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1061347

registered interest
date	14/02/2019
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	Zoos: Safety
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the safety systems and processes in UK zoos to protect staff, customers and animals.
tabling member printed	Lord Birt
uin	HL13727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that zoos are safe places to work and visit, and that there are high standards of welfare for all animals.</p><p> </p><p>The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 sets out comprehensive licensing and inspection requirements for zoos. Responsibility for administering these requirements rests with local authorities. Defra supports this by providing the Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, which sets out minimum standards that zoos are expected to meet, covering welfare and safety.</p><p> </p><p>The standards are kept under review by Defra’s Zoos Expert Committee, a group of independent experts that advises Defra on zoo issues. Zoos must also comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which ensures the safety of staff.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 27/02/2019 12:54:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1061360

registered interest
date	14/02/2019
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	Insects: Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reduction in global insect populations and how to reverse the global impact of this trend.
tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
uin	HL13740
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>UK scientists have been at the forefront of delivering assessments by the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The IPBES global assessment for pollinators concluded that wild pollinators, including many insect groups, have declined in Europe and North America. Data deficiencies precluded assessment in other parts of the world. Regional assessments came to similar conclusions for wider biodiversity, including insects. In Europe, for example, ongoing strong declines were identified in most species groups.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK Government acknowledges and is committed to addressing the declines. Internationally, we are determined to play a leading role in the development of an ambitious strategy under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, when its current framework expires in 2020. At the most recent Conference of the Parties to the Convention, in November 2018, we supported action such as the adoption of a global plan for the conservation and sustainable use of pollinators.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>At the national level, the Government’s indicators of the abundance of UK butterflies show long term declines since 1976 but no significant change since 2012. Our indicator of pollinating insects in the UK tells a similar story - overall distribution has declined since 1980 but has stabilised in recent years. We are keeping these trends under review as encouraging but not yet definitive signs of progress.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government gathers further data on the status of UK pollinators through a UK-wide pollinator monitoring and research partnership, established in collaboration with research institutes and volunteer organisations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 25 Year Environment Plan commits to improving the status of insects and each of the four countries of the UK has its own strategy to protect pollinators. We will continue to work in partnership with scientists and practitioners for future generations to inherit a better environment.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 20/02/2019 16:11:35 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

1061368

registered interest
date	14/02/2019
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: Packaging
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the producers of plastic packaging pay for the entire lifecycle of the materials used.
tabling member printed	Lord Porter of Spalding
uin	HL13748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government set out its commitment to reform the packaging producer responsibility system in the 25 Year Environment Plan, published in January 2018. Our Resources and Waste Strategy was published in December 2018 and contains details on how we will do this, including measures to incentivise packaging producers to make better, more sustainable decisions at the design stage and point of manufacture. Through reform of the current system we will require producers to fund the full net cost of managing the packaging they place on the market, once it becomes waste. These proposals are subject to a consultation, “Reforming the UK Packaging Producer Responsibility System”, which was published on 18 February 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also confirmed that it will introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England, subject to consultation. Producers of drink beverage products that would fall within the scope of a deposit return scheme would be required to fund the system. The consultation, “Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland”, was published on 18 February 2019 and sets out our proposals in detail.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/02/2019 15:12:34 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4555 label Biography information for Lord Porter of Spalding

1061388

registered interest
date	14/02/2019
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: Pests
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential risk to agricultural products in the UK through the import of goods or vehicles carrying the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys.
tabling member printed	Lord Wallace of Tankerness
uin	HL13768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The brown marmorated stink bug, <em>Halyomorpha halys</em>, is an insect from eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan). It has no established populations in the UK. We are aware that it has spread into the USA and to mainland Europe. For example, it was first reported in Germany in 2001. Subsequent reports have come from Switzerland (2004), Greece (2011), France (2012), Italy (2012) and Hungary (2013). The insect has been intercepted in the UK on several occasions in recent years.</p><p> </p><p>We have carried out a risk assessment on the potential for this organism to arrive in the UK and cause damage. Given its establishment in Europe and other parts of the world and its potential to spread by hitchhiking, on vehicles and through human movements, as well as via trade, our assessment has shown that it has the potential to reach the UK. It may be able to survive in our climate, but is unlikely to reach more than one generation per year, preventing it from reaching harmful levels. The insect is not therefore a significant threat to UK horticultural crops but as with all pests and diseases, the UK continues to closely monitor any threats.</p><p> </p><p>A Defra fact sheet on the insect has been published on the Plant Health Portal.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 27/02/2019 13:02:07 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	630 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Tankerness

1060930

registered interest
date	13/02/2019
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	Animals: Diseases
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what preparations they have made to deal with any outbreaks of exotic diseases in animals in the UK after Brexit, including improving access to vets and additional financial support for the agricultural sector; and whether they will publish their strategy for such preparations.
tabling member printed	Lord Rogan
uin	HL13706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government has comprehensive arrangements for dealing effectively with outbreaks of animal disease. In relation to exotic notifiable diseases, these arrangements are consistent with those set out by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Defra’s plans are set out in the Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases of Animals in England which was laid before Parliament in November 2018 and is available via GOV.UK. After the UK leaves the EU the Government will retain the necessary powers required to tackle animal disease.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra engages closely with farmers and animal keepers to help prevent exotic disease outbreaks and if they do arise we work closely with them and their industry bodies to tackle the outbreaks quickly and effectively. Defra’s longstanding practice is that: farmers receive compensation for any healthy animals culled to control the spread of exotic animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease or swine fever; farmers do not receive any compensation for animals that die before they are culled or are not culled as part of official controls; farmers are not compensated for consequential losses (e.g. the income that the animal would have generated in the future, for example through laying eggs or producing offspring).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra is working with different veterinary sector stakeholders, including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association, on the UK’s veterinary resourcing needs and ensure there are adequate numbers of vets after the UK’s departure from the EU, in the long term.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are working on a variety of initiatives to build a sustainable and modernised UK veterinary infrastructure to ensure we have access to the right people with the right skills and knowledge to support animal health and welfare.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 20/02/2019 14:58:26 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	2478 label Biography information for Lord Rogan

1059619

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
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	Bottles: Deposit Return Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include all sizes of plastic bottles in their proposed deposit return scheme.
tabling member printed	Baroness Byford
uin	HL13641
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government has confirmed that it will introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England, subject to consultation, aimed at boosting recycling rates and reducing littering.</p><p> </p><p>We are consulting on two options for a DRS relating to size of containers: an ‘all-in’ DRS which would include containers of any size, and an ‘on-the-go’ DRS that would include containers smaller than 750ml. The scope of a DRS, including the size of drinks containers included in such a scheme, will be dependent on the results of the consultation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/02/2019 15:11:26 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3343 label Biography information for Baroness Byford

1059212

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
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	Air Pollution
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the forthcoming Environment Bill and all other relevant environmental legislation enshrines legally binding provisions to meet air quality standards, set out by the World Health Organization.
tabling member printed	Lord Judd
uin	HL13598
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The draft Environment Bill, published in December last year, would place the 25 Year Environment Plan on a statutory footing by establishing a new statutory cycle of environmental planning, monitoring and reporting. The Government also committed to exploring the inclusion of additional targets for environmental improvement within this cycle.</p><p> </p><p>In the Environment Bill policy paper, also published in December last year, we reaffirmed that improving air quality is a key part of our plan to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.</p><p> </p><p>In our Clean Air Strategy, published in January this year, we set out our ambition to reduce people’s exposure to fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) and committed to setting a new, ambitious, long-term target to reduce people’s exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub>. We also committed to publishing a report this year examining what action would need to be taken to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) PM<sub>2.5</sub> annual mean guideline level of 10μg/m<sup>3</sup>, and we will use this evidence to inform the target which we set.</p><p> </p><p>The actions in the Strategy will reduce concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub> for everyone, resulting in a halving of the number of people living in areas with annual mean concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub> above the WHO’s guideline level of 10μg/m<sup>3</sup> by 2025, compared with 2016.</p><p> </p><p>We are the first major economy to set out ambitions based on the WHO’s PM<sub>2.5</sub> targets, and our Clean Air Strategy was welcomed by the WHO’s Director General as “an example for the rest of the world to follow.”</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 19/02/2019 14:06:46 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1059233

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
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	Plastic Bags: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what steps they are taking to monitor the use of funds derived from the introduction of the charge on single-use plastic carrier bags, and (2) whether individual businesses are required to report on the amounts raised and donated from this source.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thornhill
uin	HL13618
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>In October 2015, the Government introduced the mandatory minimum 5p charge for single use carrier bags (SUCBs) in England on all large retailers to tackle the negative impacts associated with their use on the environment, wildlife and society.</p><p> </p><p>The policy has resulted in an 86% reduction in the usage of SUCBs by large retailers. This represents approximately 15.6 billion fewer bags in circulation.</p><p> </p><p>The Regulations require retailers with more than 250 staff to charge a minimum of 5p and report data on their annual sales of SUCBs. Those retailers are encouraged to donate the proceeds of the charge (after deducting VAT and other reasonable costs) to good causes such as charities or community groups and to voluntarily report that data. Our analysis shows that since the charge was introduced approximately £146 million has been donated to a variety of good causes covering the arts, education, environment, health, heritage and sports as well as local causes chosen by customers or staff.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is currently consulting on extending the charge to all retailers and increasing the minimum charge to 10p.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL13619 question first answered 25/02/2019 15:10:46 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4558 label Biography information for Baroness Thornhill

1059234

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
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	Plastic Bags: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the introduction of the charge on single-use plastic carrier bags has resulted in a reduction of bags used; and if so, by how much.
tabling member printed	Baroness Thornhill
uin	HL13619
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>In October 2015, the Government introduced the mandatory minimum 5p charge for single use carrier bags (SUCBs) in England on all large retailers to tackle the negative impacts associated with their use on the environment, wildlife and society.</p><p> </p><p>The policy has resulted in an 86% reduction in the usage of SUCBs by large retailers. This represents approximately 15.6 billion fewer bags in circulation.</p><p> </p><p>The Regulations require retailers with more than 250 staff to charge a minimum of 5p and report data on their annual sales of SUCBs. Those retailers are encouraged to donate the proceeds of the charge (after deducting VAT and other reasonable costs) to good causes such as charities or community groups and to voluntarily report that data. Our analysis shows that since the charge was introduced approximately £146 million has been donated to a variety of good causes covering the arts, education, environment, health, heritage and sports as well as local causes chosen by customers or staff.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is currently consulting on extending the charge to all retailers and increasing the minimum charge to 10p.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL13618 question first answered 25/02/2019 15:10:46 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4558 label Biography information for Baroness Thornhill

1056465

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
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	Waste: Export Controls
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what emergency plans are in place to deal with the potential stockpiles of waste which would no longer have valid export licences if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL13519
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>There is a process in place to ensure the continuity of notified waste shipments in the case of a no-deal scenario, which was set out by the European Commission in November last year. We have received agreement to roll over 98% of existing consents for waste exports to the EU from the UK - agreeing 545 out of the 556 current approvals. This means that 99.7% of the waste which requires consent has a valid export licence from 30 March this year if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.</p><p> </p><p>We expect to reach agreement on the outstanding approvals and we are confident that leaving the EU without a deal would not have a significant impact on the continued export of the UK’s notified waste shipments that have already been agreed.</p><p> </p><p>In December last year, the Environment Agency began assessing waste disposal capacity particularly in the south east of England, in case waste that cannot be exported should need to be disposed of. Staff across the Environment Agency are engaging with operators to identify where issues, including stockpiling, may arise. The Environment Agency is ready to respond to requests from industry for additional storage of waste and will process any such requests as promptly as it can.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 19/02/2019 14:03:37 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch