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1300707

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	National Food Strategy Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government plans to publish a response to the recommendations of Part 1 of the National Food Strategy.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	165575
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>Henry Dimbleby was appointed to lead the independent review of the food system in June 2019. This review will inform the Government's Food Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>Part One of Henry Dimbleby's independent review of the food system was published on 29 July 2020 and contained recommendations on trade and food security in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government has already acted on these recommendations, with the announcement of the Covid Winter Support package on 8 November 2020 that ensured vulnerable households would not go hungry, and with announcements on trade last year, which included putting the Trade and Agriculture Commission onto a statutory footing.</p><p> </p><p>Part Two of the independent review will be published in 2021. We are continuing to engage with Henry Dimbleby and his team, and are committed to responding with a White Paper within six months of the release of his second and final report.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 17/03/2021 13:16:14 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1300726

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Environmental Land Management Schemes: Biofuels
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 his Department plans to include the growing of bioenergy feedstocks such as woodland and energy crops as recognised activities for farmers and landowners under the Environment Land Management Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	165667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has made a commitment to develop and publish a new cross-government Biomass Strategy by 2022. Defra is working closely with BEIS on this. The strategy will consider how biomass should be sourced and used across the economy to best contribute to our net zero target. There is evidence and widespread acceptance that biomass, including bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, has a key role to play in achieving net zero. We are looking carefully at how to ensure any potential future policy to increase the supply of domestically sourced biomass, such as woody biomass or energy crops such as miscanthus, minimises any potential impacts on food security and the environment, as well as taking advantage of any co-benefits. We will also consider whether our future schemes that pay farmers to improve the environment, improve animal health and welfare, and reduce carbon emissions can play a role in supporting the delivery of the strategy.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 17/03/2021 16:41:11 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1300743

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Dogs: Smuggling
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 he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on increasing the maximum penalties for the illegal importation of dogs into the UK.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	165439
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of puppy smuggling and other illegal importations of pets very seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to animals and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk.</p><p> </p><p>Now the transition period has ended, we have the opportunity to manage our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. We are actively listening to the concerns of stakeholders, such as the RSCPA, the British Veterinary Association and Dogs Trust, and recent Parliamentary work from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, as we consider a range of recommendations in this area.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 165440 question first answered 17/03/2021 16:31:14 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1300744

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Dogs: Imports
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 proposals of the Dogs Trust to increase the minimum age at which puppies can be imported into the UK from 15 weeks to six months in order to make them less desirable for purchase and make the illegal puppy trade less lucrative for criminals.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	165441
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>The end of the transition period has opened up new opportunities for managing our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. We are actively listening to the concerns of stakeholders and the Government is considering options to strengthen our efforts to tackle puppy smuggling and prevent the low-welfare importation and movement of these animals including looking at the minimum age of dogs entering Great Britain (GB).</p><p>These options will take into consideration the results from our latest disease risk assessments for GB, recommendations of stakeholders such as the British Veterinary Association and Dogs Trust, and recent Parliamentary work from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 17/03/2021 16:22:51 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1300791

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Dogs: Smuggling
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 he has plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the increasing the maximum penalties for the illegal importation of dogs into the UK.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	165440
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of puppy smuggling and other illegal importations of pets very seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to animals and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk.</p><p> </p><p>Now the transition period has ended, we have the opportunity to manage our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. We are actively listening to the concerns of stakeholders, such as the RSCPA, the British Veterinary Association and Dogs Trust, and recent Parliamentary work from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, as we consider a range of recommendations in this area.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 165439 question first answered 17/03/2021 16:31:14 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1300871

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Beetles: Pest Control
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 he is taking to help farmers respond to Wireworm outbreaks; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	165619
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>The management of wireworm outbreaks predominantly relies on non-chemical control such as consolidating seed beds to help restrict its movement and controlling grass weeds to reduce its food source. This non-chemical approach is integral to integrated pest management (IPM) which can help control all pest species. The Government has put IPM at the centre of its draft revised UK National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. The draft plan sets out how we will support farmers, land managers, amateur users, and amenity users to maximise non-chemical control and increase uptake of IPM approaches. It also sets out how we would do this, by: improving education, knowledge sharing platforms, and advisory mechanisms; considering how to offset financial risks that could be associated with uptake of an IPM approach; and investing in research and development on alternative crop protection options. The consultation on the draft plan closed on 26 February and the final plan will be published later in the year.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 17/03/2021 17:12:01 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1300906

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Horses: Manure
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 discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the estimated cost to local authorities of clearing horse manure from public roads and footpaths, in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	165706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>Local councils have a duty to ensure that public areas are kept clear of litter and refuse. This includes removing horse foul from certain types of land. Local authorities are not required to report on their specific costs related to cleaning horse manure from public roads and footpaths, and Defra has made no assessment of these costs.</p><p> </p><p>Defra does not keep any information on offences or fines for statutory nuisances as local authorities are the main enforcers of the statutory nuisance regime. Individual local authorities may keep records of statutory nuisance offences and fines, but these are not held nationally by Defra.</p><p> </p><p>There is no law requiring riders to pick up after their horses and we have no plans to introduce such a law. Manure from healthy horses is generally free of the pathogens that are found in dog faeces, such as the worm that carries toxocariasis, and there is not enough evidence of widespread nuisance from horse fouling to suggest that special legislative controls are necessary.</p><p> </p><p>Councils already have powers to issue Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). PSPOs allow councils to deal with a particular nuisance or problem arising in an area which have “a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality” by imposing conditions on the use of that area.</p><p> </p><p>Those who breach the terms of a PSPO may be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction. Alternatively, the council can issue a fixed penalty notice of up to £100. It is up to each council to decide how and to what extent they use these powers.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 165707 165708 question first answered 17/03/2021 14:55:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1300907

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Horses: Manure
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 information his Department holds on the number of fines for statutory nuisance caused by horse fouling on roads and footpaths have been issued in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	165707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>Local councils have a duty to ensure that public areas are kept clear of litter and refuse. This includes removing horse foul from certain types of land. Local authorities are not required to report on their specific costs related to cleaning horse manure from public roads and footpaths, and Defra has made no assessment of these costs.</p><p> </p><p>Defra does not keep any information on offences or fines for statutory nuisances as local authorities are the main enforcers of the statutory nuisance regime. Individual local authorities may keep records of statutory nuisance offences and fines, but these are not held nationally by Defra.</p><p> </p><p>There is no law requiring riders to pick up after their horses and we have no plans to introduce such a law. Manure from healthy horses is generally free of the pathogens that are found in dog faeces, such as the worm that carries toxocariasis, and there is not enough evidence of widespread nuisance from horse fouling to suggest that special legislative controls are necessary.</p><p> </p><p>Councils already have powers to issue Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). PSPOs allow councils to deal with a particular nuisance or problem arising in an area which have “a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality” by imposing conditions on the use of that area.</p><p> </p><p>Those who breach the terms of a PSPO may be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction. Alternatively, the council can issue a fixed penalty notice of up to £100. It is up to each council to decide how and to what extent they use these powers.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 165706 165708 question first answered 17/03/2021 14:55:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1300908

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Horses: Manure
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 discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to oblige horse riders clean up manure from footpaths and roads.
tabling member constituency	Rother Valley
tabling member printed	Alexander Stafford
uin	165708
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>Local councils have a duty to ensure that public areas are kept clear of litter and refuse. This includes removing horse foul from certain types of land. Local authorities are not required to report on their specific costs related to cleaning horse manure from public roads and footpaths, and Defra has made no assessment of these costs.</p><p> </p><p>Defra does not keep any information on offences or fines for statutory nuisances as local authorities are the main enforcers of the statutory nuisance regime. Individual local authorities may keep records of statutory nuisance offences and fines, but these are not held nationally by Defra.</p><p> </p><p>There is no law requiring riders to pick up after their horses and we have no plans to introduce such a law. Manure from healthy horses is generally free of the pathogens that are found in dog faeces, such as the worm that carries toxocariasis, and there is not enough evidence of widespread nuisance from horse fouling to suggest that special legislative controls are necessary.</p><p> </p><p>Councils already have powers to issue Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). PSPOs allow councils to deal with a particular nuisance or problem arising in an area which have “a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality” by imposing conditions on the use of that area.</p><p> </p><p>Those who breach the terms of a PSPO may be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction. Alternatively, the council can issue a fixed penalty notice of up to £100. It is up to each council to decide how and to what extent they use these powers.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 165706 165707 question first answered 17/03/2021 14:55:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4866 label Biography information for Alexander Stafford

1300953

registered interest
date	09/03/2021
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	Organic Farming
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government's commitment to pursue an ambitious new course for the organic sector on 27 January 2021, what specific steps the Government will take to meet this objective.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	165577
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government is taking a multi-pronged approach to support the organic sector. We are working with organic businesses to expand organic exports, whilst working to reduce administrative burden. We are also considering how the new environmental land management schemes under development can best meet the needs of organic producers. We aim to design and administer environmental land management schemes in a way that will support farming and the countryside to make a significant and widespread contribution to environmental, biodiversity and climate change goals, which organic farming can support.</p><p> </p><p>The sector is well placed to export more as UK organic produce clearly demonstrates values such as quality, traceability, and heritage combined with high environmental and welfare credentials which we know consumers across the globe want. To support this we have agreed equivalence arrangements with a number of countries to allow UK organic goods to be exported there, including a mutual recognition with the EU as part of the Trade and cooperation agreement. We are also working alongside the Department for International Trade who recently launched their new programme, Open Doors, and is working with the sector to support them with export opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>The domestic market for organics is also flourishing. There are 6,000 predominantly small and medium-sized UK organic businesses, which in 2019 contributed over £2.5 billion to the UK economy, including exports worth £250 million. In 2020 the total volume of organic produce purchased in the UK rose by 12.9%. This growth in demand represents a great opportunity for UK organic producers, on top of their opportunities in the export market.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, we are streamlining bureaucratic processes inherited from the EU regulatory system to allow for a more flexible and responsive way to handle our regulatory obligations while reducing costs and the burden on the public purse. We intend to use powers under the Agriculture Act 2020 to amend this organics regime to support organic farmers further, benefit the environment, maintain consumer confidence, promote research and innovation in the sector, and reflect future trade agreements. We will consult with organic producers and industry bodies on how to boost innovation, improve governance of organic certification, group certification and making entry into organic production appealing for new entrants.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 18/03/2021 11:07:47 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner