Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1483355

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Plastics: Northern Ireland
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 taken steps to provide clarification for Northern Ireland based businesses on the impact of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, and what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on this issue.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	Carla Lockhart
uin	26051
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2022 answer text <p>The Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for providing guidance to industry, as this is a devolved matter. This has been communicated to the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 01/07/2022 10:57:37 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4857 label Biography information for Carla Lockhart

1483398

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Puffins: Conservation
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 make an assessment of the effectiveness of National Trust Jersey and Birds on the Edge’s initiative to reintroduce puffins to breeding sites in Jersey; and whether his Department has taken recent steps to support the conservation of puffins in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	25749
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2022 answer text <p>As Jersey is a Crown Dependency, it would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to assess initiatives in Jersey.</p><p>The UK's seabirds, including puffins, are an important part of our natural heritage, and the government is committed to protecting them. Defra is working with Natural England to develop a comprehensive English Seabird Conservation Strategy (ESCS). This strategy will provide an assessment of the vulnerability of seabird species in light of the pressures they are facing and propose a comprehensive set of actions to address them. We are aiming to publish a final ESCS in spring 2023.</p><p>We are also working to minimise and, where possible, eliminate the accidental bycatch of seabirds in fishing gear. Defra and the Devolved Administrations are working to finalise the UK Bycatch Mitigation Initiative, which will be published shortly.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 06/07/2022 11:23:03 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1483423

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Avian Influenza: East Sussex
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 mitigate the effects of bird flu in (a) Brighton and Hove and (b) East Sussex.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	25815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>Effective animal disease control is one of Defra’s key priorities. Defra’s approach is set out in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-avian-disease-control-strategy." target="_blank">Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain</a>. Following the confirmation of avian influenza in poultry at a premises near Bexhill-on-Sea, Rother, East Sussex and in other captive birds at a premises near Guestling Green, Rother, East Sussex, disease control zones were put in place surrounding the premises. To limit the risk of further spread of the disease, all birds on the infected premises have been humanely culled and preliminary cleansing and disinfection at premises undertaken by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Restrictions on the movement of birds and things associated with their keeping apply to other premises within the disease control zones where either poultry or other captive birds are kept. The disease control zones will remain in force until all disease control and surveillance activities are successfully completed within the zones.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, an <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#AIPZ" target="_blank">Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ)</a> remains in force across Great Britain. This means it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers (whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.</p><p> </p><p>Great Britain faces a seasonal risk of avian influenza incursion associated with migratory wild birds which can then spread to other local sedentary wild bird species and/or other kept birds. The APHA carries out year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols across Great Britain on behalf of Defra, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government. A number of herring gulls and greylag geese submitted to the surveillance programme from the Brighton and Hove and East Sussex areas have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 during the 2021/2022 avian influenza outbreak.</p><p> </p><p>Defra together with APHA and Natural England are working closely with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and other NGOs including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology to monitor the effect of avian influenza on wild bird species of conservation concern.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 05/07/2022 16:01:27 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1483424

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Avian Influenza: Disease 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, if he will issue clear guidance for members of the public on steps to take in the event that they suspect a wild bird is sick with avian flu.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	25816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>Advice to the public on avian influenza in wild birds is published on GOV.UK at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#public" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#public</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency carries out year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols across Great Britain on behalf of Defra, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government. The public are encouraged to report findings of three or more dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or gulls or birds of prey, or five or more dead birds of any species, to the Defra helpline (03459 335577).</p><p> </p><p>Our advice to the public is not to touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that they find. Sick or injured birds should be reported in England and Wales to the RSPCA (0300 1234 999) and in Scotland to the SSPCA (0300 999 999) where an in-situ assessment and further course of action will be taken, including euthanasia and disposal if appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 05/07/2022 16:10:43 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1483471

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Zoonoses: Disease 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 his Department is taking to ensure that the UK is effectively prepared to tackle zoonotic diseases.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	25834
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2022 answer text <p>Zoonotic infections threaten both human and animal health. For zoonotic diseases, we have systems in place to detect and manage outbreaks, for both endemic (those that are already found in the UK) and exotic infections, collaborating closely with the public health agencies.</p><p> </p><p>For Salmonella for example, we have well established National Control Programmes in the poultry sector to protect public health. These mandate regular testing for Salmonella followed by appropriate measures to help control the risk where flocks are found to be positive.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) scanning surveillance programme is set up to detect a wide range of animal-related disease threats through diagnostic service and the networks of expertise in its Species Expert Groups.</p><p> </p><p>We also carry out horizon scanning for infections not yet in the UK. This helps us prepare for possible future incursions, through the APHA’s International Disease Monitoring programme and through collaborative work with UK public health bodies in the Human and Animal Infection and Risk Surveillance group. This group assesses new and emerging infections and advises on suitable mitigations and controls that may be necessary to protect public health.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has an England Disease Contingency Plan for exotic notifiable diseases and our disease control plans are exercised regularly. The contingency plan outlines how we would work with other government agencies and departments to control zoonotic diseases as well as those which only affect livestock. This is being put to use at the moment, through our response to avian influenza outbreaks.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 11/07/2022 07:03:59 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1483512

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Agriculture: Sustainable Development
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 his Department is taking to support the following sustainable farming techniques in the UK: (a) agroecological farming methods, (b) crop rotation and (c) microbial protein meat substitutes.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>(a) The objective behind the new Sustainable Farming Incentive is to support healthy soils and successful food production. That is why we are starting with two soil health standards this year. The SFI supports the choices that individual farmers make. Farmers can pick and choose the bits that work for their own holding and get paid for what works. In recent years we have seen an explosion of interest in regenerative farming practices such as mob grazing, the use of herbal leys, companion crops in arable fields to help manage pests and diseases and the use of cover crops and green manures like phacelia and nitrogen fixing legumes to reduce fertiliser input costs. The soil standards are just the first step. We are working on new standards for hedges, management of nutrients and Integrated Pest Management in 2023, and agroforestry in 2024.</p><p>(b) It is not Government policy to determine which cereals or other crops farmers should prioritise to include in their rotation. In 2021 we permanently removed Basic Payment Scheme 'greening measures' on crop diversification and ecological focus areas, meaning when farmers are making crop planting decisions, they are free to react to market signals.</p><p>Defra is keen to support farmers in their decision-making. We recently commissioned a research project which will look to identify underutilised, underdeveloped and novel crops with potential to be grown successfully in the UK within diversified cropping systems.</p><p>(c) Micro-organisms are used in the development of some alternative protein sources and can also be used as tools to develop novel or high protein products and substitutes. As stated in the Government's Food Strategy, Defra supports these innovative techniques by conducting farming and food science research and by creating and contributing to funding programmes open to industry. We will also work with the Food Standards Agency to develop dedicated guidance materials for approval of new alternative protein products while reviewing our novel food regulations.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/07/2022 14:53:12 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1483515

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
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 the Government is taking to help ensure that the Kept Animals Bill is passed into law as soon as possible.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was reintroduced to the House of Commons following the Queen’s Speech and will progress to Report stage as soon as parliamentary time allows. There is strong support for the Bill on all sides of the House and we are keen to ensure that its provisions get onto the statute book as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/07/2022 14:47:47 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1483518

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
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 the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of provisions the Kept Animals Bill on preventing puppy smuggling.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26032
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was reintroduced following the Queen's speech and will progress to Report stage as soon as parliamentary time allows. The Bill allows us to protect the welfare of pets by introducing restrictions to crack down on the low welfare movements of pets into Great Britain. This includes powers to introduce new restrictions on pet travel and the commercial import of pets on welfare grounds, via secondary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>In August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on our proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. This included proposals to ban the commercial and non-commercial movement into Great Britain of puppies under the age of six months. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a summary response in due course. This will allow us to take onboard the views of the public and interested groups on puppy smuggling and low welfare imports in order to shape our future policy.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/07/2022 14:41:42 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1483519

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Gardens: Plastics
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 the Government has made an environmental impact assessment of the use of plastic grass in (a) residential and (b) commercial settings.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government has not made an ecological assessment of the impact of the use of plastic grass in residential or commercial settings. We do however recognise that, in itself, artificial grass has no value for wildlife. Its installation can have negative impacts on soil health, biodiversity and drainage for flood prevention or alleviation if installed in place of natural earth or more positive measures such as planting flowers or trees or providing natural water features.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 05/07/2022 10:56:36 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1483593

registered interest
date	27/06/2022
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	Veterinary Services
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 27 June 2022 to Question 22466, what potential benefits her Department has identified from an updating of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	25913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2022 answer text <p>There are many potential benefits associated with updating the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and, including the possibility of allowing allied professionals to work as part of a vet led team, providing a modern regulatory framework for the profession and enabling greater participation in the profession. We are currently considering the proposals. Further, creating new or amending existing veterinary legislation will be a significant undertaking and subject to Parliamentary time. As such, Defra is unable to provide an indicative timescale at present.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25914 question first answered 12/07/2022 08:35:13 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown