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92757

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
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	Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the role of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as a World Heritage Site.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government has reviewed the status of the World Heritage Site as part of its responsibilities since the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (“Kew”) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Sites on the World Heritage List are of outstanding universal value to humanity and for the conservation of mankind's cultural and natural heritage. Kew was included as a result of its scientific and economic exchanges throughout the world; contribution to scientific advances; outstanding examples of landscape gardens; and the edifices created by celebrated artists.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UNESCO requires all sites to have a comprehensive Management Plan. Management Plans are generally revised every five years or so. These identify what is important in a World Heritage Site, the threats to the site, and measures to mitigate them; and set out a strategic vision for the future with time measured action plans. The Kew World Heritage Site Management Plan was last revised in 2011 and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that this met UNESCO’s requirements. Kew, along with other parts of the Government, continues to keep the status of the site under review.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Government support, coupled with Kew’s other income streams, enables Kew to exercise its duty of expert care over its historic assets, which are available as a resource for the nation, and for the benefit of scientific research. One of the Management Plan’s priorities for 2011-2016 is the building maintenance programme with special priority to Temperate House. A major £35 million restoration of Temperate House has begun, for which Defra is underwriting £10 million.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 20/10/2014 16:44:11 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

92758

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
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	Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the role of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as (1) a scientific centre, and (2) an educational and outreach centre.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (“Kew”) has a well-deserved global reputation and is widely respected for its pioneering scientific research. The National Heritage Act 1983 defines Kew’s broad objectives and responsibilities, which include scientific research on plants and related subjects; providing related advice, instruction and education; and affording opportunities to the public for the purpose of gaining knowledge.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra commissioned an independent review of science at Kew in 2012 to assess the quality, balance, scope, and appropriateness of the programme. This recommended that Kew should develop a clear science strategy and should be very clear where its core strengths lie. Kew’s Director of Science is currently developing a Science Strategy and the results of this should be publicly available in 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 2012 review noted that Kew showed a good appreciation of the importance of bringing out Kew’s science role to visitors and highlighted the enormous potential for Kew to develop its public awareness and outreach activities. For example, Kew is annually visited by 100,000 children in organised school parties and runs several courses and events per year for the public. Kew is currently reviewing its future plans in relation to its offer to visitors and wider public engagement activity. The aim is to ensure that Kew attracts and engages a larger and wider audience, generates more value from those engagements, and creates a positive impact in relation to public understanding of the importance of plants to everyone’s life.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra continues to keep Kew’s performance under review against its Key Performance Indicators, which cover scientific research and visitor numbers, and these are published in Kew’s Annual Report and Accounts.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 20/10/2014 16:41:22 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

91871

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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	Sanctions: Russia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they and the European Union are taking to avoid adverse effects from sanctions against Russia on farms and small businesses in the Baltic states.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1929
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK has stated that the Russian Government ban on import on food and agriculture products is totally unjustified and has no legitimate grounds.</p><p>The European Commission, in consultation with Member States, has responded with emergency measures designed to stabilise EU markets and to alleviate the effects of the Russian import ban on producers and businesses. Initially, schemes were introduced to support the growers of peaches and nectarines, the highly perishable fruit and vegetable sectors and the dairy sector.</p><p>The initial support schemes for cheese and fruit and vegetables were withdrawn due to a surge of applications, not all of which related to products directly exported to Russia. The Commission has now implemented a revised scheme for fruit and vegetables, which, unlike its predecessor, is mainly targeted at those Member States (not the UK) with a track record of exports to Russia. In response to calls from some Member States, including the Baltics, the Commission are considering further targeted measures for the dairy sector.</p><p>On fisheries, the UK and some Baltic states are exploring the possibility of banking some of their 2014 fisheries quota for the pelagic sector to be used in 2015.</p><p>The UK has encouraged the EU Commission to focus more attention on access to alternative markets to help offset the problems for European food producers caused by Russia’s recent restrictions. Small businesses can face disproportionately higher trade barriers than larger companies and we have also asked the Commission to see what could be done to cut the red tape that can prevent EU businesses from selling into alternative markets.</p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 13/10/2014 16:41:53 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

91874

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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	Water Supply
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the amount of water in the United Kingdom that is lost through leakage between source and consumer; and what steps are being taken to end the current position where the consumer pays for such losses through price.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL1932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2014 answer text <p>The most recently available figures estimate that across England and Wales around 3.1 billion litres of water leaks each day. Ofwat, as the economic regulator, agrees maximum leakage targets with water companies and has the powers to issue penalties to companies that fail to meet these. In the last decade Ofwat has entered into legal agreements with water companies that have missed their targets, committing them to investing more than £230m in improvements on leakage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government and Ofwat have worked together to raise the issue of leakage and have worked with the water companies to reduce total leakage by one third since its peak in the mid-90s. Over the next five years, across England and Wales, companies are proposing further work to reduce leakage further. Innovative changes in leak detection technology and large scale programmes of customer engagement have allowed companies to improve their understanding of the problems across their networks and how their customers expect them to respond, allowing the companies to take a much more proactive approach to leakage reduction. Companies are obliged to publish and explain their annual leakage figures on their websites and outline what steps they intend to take to meet their targets in future.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In its current price review Ofwat has made it clear that it expects to see companies achieve a balance between keeping customers’ bills down and reducing leakage where it makes sense, such as in water stressed areas where customers are willing to pay.</p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 14/10/2014 16:13:33 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

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