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for furloughing of staff;</li><li>Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan;</li><li>Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan;</li><li>Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility;</li><li>Statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs with fewer than 250 employees;</li><li>Value Added Tax (VAT) deferral to the end of June;</li><li>HMRC Time To Pay Scheme;</li><li>Eviction protection for commercial tenants;</li><li>£10,000 cash grant for all business in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief</li></ul><p> </p><p>From 4 May, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be available to small businesses, who will be able to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.</p><p> </p><p>With counterparts across Whitehall, and through engagement with industry, we are monitoring the potential impacts COVID 19 on the food and drink wholesale sector. We remain committed to working in partnership with industry to respond to these challenges as they evolve.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/05/2020 13:46:41 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1190510

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Food: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide financial support to food and drink wholesale businesses that are affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Swansea East
tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
uin	40830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>The Chancellor of the Exchequer has already set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. The measures available to food and drink wholesale businesses depend on their size, and include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for furloughing of staff;</li><li>Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan;</li><li>Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan;</li><li>Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility;</li><li>Statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs with fewer than 250 employees;</li><li>Value Added Tax (VAT) deferral to the end of June;</li><li>HMRC Time To Pay Scheme;</li><li>Eviction protection for commercial tenants;</li><li>£10,000 cash grant for all business in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief</li></ul><p> </p><p>From 4 May, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be available to small businesses, who will be able to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.</p><p> </p><p>With counterparts across Whitehall, and through engagement with industry, we are monitoring the potential impacts COVID 19 on the food and drink wholesale sector. We remain committed to working in partnership with industry to respond to these challenges as they evolve.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/05/2020 13:43:12 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

1190661

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Recreation Spaces: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether businesses that own private fields for use as dog walking areas for the general public are allowed to continue to operate under the guidance on covid-19 announced on 23 March 2019.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Lee Anderson
uin	40766
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government’s message to the public is clear: stay at home, in order to protect the NHS and save lives. To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close. A full list of those businesses required to close, and exemptions, can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance#businesses-and-premises-that-must-remain-closed" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance#businesses-and-premises-that-must-remain-closed</a></p><p> </p><p>Dog walking businesses are not explicitly referred to as businesses that are required to close. Indeed, dog walking businesses play a key role in ensuring the welfare of the nation’s pets and can operate within the strict advice on social distancing and hygiene. Businesses that own private fields for dog walking are allowed to continue to operate.</p><p> </p><p>The Canine and Feline Sector Group, which advises both the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England and Defra Ministers, has issued its own guidance to pet businesses on how they can continue to operate under current restrictions and in line with guidance around social distancing and hygiene.</p><p><a href="http://www.cfsg.org.uk/coronavirus/SiteAssets/SitePages/Home/CFSG%20Animal%20Business%20Guidance%2007.04.20.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.cfsg.org.uk/coronavirus/SiteAssets/SitePages/Home/CFSG%20Animal%20Business%20Guidance%2007.04.20.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 06/05/2020 15:19:41 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4743 label Biography information for Lee Anderson

1190799

registered interest
date	27/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pets: Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to introduce parity of treatment under the law for people found guilty of harming or injuring a domestic pet to bring them in line with the penalties imposed if a service dog used by the police or an assistance dog used by a visually impaired person is attacked or injured.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	40708
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government remains fully committed to animal welfare and supports increasing the maximum custodial sentences for animal cruelty offences from six months to five years. This will enable courts to take a firmer approach to cases such as dog fighting, abuse of puppies and kittens, or gross neglect of farm animals. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 5 February by Chris Loder MP and is due to have its Second Reading on 10 July. The Government will continue to support the Bill as it makes its way through Parliament. The proposed new maximum sentence of five years would apply to all animals under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and hence would provide parity of treatment under the law for domestic pets, for service dogs used by the police, and for assistance dogs used by visually impaired people.</p><p> </p><p>The new maximum penalty of five years is in line with campaigns by key stakeholders such as Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Blue Cross, Dogs Trust and the RSPCA. This is a positive step forward in improving animal welfare and will act as a serious deterrent against animal cruelty. The increase to five years' imprisonment will provide one of the toughest sanctions in Europe, strengthening the UK's position as a global leader on animal welfare and will apply where anyone is convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/05/2020 16:42:07 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1189948

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Furs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will make it is policy to ban all animal fur products.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	39529
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare. There are restrictions on some skin and fur products, making it illegal to import them into the UK. These include fur from cats and dogs and seal skins and products from commercial hunts. Fur farming has been banned in the UK since 2000.</p><p>In addition, we do not allow imports of fur from wild animals caught using methods which are non-compliant with international humane trapping standards. Where fur is from an endangered species protected through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), its import or trade will be subject to CITES controls.</p><p>During the transition period it is not possible to introduce restrictions relating to the fur trade. Once our future relationship with the EU has been established there will be an opportunity for the Government to consider further steps it could take in relation to fur sales.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/04/2020 16:42:48 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1190005

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fisheries: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many businesses have applied to the Coronavirus Fisheries Support Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	39690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>The £9 million Fisheries Response Fund (FRF) went operational on Tuesday, April 21st. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has contacted just under 1000 registered fishing vessel owners directly by email, and the final 200 will be contacted today (28 April).</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/04/2020 15:45:28 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1190006

registered interest
date	24/04/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fisheries: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many businesses have received a direct cash grant through the Coronavirus fisheries support scheme.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	39691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2020 answer text <p>Of the 978 registered fishing vessel owners contacted, over 600 have returned completed application forms and 351 payments have been processed (to a total value of over £1.5 million) within the first five days. Further payments to all eligible fishing vessel owners will be made during this week and will continue in response to applications returned.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/04/2020 15:02:36 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock