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1717825

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	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: Regulation
	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 date the Hand Gathering (Restrictions and Permitting) Bylaw 2021 will be approved.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	26026
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Hand Gathering (Restrictions and Permitting) Bylaw 2021 has not yet been submitted to Defra for approval.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2024 10:41:12 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

1717862

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	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	Cats and Dogs: Electronic Training Aids
	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 his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to ban the use of electronic shock collars on (a) cats and (b) dogs.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
	tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
	uin	26188
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to banning electronic training collars controlled by hand-held devices that administer electric shocks to cats or dogs.</p><p> </p><p>We will pursue new regulations to deliver this commitment on a revised timeline. Parliamentary business will be announced in the usual way.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2024 12:47:25 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1718004

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2024
	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 and Plant Health Agency: Inspections
	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 projected spend by (a) central and (b) local government is on Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors in 2024-25.
	tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
	tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
	uin	26128
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) undertakes a very broad range of statutory inspections across Great Britain to protect animal, bee and plant health. These can relate to animal welfare, TB, biosecurity of (including pests, disease outbreaks and invasive species), trade or scientific research.</p><p> </p><p>These inspections can be proactive (for example a bovine TB visit) or reactive (due to an outbreak). Direct staff and employers on costs for these inspection services are £44.7m. These costs are funded by Defra and the Devolved Administrations. APHA does not have inspectors funded by local government.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2024 12:54:51 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1717488

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2024
	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	BSE
	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 he will hold discussions with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	25781
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The UK has a comprehensive surveillance programme in place to monitor the level of BSE over time and check on the continued effectiveness of our BSE controls. It was the effectiveness of these controls that recently identified a case in Scotland. Defra officials have engaged closely with Scottish counterparts on this matter, as they do regularly on animal disease issues more broadly with officials from all UK administrations under the Animal Health and Welfare Framework.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2024 12:44:47 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1717523

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2024
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the NFU's report entitled Farming for Britain's Future, published in December 2023, what steps his Department has taken to increase confidence within the agricultural industry.
	tabling member constituency	Shrewsbury and Atcham
	tabling member printed	Daniel Kawczynski
	uin	25817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2024 answer text <p>In 2020 we published the Agricultural Transition Plan (ATP), setting out our plan for farmers, allowing them to make business planning decisions with confidence. Since then, we have launched our reforms, aiming to give farmers more choice and ensuring there are offers available for all farm types and locations. This includes the rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and our Innovation and Productivity schemes such as the Farming Investment Fund (FIF).</p><p> </p><p>We also continue to expand and improve our offers in response to farmers’ feedback. Recently, the Government has confirmed farmers will benefit from the improved SFI from July this year, following the announcement by the Environment Secretary Steve Barclay in January. The improved offer includes a 10% increase in the average value of agreements in SFI and Countryside Stewardship (CS); a streamlined single application process for farmers to apply for the SFI and CS Mid-Tier; and around 50 new actions that farmers can get paid for.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, to aid the transition, and to give farmers confidence in their choices and the best chance of benefiting from our reforms we are also providing support via the Future Farming Resilience Fund. This fund is designed to provide free business support to farmers and land managers in England during the early years of the agricultural transition.</p><p> </p><p>Lastly, on 14 May 2024 we published our Blueprint for Growing the UK Fruit and Vegetable Sector, which aims to boost production of fresh produce and reduce reliance on imports. This is backed by our new Horticulture Resilience and Growth Offer, where Defra will look to double to £80m the amount of funding given to horticulture businesses when compared to the EU legacy Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme, which will be replaced from 2026 onwards. We are also unlocking the opportunities of gene editing with £15m investment into Genetic Improvement Networks, helping to boost access to more resilient crop varieties, that require fewer inputs and cut farmer costs.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 15/05/2024 15:53:57 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	1566 label Biography information for Daniel Kawczynski

1716848

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	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	Farming Recovery Fund: Staffordshire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason Staffordshire's eligibiltiy for the Farming Recovery Fund is under review.
	tabling member constituency	Tamworth
	tabling member printed	Sarah Edwards
	uin	25601
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>October 2023 to March 2024 was the second wettest 6-month period on record in England, recorded rainfall was nearly 60% above the average of the last decade. The impacts on farm businesses are already evident in some sectors and are likely to extend through the year.</p><p> </p><p>The launch of the Farming Recovery Fund on 9 April captured a first tranche of 9 counties affected by the flooding as a result of Storm Henk. Since then, we have listened and responded to feedback by removing the requirement for land to be within 150 metres of the main river and are committed to reviewing the eligibility to ensure that it best meets the needs for those who were most affected by the persistent wet weather over the winter.</p><p> </p><p>In recognition of the persistent wet weather over the winter, I am in discussion with farmers about what further support is needed. As part of this support, we have provided flexibility to farmers who have not been able to complete their agri-environment scheme requirements in winter or the spring – due to the prolonged wet weather impacts.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/05/2024 14:07:42 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
	tabling member	5001 label Biography information for Sarah Edwards

1716932

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	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	Hornets
	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 meetings Ministers in his Department have held on Asian hornets in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	25464
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Asian hornet is an invasive non-native species, and a current GB alert species, which means that systems are in place to detect and then implement contingency plans to rapidly eradicate them in order to prevent establishment.</p><p> </p><p>It is regularly discussed as an item on the agenda of monthly Minister-led meetings reviewing biosecurity priorities. In addition, officials have provided one briefing meeting specifically on Asian hornets in the last 12 months.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 17/05/2024 10:43:32 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1716959

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	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	Seafood: Imports
	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 he will publish the number of (a) verification requests and (b) refusals of seafood consignments entering the UK in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Hendon
	tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
	uin	25474
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>This information is not held centrally by the Government.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 14/05/2024 15:40:36 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1716943

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	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	Agricultural Products: UK Trade with EU
	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 he will take steps to negotiate a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU.
	tabling member constituency	North Down
	tabling member printed	Stephen Farry
	uin	25597
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is the world’s biggest zero tariff, zero quota trade agreement, and we actively use its mechanisms to continuously secure improvements to the trading relationship. In particular, the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) chapter of the TCA creates a framework to agree to further trade facilitations, including potential reductions in the frequency of import checks, where justified.</p><p> </p><p>The UK proposed an equivalence mechanism for SPS measures during the 2018-20 negotiations for the TCA. The EU did not accept this.</p><p> </p><p>We remain open to discussions with the EU on additional steps to further reduce trade friction, but these cannot be on the basis of future alignment with EU rules. This would compromise UK sovereignty over our own laws.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2024 12:05:45 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4856 label Biography information for Stephen Farry

1716991

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2024
	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	Furs: Zoonoses
	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 risk of infectious zoonotic diseases (a) mutating in and (b) spreading from fur farms to other mammals; and what steps he is taking to mitigate that risk.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	25581
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare. Fur farming has been banned in England and Wales since 2000 (2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland). Fur farming is legal in some EU countries. Where outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 and avian influenza virus have occurred in fur farms in Europe in recent years, the governments in those countries took action to cull the affected farms to mitigate the risk of spread.</p><p> </p><p>Nevertheless, together with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) we are keeping a close eye on the findings of zoonotic pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and avian influenza in mink, foxes and other animals farmed for fur and the possible risk to human and animal health. We are vigilant to changes in risk and continue to use our established systems which include international disease monitoring programmes in the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and UKHSA to monitor the situation the outcomes of which are reviewed through our Veterinary Risk Group (VRG) and the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fcollections%2Fhuman-animal-infections-and-risk-surveillance-group-hairs&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Ca4d6b6aa49024b8117ad08dc70d28617%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638509296692323090%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=wN1YPicxpEPw5WL3O50gYl%2BQ03K6dwT8SfHka1WkHRA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group</a>. The HAIRS group have published a <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fhairs-risk-assessment-avian-influenza-ah5n1-in-non-avian-uk-wildlife&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Ca4d6b6aa49024b8117ad08dc70d28617%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638509296692334965%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ums5KF2%2BfAA8srJqFApXuw%2Bm2tiaf%2Fv5u4cPfVYpZwE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">risk assessment on the transmission from animals to humans of influenza of avian origin</a> and on the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fhairs-risk-assessment-on-sars-cov-2-in-mustelinae-population&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Ca4d6b6aa49024b8117ad08dc70d28617%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638509296692342651%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=nKgulv3KkoaqcOz0lNhnyDcmNPvq8wa0t52wVt4J8DA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">risk SARS-CoV-2 infection in UK captive or wild Mustelidae populations presents to the UK human population</a>. There is no direct exposure to infected fur farms for kept or wild mammals in the UK and there is no evidence to suggest an increased risk to wildlife.</p><p> </p><p>International collaboration and knowledge exchange on avian influenza and other zoonotic pathogens is facilitated through discussions between the UK Chief Veterinary Officer and representatives from our national and international reference laboratories, and their counterparts in the EU and globally through the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the QUADs alliance and allied projects. Including through the joint WOAH-FOA Scientific Network on animal influenza <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.offlu.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Ca4d6b6aa49024b8117ad08dc70d28617%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638509296692351670%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=bEJVKWc6SnGFu3jNgvkASrg9ASiyfFrhmMLRccBpuKA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">OFFLU</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 17/05/2024 12:01:33 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones