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1471851

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2022
	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	CF Industries: Ince
	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 (a) number and (b) dates of times Ministers in his Department have met with officials at CF Industries to discuss the closure of its Ince manufacturing plant.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	21153
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/08/2022 answer text <p>Defra Ministers have not met officials at CF Industries to discuss the closure of its Ince manufacturing plant. However, officials from Defra and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have both held meetings with CF Fertilisers to discuss Ince.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 09/08/2022 10:38:18 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1485372

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2022
	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 Worrying
	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 recorded incidents there were of dogs attacking sheep in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	28884
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications.</p><p> </p><p>Defra does not hold data on the on the specific number of recorded incidents of livestock worrying per year, as this data is held by individual police forces.</p><p> </p><p>Defra recently held a series of roundtables with key stakeholders, which indicated that livestock worrying is a significant problem that warrants effective action.</p><p>New measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales are to be brought in through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021. The new measures will enhance enforcement mechanisms available to the police and expand the scope of livestock species and locations covered by the law which should support robust enforcement, encouraging farmers and livestock keepers to report incidents more often.</p><p>In addition to the current legislative measures laid before Parliament, the Countryside Code will continue to be publicised to provide constant messaging to the public and landowners.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 13/07/2022 08:25:25 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1485373

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2022
	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 Worrying
	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 dogs were shot or injured by farmers for attacking sheep in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	28885
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications, which can be very significant.</p><p> </p><p>Defra does not hold data on the number of dogs shot or injured by farmers for attacking sheep per year, as this data is held by individual police forces. The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill does not include a provision to allow a farmer to shoot a dog which is worrying livestock on their land. However, the Animals Act 1971 provides that in civil proceedings against a person for killing or injuring a dog, it is a defence in certain circumstances where a dog is killed or injured by someone protecting livestock.</p><p> </p><p>New measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales are to be brought in through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021.</p><p> </p><p>We appreciate that the right approach for pet owners to take in managing and controlling their dog's behaviour differs from both person to person and from pet to pet. Defra would advise all owners who are concerned about controlling their dog's behaviour, for whatever reason, to take advice from their vet or a suitably qualified dog behaviourist or trainer. Such specialists would be best positioned to advise on the best approach for their specific case. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council maintains national registers of appropriately qualified trainers and behaviourists.</p><p> </p><p>Defra's statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs and Natural England's refreshed version of the Countryside Code apply to handling dogs in the vicinity of livestock and outline the actions that can be taken by dog owners to reduce the occurrence of attacks or chasing.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 13/07/2022 08:18:58 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1485955

	registered interest
	date	04/07/2022
	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 Worrying
	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 assessment he has made of the impact of banning e-collars on the number of dogs being shot by farmers for attacking sheep.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	29987
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2022 answer text <p>Data on the number, and outcome, of recorded incidents of livestock worrying is held by individual police forces rather than centrally by Defra. The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices, or e-collars, in England was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the impact of a ban. When considered alongside the academic research, the public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector, the Government concluded that e-collars present an unacceptable risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. New measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales are to be brought in through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile we maintain that it is best practice to keep your dog on a lead around livestock. Natural England recently published a refreshed version of the Countryside Code, which highlights that it is best practice to keep dogs on a lead around livestock. The Code also makes specific reference to keeping dogs in sight and under control to make sure they stay away from livestock, wildlife, horses and other people unless invited. Moreover, the Code helpfully sets out certain legal requirements, encouraging visitors to always check local signs as there are locations where you must keep your dog on a lead around livestock for all or part of the year.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animal, but also to keep their dogs safe and under control. The code of practice is available here:</p><p><a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F697953%2Fpb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7CAndrew.Mapplebeck%40defra.gov.uk%7Ce358f444aa6e490bd69908da5e97d139%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637926303379321645%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kd514W3HGu2jpyVn29AOVA8XV3FM3JJ5NpimoJd2B10%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 13/07/2022 08:11:44 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1469893

	registered interest
	date	13/06/2022
	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: Subsidies
	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 his Department has removed the requirement to be an active farmer to claim funding from the Basic Payment Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	16905
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>You must be a farmer to claim under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and must have land ‘at your disposal’. This means, for example, that where land is let under a Farm Business Tenancy, it is the tenant and not the landlord who can use that land to claim BPS.</p><p> </p><p>Previously the BPS rules included an active farmer test. We removed this in 2018 because it was ineffective and created unnecessary confusion for farmers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 21/06/2022 15:05:33 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1469258

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2022
	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	CF Industries
	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 his Department is taking steps to help ensure that (a) fertiliser and (b) CO2 products are available to the (i) agriculture and (ii) food industries, in the context of the recently announced closure of the CF Industries plant in Ince.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	15717
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2022 answer text <p>We understand this will be distressing news for CF Industries' workers and their families. We are in regular contact with the company and stand ready to support those impacted.</p><p> </p><p>The proposed closure of their Cheshire plant is a commercial decision for CF Industries, it will not impact supplies of CO2. The Billingham plant remains operational.</p><p> </p><p>We source imports of fertiliser and carbon dioxide from a globalised market from a wide range of countries, and continue to produce it domestically at Billingham. The Government continues to analyse the situation to ensure that UK businesses are able to secure fertilisers and carbon dioxide.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 15786 15787 question first answered 20/06/2022 08:37:23 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1439692

	registered interest
	date	10/03/2022
	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	Slaughterhouses: Staff
	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 steps he is taking to increase staffing levels in abattoirs.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	138011
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government is very aware of the specific challenges faced by the pig processing sector in recent months. In the autumn of 2021, the Government announced a package of measures to support the pig industry. These measures came in recognition of the unique, temporary circumstances farmers faced as the global economy responded to the impacts of the pandemic and the global pressures facing supply chains worldwide.</p><p>Between November 2021 and 31 December 2021 applications were open for up to 800 pig butchers who were permitted to travel to the UK on visas that last for six months from the date granted. These visas were an exceptional and temporary adjustment to existing visa arrangements, augmenting the butchers already eligible since January 2021 to apply through the Skilled Worker Route as part of the points-based immigration system.</p><p>Additional concessions have been announced by Home Office for temporary workers of Ukrainian nationality, who can remain in the UK until 31 December 2022 and may also apply for a skilled worker visa while in the UK.</p><p>Temporary visas are not a long-term solution to workforce needs and businesses must make investments in the UK domestic workforce to build a high-wage, high-skill economy, instead of relying on overseas labour.   The Government expects the pork sector to encourage better training offers, career options and wage increases to ensure that the sector draws on the large domestic labour pool in the UK, as well as investing in technology across the industry.</p><p>Since January 2021, the Skilled Worker visa route has also been open to all nationals who wish to come to the UK for the purpose of working in a skilled role – including those in butchery. Further, food and farming businesses can continue to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status. Over 5.5 million EU citizens and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme.</p><p>Defra continues to work closely with industry and other Government departments to understand labour supply and demand, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 24/03/2022 15:51:05 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1439688

	registered interest
	date	10/03/2022
	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: Seasonal Workers
	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 his Department will announce the seasonal worker scheme for the poultry industry for the 2022 Christmas period.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	138009
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government does not currently plan to reintroduce a scheme for temporary visas to poultry workers in 2022. We will however keep labour market data under very careful scrutiny to monitor any pressures in the poultry sector.</p><p> </p><p>Our points-based system allows for many roles in poultry production to be recruited via the Skilled Worker route, such as poultry processors, bird dressers, pluckers, trussers and butchers for all meats.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 23/03/2022 09:48:23 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1439691

	registered interest
	date	10/03/2022
	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 Feed
	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 plans he has to assist UK farmers to source animal feed with respect to disruption caused to supply chains by the Russian attack on Ukraine.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	138010
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2022 answer text <p>We are very much aware of concerns about the impacts the Russian invasion of Ukraine will have on supply chains. However, the UK food chain is very robust and adaptable. We take our food supply and security very seriously and are working closely with the industry to monitor this.</p><p>We currently source only relatively small amount of feed ingredients from either Ukraine or Russia. Our assessment is that there is low risk of an actual physical shortage of animal feed in the UK due to the amount of cereal produced domestically and the ability to import from alternative sources. The principal impact on UK farmers will be an increase in the price of animal feed as well as fertiliser and fuel.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 18/03/2022 15:09:57 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1383131

	registered interest
	date	29/11/2021
	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: Trade Agreements
	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 Ministers in his Department have carried out official visits to Shropshire in the last 12 months to discuss the impact of trade deals, including on local farming communities.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	83293
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2021 answer text <p>While no official visits have been carried out, Ministers have engaged (both online and in person) with hon. Members and farmers across Shropshire to discuss the agricultural transition plan, the impact of trade deals and other issues.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 15/12/2021 09:21:23 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron