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90930

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
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	Ragwort Control Act 2003
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any control orders made under the Ragwort Control Act 2003 currently in force; and whether there are any plans to make any such control orders.
tabling member printed	Lord Tebbit
uin	HL1856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Ragwort Control Act 2003 makes no provision for control orders. The purpose of the Act is to provide for a code of practice to give guidance on how to prevent the spread of ragwort to be prepared. This resulted in the Code of Practice on How to Prevent the Spread of Ragwort which was published in 2004.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Natural England, the delegated authority for investigating complaints about injurious weeds, can issue enforcement notices under the Weeds Act 1959 where ragwort poses a high risk to grazing livestock or agricultural land.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of enforcement notices served under the Weeds Act 1959 in 2013, 2012 and 2011 is as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Enforcement notices served</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>36</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>37</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Enforcement is a last resort and where possible we encourage communications between landowners and complainants to try and resolve the issue. In the vast majority of cases this approach is successful.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 22/09/2014 11:34:02 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	952 label Biography information for Lord Tebbit

89943

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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	Rivers: Somerset
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the progress in setting up a rivers board better to manage water in the Somerset Levels.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Local partners in Somerset are developing a plan for a new Somerset Rivers Board. Ministers and officials are in close contact with local partners about progress on the formation of the Board.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 15/09/2014 11:50:03 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

89944

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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	Rivers: Somerset
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the progress of the work to dredge the Rivers Barrett and Tone in the Somerset Levels so far during 2014.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p>The dredging is going well. The Environment Agency remains on target to complete the 8km dredge of the Rivers Parrett and Tone by 31 October 2014. As of 5 September, there is 3.2km of river left to dredge.</p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 22/09/2014 13:08:14 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

89945

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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	Floods: Somerset
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the readiness to deal with possible flooding on the Somerset Levels in the winter of 2014–15.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Repairs to damaged assets in Somerset form part of the large national programme for preparedness ahead of the coming winter. This programme is progressing on time. All of the flood risk assets damaged last winter will either be fully repaired before the coming winter or, for a small number of assets, will have temporary repairs to ensure communities are protected, with permanent works to follow or clear contingency plans in place.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In Somerset the Environment Agency has identified a total of 48 projects, including some improvement projects, which are new works as part of the Somerset Flood Action Plan. As of 3 September, 11 projects were completed, 25 were underway and 12 due to start. We expect all projects to be completed by 31 October.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 15/09/2014 11:53:47 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

89969

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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 Supply Networks Review
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many meetings have been held by Ministers with representatives of the food industry to discuss the subject matter of the Elliott Review into the Integrity and assurance of the food supply networks since the final draft was received by departments in June; and who was present at such meetings.
tabling member printed	Lord Rooker
uin	HL1811
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>There have been no Ministerial meetings with representatives of the food industry called specifically to discuss the review into the Integrity and Assurance of Food Supply Networks since June 2014. However the action being taken by industry following the horsemeat fraud incident and the Elliott Review interim report will have been discussed in the regular meetings Ministers have held with the food industry during this time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Professor Elliott submitted his final report to Government in July, and this was published on 4 September.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 22/09/2014 13:05:12 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	302 label Biography information for Lord Rooker

89970

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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 Supply Networks Review
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to date of the Elliott Review into the Integrity and assurance of the food supply networks; and when the final report will be published.
tabling member printed	Lord Rooker
uin	HL1812
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Professor Chris Elliott’s Independent Review into the Integrity and Assurance of Food Supply Networks was published on 4 September.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Review to date has cost £194,000 in payments to Queens University Belfast for Professor Elliott’s time, his Subject Matter Experts, venue hire and associated costs of carrying out the Review.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A number of staff in Defra and on loan from the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency provided secretariat to support the Review. These staff were already part of departments’ existing administration budgets and the associated cost of these positions whilst working on the Review was £288,000, although some staff were also providing support to other areas of work.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 22/09/2014 13:00:31 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	302 label Biography information for Lord Rooker

79679

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Bread: Pesticides
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reduce the amount of pesticides in bread.
tabling member printed	Lord Swinfen
uin	HL1571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The regulatory framework for pesticides is supported by a substantial programme of testing for residues in food and drink. This is administered by the Health and Safety Executive’s Chemicals Regulation Directorate and overseen by the independent expert scientific committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF). Bread is among the staple foods regularly checked.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Statutory Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for pesticides are set under European Union (EU) legislation. These MRLs reflect the highest amount of pesticide residue expected in food when pesticides are applied in accordance with authorised conditions of use. MRLs are always set below, usually far below, the safety limit.<br> <br></p><p> </p><p>Farmers, importers, distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring marketed food complies with the statutory levels.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Although recent monitoring results indicate an increase in the incidence of pesticide residues being found in bread, this reflects that improvements in analytical methods mean that residues can be found at lower levels. The latest results obtained are all at levels below the statutory MRLs, and PriF have concluded that they do not raise any safety concerns.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Food Standards Agency recognises that consumers want pesticide residues reduced further than the current safe levels. As part of the Agency's action plan to minimise pesticide residues in food, guides have been produced for five crops – including cereals - grown in the UK. The guides are intended for a broad audience within the food industry, from farmer to retailer. They aim to raise awareness of the issue of pesticide residues and to support the industry to deliver existing pesticide residue minimisation initiatives.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 18/08/2014 10:14:49 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	2235 label Biography information for Lord Swinfen

79680

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Meat: Antibiotics
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reduce the amount of antibiotics in meat and meat products.
tabling member printed	Lord Swinfen
uin	HL1572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Any veterinary antibiotic authorised for use in the UK in a food producing species will have a withdrawal period set as part of the condition of use. This is the minimum length of time after treatment that must pass before produce from the treated animal can enter the food chain. The withdrawal period ensures that the concentration of any residue of the medicine falls below the maximum residue level – the statutory safety limit.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the use of antibiotics as growth promoters has been banned in Europe since 2006.</p><p>Using antibiotics responsibly is a requirement of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Code of Professional Conduct for Vets which states “Veterinary surgeons must be seen to ensure that when using antimicrobials they do so responsibly, and be accountable for the choices made in such use.”</p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 18/08/2014 10:15:10 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	2235 label Biography information for Lord Swinfen

79610

registered interest
date	24/07/2014
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	Forests
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to bring forward legislation to establish a new public body to hold the Public Forest Estate to account.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL1506
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/08/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government’s policy on the future of the Public Forest Estate is set out in its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January 2013. The Government is committed to maintaining the Public Forest Estate in public ownership and to establishing a new operationally independent public body to manage the estate for the long-term benefit of people, nature and the economy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There were many proposals competing for the limited space within the Fourth Session programme and the proposed forestry measures could not be accommodated. However, the Government stands by its commitment to establish the new public body as soon as parliamentary time allows.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 04/08/2014 10:13:45 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

79545

registered interest
date	23/07/2014
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	Common Fisheries Policy
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to reform the European Union fisheries policy.
tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
uin	HL1443
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/08/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government recently secured wide-ranging and progressive reforms to the EU Common Fishery Policy. Specific changes include the introduction of regionalised fisheries management, a phased landing obligation banning the discarding of fish and a legal commitment to setting fishing rates at sustainable levels. These wide ranging reforms will help deliver a prosperous fishing industry, healthy fish stocks and protect the marine environment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Work to implement these measures is underway. A formal consultation on how to implement the landing obligation in pelagic fisheries in England recently closed. Regionally agreed Discard Plans for the North Sea and North West waters have been submitted to the Commission for adoption. Consultations with the fishing industry and other groups have started to develop a policy position for the introduction of the landing obligation in demersal fisheries.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 04/08/2014 10:14:35 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth