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1627872

registered interest
date	15/05/2023
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	Food: Prices
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 recent discussions she has had with major supermarkets on potential reductions to the retail price of food following falls in wholesale prices.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Charlotte Nichols
uin	185135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>Defra meets regularly with food retailers to discuss a range of issues, including the impact of food inflation. Through that engagement we continue to explore the range of measures supermarkets and producers can take to ensure the availability of affordable food. The Prime Minister held the UK Farm to Form Summit at 10 Downing Street on 16 May, which focussed on how Government and industry can work together across a number of issues affecting the sector.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 14:19:54 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4799 label Biography information for Charlotte Nichols

1627242

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
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	Poultry: Animal Housing
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 28 March 2023 to Question 173051, what steps her Department have taken to examine the use of cages for laying hens.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	184809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>We are providing a range of financial incentives for improving animal health and welfare to farmers through the new Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. These incentives focus on published health and welfare priorities for each sector and will include support for farmers wishing to transition away from the use of enriched ‘colony’ cages for laying hens.</p><p> </p><p>Specifically, we are exploring options for large infrastructure grants, building on the animal health and welfare grants already available towards the cost of equipment and technology which offer improvements in the health and welfare of livestock.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 14:16:17 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1627243

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
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	Agriculture: Animal Housing
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 she plans to provide funding to farmers to transition to cage-free farming systems in 2023.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	184810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>We are providing a range of financial incentives for improving animal health and welfare to farmers through the new Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. These incentives focus on published health and welfare priorities for each sector and will include support for farmers wishing to transition away from the use of enriched ‘colony’ cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs.</p><p> </p><p>Specifically, we are exploring options for large infrastructure grants, building on the animal health and welfare grants already available towards the cost of equipment and technology which offer improvements in the health and welfare of livestock.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 14:12:37 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1627244

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
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	Poultry: Animal Housing
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 she has made of the implications for her policies of undercover investigation footage from Carr Farm in East Yorkshire published by the Daily Mail newspaper on 14 April 2023.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	184811
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>All livestock are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation: the Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal; and The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 set down detailed requirements on how farmed livestock should be kept. Breaches of animal welfare legislation are taken very seriously and every allegation that is reported to us is investigated.</p><p> </p><p>Appropriate action is taken where welfare regulations are breached. It is imperative that any suspicion of animal cruelty is alerted to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in the first instance, so that timely investigations can take place and the welfare of animals can be safeguarded.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 14:19:50 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1627245

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
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	Poultry: Animal Housing
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 20 April 2023 to Question 179978 on Poultry: Animal Housing, if she will make an estimate of the costs to industry of a ban on the use of cages for laying hens.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	184812
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>There are no current plans to estimate the cost to industry of a ban on the use of cages for laying hens.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 14:09:27 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1626925

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
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	Livestock: Antibiotics
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 she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of introducing a ban on the overuse of antibiotics on healthy farm animals on levels of antimicrobial resistance.
tabling member constituency	Gedling
tabling member printed	Tom Randall
uin	184768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>Defra is a co-signatory with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) of the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fuk-5-year-action-plan-for-antimicrobial-resistance-2019-to-2024&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Cd1253f6c033a49873a1c08db555d051f%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638197630222785548%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=6EwbOA0lqAj9BXhY8d3w0ZfBdsc1Q5Dg8nEvMsmfPyU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">UK's Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 5 year National Action Plan (2019-2024)</a> and the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fuk-20-year-vision-for-antimicrobial-resistance&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Cd1253f6c033a49873a1c08db555d051f%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638197630222785548%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=obUcY7RM1IxSITH2StI3VWFziUvwQ%2B3XRYVfVKBVPHM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">UK's 20 year Vision to Contain and Control AMR by 2040</a>. These plans both take a One Health, whole of government approach. Defra and DHSC work closely together at all levels, together with other government departments, to deliver this plan. The UK Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals, while safeguarding animal welfare. Since 2014, the UK has reduced sales of veterinary antibiotics by 55%, and over this same period the UK has seen an overall trend of decreasing antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from animals.</p><p> </p><p>Changes to the law on veterinary medicines represent one tool that can be used to help effect reductions in antibiotic prescribing in animals. The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 are currently under review, and the feedback from the recently closed public consultation will be analysed and considered. The publicly available consultation documents for the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fnews%2Fveterinary-medicines-regulations-consultation-is-launched&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Cd1253f6c033a49873a1c08db555d051f%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638197630222941766%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=orv%2B1sqYb%2BEbY6lBlxo%2BOml6jUr2pV3mLqix4MWzqo4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">revision of the Veterinary Medicines Legislation</a> set out the rationale for the government’s proposed approach to the use of antibiotics to prevent disease in animals (prophylaxis). In summary, the proposed new legal restrictions on antibiotic prophylaxis prohibit this type [MG1] of use in all but exceptional circumstances to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, protect animal welfare, and allow changes to prescribing practices to be made sustainably.</p><p> </p><p>Officials from DHSC, Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) meet regularly to consider appropriate actions to address AMR across the human and animal health sectors. This has included discussion of the proposed changes to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 13:30:51 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4845 label Biography information for Tom Randall

1626995

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
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	Eggs and Poultry
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 she has made of the potential merits of using powers under Section 20 and 21 of the Agriculture Act 2020 to make a declaration of exceptional market conditions for the poultry and eggs sector.
tabling member constituency	Witney
tabling member printed	Robert Courts
uin	184707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>We recognise that the agriculture industry, including the poultry and eggs sectors, has faced a number of challenges over the last year, particularly in relation to the increase of input costs as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, our assessment is that the conditions for intervention under Section 20 or Section 21 of the Agriculture Act are not currently met, not least because input costs are now falling.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to closely monitor the situation in each sector through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group and via regular, on-going sector stakeholder engagement.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 16/05/2023 09:09:59 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts

1627022

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
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	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, whether she has had discussions with the Leader of the House on finding parliamentary time for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
uin	184673
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 May 2023 to the hon. Member for Preston, PQ <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fquestions-statements.parliament.uk%2Fwritten-questions%2Fdetail%2F2023-05-10%2F184295&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C7f0f6737dbba4286ad7208db55276b64%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638197400008228201%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=59EOeLvAthqJfHm3Tjuwwfmh6WiqLzxNG2V9%2B9ml%2FPU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">184295</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2023 12:46:15 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

1627135

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
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	Sewage: Waste Disposal
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 she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on wastewater discharge event duration monitors of the research by Jamie Woodward and others on Acute riverine microplastic contamination due to avoidable releases of untreated wastewater, published in Nature Sustainability on 13 May 2021.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	184611
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>The recommendations of the paper published in Nature Sustainability in May 2021 align with our policies to reduce microplastics in the water environment and untreated wastewater releases.</p><p> </p><p>The Plan for Water sets out our commitments to reduce microplastics entering the water system, including our expectation for the industry to develop low cost, effective microfibre filters on washing machines and encourage their effective use.</p><p> </p><p>Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan was published in August 2022. Our strict targets will see the toughest ever crackdown on sewage spills and will require water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history - £56 billion capital investment over 25 years. By 2035, water companies will have to improve all storm overflows discharging into or near every designated bathing water, and improve 75% of overflows discharging to high priority nature sites. By 2050, all remaining storm overflows covered by our targets will also have to meet the new requirements on rainfall and environmental impact, regardless of location.  In March this year, Defra and Ofwat announced £1.1 billion of new investment, starting in the next two years, to eliminate 10,000 storm overflow discharges a year across 10 schemes.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 16/05/2023 09:24:16 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1627191

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
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	Inland Waterways and Rivers: Chemicals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any damage to waterways and rivers caused by chemical pollutants.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL7800
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>We take over 90,000 measurements of water quality each year to meet a wide range of legislative, regulatory, statutory requirements. Many of these are to monitor a large range of chemicals used by industry, the public and in food production.</p><p> </p><p>We currently classify the state of waterbodies within rivers, estuaries, coastal waters and streams under the Water Framework Directive (Standards and Classification) Directions (England and Wales) 2015. This reports on over 30 measures, grouped into ecological status and chemical status which guides action to manage water quality.</p><p> </p><p>The attached guidance document includes information about how we classify water bodies.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 17/05/2023 16:09:08 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Guide-to-accessing-data-and-information.pdf title Classifying water bodies
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick