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1678326

registered interest
date	15/12/2023
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	Import Controls
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 potential merits of implementing a three-month trial for planned border control posts from 30 April 2024 that enables the operation of a dual BCP and place of destination inspection system.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	7206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>The Government is committed to implementing the full controls set out in the Border Target Operating Model, including physical inspections at Border Control Posts (BCPs) and Control Points (CPs).</p><p> </p><p>The Place of Destination (PoD) scheme was introduced as a temporary measure to enable the performance of checks on EU imports of high-priority plants and plant products during the transitional stages of introducing new imports controls. From 30 April 2024, the POD scheme will come to an end and all regulated plants and plant products must come through a BCP or CP for identity and physical checks to be carried out.</p><p> </p><p>BCPs and CPs are purpose built for SPS checks and staffed by experienced and knowledgeable Plant Health &amp; Seed Inspectors. They are essential to protecting our food supply-chains and agricultural sector from disease outbreaks that would cause significant economic harm.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is confident that existing and new BCP infrastructure will have sufficient capacity and capability to handle the volume of expected checks outlines in the Border Target Operating Model, with robust, dynamic, and effective operational measures ready to call upon if needed. Defra is working with existing BCPs to ensure they are prepared, and the Government has built new infrastructure at critical locations.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 10/01/2024 16:48:12 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1678398

registered interest
date	15/12/2023
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	Environment Agency: Licensing
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 potential merits of extending the planned deadline of January 2024 for Environment Agency Regulatory Position Statement 197.
tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
uin	7189
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) 197 has been in force since 2005 but it does not currently contain an expiry date. The Environment Agency (EA) will be consulting the waste industry on a replacement for RPS 197. That will allow a temporary extension to the disposal of metal shredding residues and residues from the processing of metal shredding residues which are classed as hazardous waste, at landfill for non-hazardous waste. As part of the consultation the EA will ask for feedback on appropriate deadlines.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 20/12/2023 14:09:46 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1678399

registered interest
date	15/12/2023
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	Mink: 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 assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the article entitled Mink farming poses risks for future viral pandemics published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on 19 July 2023.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Riverside
tabling member printed	Kim Johnson
uin	7231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/01/2024 answer text <p>The Government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare. Fur farming has been banned in England and Wales since 2000 (2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland). Fur farming is legal in some countries and cases of infection with influenza A viruses of avian origin and SARS-CoV-2 have been confirmed in farmed mink in these countries in recent years.</p><p> </p><p>Therefore, we remain vigilant and continue to use our established systems to monitor for new and emerging animal health risks through our Veterinary Risk Group and Animal Disease Policy Group and for public health risks through the Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance group. We have published a <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fhairs-risk-assessment-avian-influenza-ah5n1-in-non-avian-uk-wildlife&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqtransfers%40defra.gov.uk%7C7a55519a9e2a458d16b908dc00937290%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638385880472622424%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=4ETSXVDSvKmqE0zFlaK87GN7qaaX5z9OlKae6KrevnM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">risk assessment on the transmission from animals to humans of influenza of avian origin</a> and SARS-CoV-2 in Mustelidae population.</p><p> </p><p>International collaboration and knowledge exchange on animal health risks including zoonotic pathogens is facilitated through discussions between the UK Chief Veterinary Officer and representatives from the UK’s network of national and international reference laboratories, and their counterparts in the EU and globally through the World Organisation for Animal Health and allied projects. Including through the joint WOAH-FOA Scientific Network on animal influenza <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.offlu.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqtransfers%40defra.gov.uk%7C7a55519a9e2a458d16b908dc00937290%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638385880472778689%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=IgnqMP3FQLipfrxQxJLrY3l4qc0nPYd0B4jETgBRWCE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">OFFLU</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 03/01/2024 09:35:11 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4824 label Biography information for Kim Johnson

1678081

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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, what estimate he has made of the proportion of farming land that will be organic by the end of 2024.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	6991
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government supports the development of organic farming through both Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). These schemes reward farmers for farming practices that help produce food sustainably and protect the environment. Farmers are able to choose from a range of standards which are suitable for their farms. We continue to work with organic farmers to understand how their farming practices might match the standards, including at higher levels of ambition.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 27/12/2023 15:25:35 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1678145

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Soil
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 debate that took place in the House of Lords on 8 September 2021 on the Environment Bill, column 867HL and the Answer of 4 January 2023 to Question HL4404 on Soil, for what reason his Department has not published a soil health action plan.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	7005
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>The policies the Government had intended to put in a soil health action plan for England were included in the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F64a6d9c1c531eb000c64fffa%2Fenvironmental-improvement-plan-2023.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C575950ca7ea7473b779b08dbffb2396d%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638384913148817589%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=yHCQ2%2BaiGNXIgL%2FElm89K8TcAr%2FD4bbH5Ou5AQxK3Xo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">2023 Environmental Improvement Plan</a> (EIP). The Government is required under the Environment Act 2021 to report on EIP commitments in the Annual Progress Report, which is independently monitored by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). The next report is due to be published by July 2024.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/12/2023 16:28:30 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1678147

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Batteries: Recycling
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 adequacy of battery recycling capacity; and if he will take steps to help increase the recyclability of batteries.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	7006
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>Defra officials are currently reviewing the UK Batteries Regulations ahead of a consultation expected next year. The purpose of this review is to ensure as much waste battery material as possible is collected and managed efficiently, whether that be through reuse, repurposing or recycling routes.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 19/12/2023 14:36:27 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1678254

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Pet Travel Scheme: Dogs
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 dogs travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme via (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each year between 2013 and 2022.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
uin	7143
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The total number of dogs that travelled under the pet travel scheme is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Air</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Sea</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Tunnel</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>17,783</p></td><td><p>118,043</p></td><td><p>177,170</p></td><td><p>312,996</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>19,302</p></td><td><p>114,706</p></td><td><p>174,396</p></td><td><p>308,404</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>16,353</p></td><td><p>38,813</p></td><td><p>131,463</p></td><td><p>186,629</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>17,389</p></td><td><p>39,578</p></td><td><p>108,904</p></td><td><p>165,871</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>17,885</p></td><td><p>95,493</p></td><td><p>169,531</p></td><td><p>282,909</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>This is a summary of dogs entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).</p><p> </p><p>The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.</p><p> </p><p>Please note that we do not hold any data prior to 2018.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 20/12/2023 17:16:35 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1678255

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Pet Travel Scheme: Cats
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 cats travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme via (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each year between 2013 and 2022.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
uin	7144
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The total number of cats that travelled under the pet travel scheme is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Air</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Sea</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Tunnel</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>8,530</p></td><td><p>8,449</p></td><td><p>12,591</p></td><td><p>29,570</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>9,776</p></td><td><p>9,764</p></td><td><p>12,767</p></td><td><p>32,307</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>9,354</p></td><td><p>5,235</p></td><td><p>12,545</p></td><td><p>27,134</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>11,445</p></td><td><p>5,928</p></td><td><p>11,768</p></td><td><p>29,141</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>9,819</p></td><td><p>15,500</p></td><td><p>14,238</p></td><td><p>39,557</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>This is a summary of cats entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).</p><p> </p><p>The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.</p><p> </p><p>We do not hold any data prior to 2018.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 20/12/2023 17:07:21 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1678260

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Water Supply: Infrastructure
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 his Department has made of the implications of the Stannington gas flood in Sheffield Hallam constituency for his policies on the level of investment in maintaining and upgrading water infrastructure.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
uin	7153
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2024 answer text <p>As set in the Plan for Water, the Government recognises the need for additional investment in water infrastructure. Ofwat set out a £51 billion five-year investment package in its 2019 Price Review, including requirements for water companies to cut leaks by 16% and reduce mains bursts by 12% between 2020 and 2025. We have also set a statutory water demand target, where leakage will need to reduce by 37% by 2038, this is part of the trajectory to achieving a 50% reduction by 2050. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for delivering leakage reduction targets, with financial penalties if they fail to meet them.</p><p> </p><p>In the specific case of the Stannington gas flood, a high-pressure water main rupture led to water ingress into the gas distribution network, impacting around 35 properties. Yorkshire Water responded by replacing the water main away from the gas network and providing a £60 goodwill initial automatic payment to affected customers and compensating for any property and appliance damage.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 22/01/2024 13:48:47 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1678264

registered interest
date	14/12/2023
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	Hornets: Mid Bedfordshire
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the resources available to beekeepers to tackle the impact of Asian Hornets on (a) honey bees and (b) other wild pollinators in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Alistair Strathern
uin	7157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government recognises that honey bees and wild pollinators are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production. All pollinators contribute the equivalent of more than £500 million a year to UK agriculture and food production, by improving crop quality and quantity. Pollinators are also beneficial to our wider, natural ecosystems.</p><p> </p><p>Recognising the potential impact that Asian hornet would have on honey bees and wild pollinators, Defra, in collaboration with the Welsh Government, has developed the Asian hornet contingency plan which details the response to Asian hornet. The plan is regularly reviewed and was last updated in January 2023. The operational response is carried out by the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency.</p><p> </p><p>In 2023 the NBU has located and destroyed 72 nests in 56 locations. The NBU has now fine-tuned its response and enhanced its preparedness, and it can frequently find a nest within a day of an initial sighting being reported.</p><p> </p><p>The Defra funding for the NBU is to deliver the Bee Health Programme and other agreed actions including responding to Asian hornet. This includes ensuring that NBU inspectors’ expertise is maintained through training, and that they have the necessary equipment and support to work effectively.</p><p> </p><p>NBU has the necessary skills and experience and is therefore best placed to deliver the operational response.</p><p> </p><p>We appreciate the vital role that beekeepers take in the response through helping raise awareness of the threat of Asian hornet, educating people in identifying these insects, encouraging them to report any suspected sightings and monitoring traps. Accurate and timely reporting is critical to the response and helps the NBU to continue to respond quickly and effectively to any potential nests.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/12/2023 16:25:29 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	5000 label Biography information for Alistair Strathern