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1104996

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2019
	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	Fisheries: Treaties
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government will ratify the Agreement on Port State Measures To Prevent, Deter And Eliminate Illegal, Unreported And Unregulated Fishing.
	tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
	tabling member printed	Zac Goldsmith
	uin	236487
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK Government and the European Council have reached political agreement on the text of a treaty on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU (“the Withdrawal Agreement”).</p><p> </p><p>The UK is currently a Party to the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) through its membership of the EU. In the event that the UK leaves the EU without the Withdrawal Agreement being approved and ratified, the PSMA would immediately cease to apply to the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In this scenario, the UK would deposit its instrument of accession in time to ensure that the UK becomes a Contracting Party to the PSMA in its own right immediately upon its withdrawal from the EU.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 28/03/2019 14:31:41 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

1082531

	registered interest
	date	06/03/2019
	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	Sheep
	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 effect on the local environment of sheep farming.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
	tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
	uin	229199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2019 answer text <p>The sheep sector plays a vital role in contributing to rural life, local economies and the iconic landscapes of the UK. With over 50% of the national flock being in Wales and Scotland, the sheep sector is an important sector across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The climate and topography of the UK mean that much of it is unsuited to commercial crop production, especially in Wales, Scotland and the north and west of England, where livestock production is the main use of agricultural land. Sheep are a major part of that, with breeds adapted to thrive in areas of harsh climate, topography and low feed-value vegetation. Furthermore, grazing of sheep has a key role in maintaining open habitats, primarily grasslands and heathlands, by hindering succession to scrub or woodland in the lowlands and sub-montane zone. In doing so they are an important land management resource.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently developing our own farming policies as we prepare to leave the EU. Our intention, as laid out in the Agriculture Bill, is for our future policies to primarily reward farmers for providing environmental benefits. We are currently working with farmers, land managers and representative bodies including the National Farmers Union, Tenant Farmers Association and National Sheep Association to ensure that our future Environmental Land Management system can work with livestock farms including sheep farms in lowland and upland areas.</p><p> </p><p>Defra undertakes and coordinates research across the whole food production system, looking at factors including environmental impacts, productivity, efficiency, waste reduction etc. This includes research into sustainable diets, local and seasonal produce, environmental labelling, supply chain efficiency, and sustainable consumption.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 14/03/2019 11:54:19 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1109429

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2019
	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	Farmers
	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 prospects of UK farmers as a result of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Copeland
	tabling member printed	Trudy Harrison
	uin	240616
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>As part of our preparations to leave the EU, we have carried out a rigorous programme of analytical work that has assessed the impact of various EU withdrawal scenarios on the UK farming sector.</p><p> </p><p>Part of that programme has included modelling work co-funded between the four UK agricultural departments. In August 2017 FAPRI-UK published this analysis in the report “Impacts of Alternative post-brexit trade agreements on UK agriculture: sector analyses using the FAPRI-UK model”. It considers the impact of different trading scenarios on many farming commodity sectors. The full report is available on Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute website –</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/publications/FAPRI-UK%20Brexit%20Report%20-%20FINAL%20Clean.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/publications/FAPRI-UK%20Brexit%20Report%20-%20FINAL%20Clean.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Evidence and Analysis Paper, which accompanied the publication of the Agriculture Bill, provides analysis of the various ways farmers are likely to be affected by the movement from the area-based payments of the Common Agricultural Policy to being rewarded for the public goods they produce under Environmental Land Management (ELM). Further information can be found here –</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment-policy-statement-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment-policy-statement-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>This analysis only applies to England, as agricultural policy in the UK is devolved, and it is for each administration to decide its approach and what measures it should adopt according to its evaluation of the situation which pertains to its area. For details relating to the rest of the UK, please contact the relevant devolved administration.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 09/04/2019 15:06:53 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison

1126566

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Sick Leave
	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 and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in his Department; and what the cost was to his Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	254075
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>We can confirm we have searched our records and can provide the information below. This information covers the period 1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019. We do not hold data relating specifically to stress as a separate category of sick leave absence. Instead we have provided data relating to all mental health absences. This category includes psychological illnesses such as stress, depression, anxiety and any other mental health condition.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>How many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to mental health in the last 12 months</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>109 members of staff 2.25% of total staff headcount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>What proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in his Department</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Absences relating to mental health made up 34.9% of all sickness absences</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>What the cost was to his Department of officials taking sick leave over that period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total cost of mental health sickness is £427,559.55</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The proportion of officials taking sick leave for reasons relating to mental health has remained constant at around 2% for the last five years.</p><p> </p><p>We have various services and support mechanisms in place to support employee mental health. For example we have an internal employee led mental health ‘buddy’ network, and employees have access to an external provider Employee Assistance Programme, and Occupational Health Service. We also have a process in place for notifying and managing work related stress.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 22/05/2019 14:37:00 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126853

	registered interest
	date	16/05/2019
	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	Weedkillers: Cancer
	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 whether the weedkiller RoundUp is a potential cause of cancer.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	254714
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Like all pesticides, Roundup (a range of weedkillers containing glyphosate) is subject to strict regulation to ensure that its use will not harm people or have unacceptable effects on the environment.</p><p> </p><p>The European Commission decided in December 2017 to approve glyphosate for continuing use until December 2022. The decision followed a scientific risk assessment by the European Food Safety Authority, which included a very close scrutiny of the evidence on whether glyphosate causes cancer. UK experts participated in that assessment and supported its conclusions.</p><p> </p><p>All pesticide products, including Roundup, are tightly regulated by the Health and Safety Executive. They are only authorised for use if scientific data demonstrates that they will not harm people or have unacceptable effects on the environment.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to keep an active watch on the scientific evidence on glyphosate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 20/05/2019 16:17:51 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1092236

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2019
	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	Dairy 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 support his Department will provide to British dairy farmers in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Clwyd South
	tabling member printed	Susan Elan Jones
	uin	234746
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognizes the concerns of stakeholders and is determined to get the best deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, including for our world-leading dairy sector.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst preparing for all outcomes, as any responsible Government would, we have also been preparing for the possibility of no deal, which is why we have contingency plans in place to minimize disruption for the food and farming sector as much as possible.</p><p> </p><p>We remain confident in the resilience of our agricultural sectors, including our dairy industry, and their ability to thrive outside of the EU.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 28/03/2019 14:27:56 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	3956 label Biography information for Susan Elan Jones

1086702

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	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	Seasonal Workers: Cornwall
	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 his Department has made of the number of seasonal workers employed in Cornwall in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	St Austell and Newquay
	tabling member printed	Steve Double
	uin	230817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2019 answer text <p>The number of seasonal, casual or gang labourers on commercial agricultural holdings<sup>(a)</sup> in the South West Region on 1 June in each of the last five years is shown in the table below. County breakdowns are only available for 2013 and 2016, therefore figures for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are included for these years only.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Seasonal, casual or gang labour<sup>(b)</sup></strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West Region</p></td><td><p>4429</p></td><td><p>5440</p></td><td><p>5744</p></td><td><p>5415</p></td><td><p>6757</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cornwall and Isles of Scilly</p></td><td><p>837</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>1221</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>n/a: not available</p><p>Source: Defra June Survey of Agriculture</p><p>(a) Commercial holdings are those with significant levels of farming activity. These significant levels are classified as any holding with more than 5 hectares of agricultural land, 1 hectare of orchards, 0.5 hectares of vegetables or 0.1 hectares of protected crops, or more than 10 cows, 50 pigs, 20 sheep, 20 goats or 1,000 poultry.</p><p>(b) Seasonal, casual or gang labour is defined as seasonal, casual and gang workers, including family and non-family workers who are usually employed for less than 20 weeks of the year.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 14/03/2019 12:14:50 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4452 label Biography information for Steve Double

1086800

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2019
	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	Dairy 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 legislative steps he plans to take to introduce compulsory milk contracts between producers and purchasers.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	230933
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings, Sir John Hayes, on 26 February 2019, PQ 222814.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 19/03/2019 10:41:40 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1129605

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Livestock Industry
	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 guidance he has given to sheep farmers in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	259816
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the particular concerns of the sheep sector in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal as over 30% of UK sheepmeat production is exported to our near neighbours in the EU. Leaving the EU without a deal at the end of October would reduce returns for all sheep producers with the impact likely to be greater in the upland areas given the later pattern of marketing from these regions.</p><p> </p><p>This is why it is important to reach an agreement on our withdrawal from the EU. However, as any responsible Government would, we are also preparing for the possibility of ‘no deal’ and we are in close contact with representatives of the sheep sector across the UK regarding contingency plans to minimise disruption for the sector.</p><p> </p><p>Specific guidance for the food and drink sector is published on gov.uk. This includes advice for importers and exporters of animal products, food labelling, tariffs, data protection and more. Furthermore, alongside the publication of technical notices, we continue to work closely with farmers, businesses and trade associations across the food and drink sector to keep them informed of EU departure preparations.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill grouped question UIN 259817 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:46:19 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1129606

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Hill 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 the effect will be on upland sheep farmers of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	259817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the particular concerns of the sheep sector in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal as over 30% of UK sheepmeat production is exported to our near neighbours in the EU. Leaving the EU without a deal at the end of October would reduce returns for all sheep producers with the impact likely to be greater in the upland areas given the later pattern of marketing from these regions.</p><p> </p><p>This is why it is important to reach an agreement on our withdrawal from the EU. However, as any responsible Government would, we are also preparing for the possibility of ‘no deal’ and we are in close contact with representatives of the sheep sector across the UK regarding contingency plans to minimise disruption for the sector.</p><p> </p><p>Specific guidance for the food and drink sector is published on gov.uk. This includes advice for importers and exporters of animal products, food labelling, tariffs, data protection and more. Furthermore, alongside the publication of technical notices, we continue to work closely with farmers, businesses and trade associations across the food and drink sector to keep them informed of EU departure preparations.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill grouped question UIN 259816 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:46:19 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching