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1064172

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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 have taken in response to the recommendations made in the report by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environmental Audit, Health and Social Care, and Transport Committees Improving air quality, published on 7 March 2018, to ensure that they align (1) climate change schemes, (2) urban planning, (3) public transport, and (4) fiscal incentives for zero emission vehicles, with air quality goals to prevent their policies from working at cross-purposes.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL13819
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government responded in full to the recommendations on 22 May 2018. The Government’s focus in the immediate term is bringing forward compliance with legal limits for NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations, and stakeholders from seven departments take part in the governance of the NO<sub>2 </sub>Plan with a view to ensuring policies are aligned.</p><p> </p><p>The Government published its new Clean Air Strategy on 14 January 2019, setting out a world leading plan to tackle air pollution that is aimed at all sectors of work and society.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 27/02/2019 14:17:52 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1186328

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2020
	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: Death
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people they estimate have died from illnesses resulting from poor air quality or air pollution; and whether either (1) a monthly, or (2) a quarterly, breakdown of those figures is available for each such year.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
	uin	HL2728
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants estimates that the mortality burden of the air pollution mixture (based on both PM<sub>2.5</sub> and NO<sub>2</sub>) in the UK is equivalent to 28,000 to 36,000 deaths per year. Mortality burden is a statistical way of assessing the impact of diseases and pollution. The equivalent figures at a monthly or quarterly period are not available.</p><p> </p><p>Public Health England has, however, estimated the fraction of adult mortality attributable to long-term exposure to particulate air pollution at local authority level in the Public Health Outcomes Framework. This is available to view and search online at: <a href="https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework" target="_blank">https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework</a>.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 31/03/2020 15:46:46 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1657554

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many digital, data and technology staff (including contractors) are currently employed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of that number.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
	uin	HL9739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>As of 31 July 2023 the number of permanent digital, data and technology staff in Defra was 940, and the number of contingent workers was 201. This is the number of staff in our Digital, Data and Technology Services Directorate only, there will be some additional staff working on digital, data and technology activity elsewhere across the rest of Defra group. Our HR systems do not currently allow us to identify staff in this category.</p><p> </p><p>Defra continually keeps its resourcing under review. For digital, data and technology (DDaT) roles, there are particular challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining civil servant staff – as acknowledged by the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports into Defra’s technology, and by the Central Digital and Data Office’s own analysis and roadmap for DDaT in Government more generally. Defra therefore uses a blended model of civil servants, contingent labour and suppliers to deliver DDaT work, and has the resourcing needed to deliver the work required. As market conditions change, Defra regularly reviews the most efficient and effective blend of resourcing to deliver its work.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 19/09/2023 11:38:13 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4508 label Biography information for Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

1657555

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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 Supply: Climate Change
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impacts of climate change and the increased frequency of extreme weather events on (1) domestic food producers, and (2) food security.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
	uin	HL9740
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>The Climate Change Act 2008 established the framework for strengthening the UK’s preparedness for climate change. The Act requires that the government publish a Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years, which identifies the specific risks facing the UK from climate change. The most recent CCRA was published in January 2022.</p><p> </p><p>The CCRA is followed by the publication of a National Adaptation Programme, which sets out the government’s response to the risks identified by the CCRA. The third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) was published in July 2023, and addresses all 61 risks and opportunities identified in the third CCRA. NAP3 includes dedicated responses to risks to domestic agricultural productivity and UK food availability, safety, and quality from climate change overseas.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Food Security Report is a triannual statistical report required under the Agriculture Act 2020. The first report was published in 2021 and the next report, due in 2024, will continue to improve our understanding of climate risks to UK food security.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 12/09/2023 16:01:35 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4508 label Biography information for Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

1657556

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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	Crops: Climate Change
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what, if any, support is available to domestic food producers whose crops are damaged or lost as a result of climate change-related extreme weather events.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
	uin	HL9741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>We are aware of the concerns on variable weather conditions. The full impact will become more apparent as the harvest progresses – results will vary by region, area, crop, soil type, and fertiliser applications amongst other factors. The reality of the UK climate means that fluctuations in yield are expected and managed year on year by farmers.</p><p> </p><p>We are keeping the situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by Defra and the Devolved Administrations to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities. We also continue to regularly engage with industry to supplement our analysis with real-time intelligence.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 19/09/2023 13:10:45 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4508 label Biography information for Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

1657557

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of climate change-related crop loss as a driver of recent increases in food prices; and what proportion of those price increases they assess this accounts for.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
	uin	HL9742
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2023 answer text <p>Consumer food prices depend on a range of factors including agri-food import prices, agricultural prices, labour and manufacturing costs, Sterling exchange rates and agricultural productivity. As such, we do not have an assessment of the direct or indirect impacts of climate change on food prices.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 12/09/2023 16:00:28 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4508 label Biography information for Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

1657559

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2023
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Administration
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many applications for (1) licences, (2) grants, (3) subsidies, and (4) certificates, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs carried out (a) on paper, and (b) digitally, in the last year for which records are held.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
	uin	HL9744
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.</p><p>Defra Group is developing a digital transformation strategy which will express our collective ambition to provide joined-up digital services for citizens and businesses and to deliver environmental outcomes in a more efficient and effective way, through harnessing opportunities presented by digital data and technology.</p><p>Areas of focus for our citizen and business facing services include:</p><p>Reducing the number of paper forms people are required to complete.</p><p>Making our services joined-up, consistent, user-friendly and accessible.</p><p>Reducing manual processing to provide faster outcomes.</p><p>As part of the strategy, we will explore our common types of services i.e. licences and grants, to identify opportunities to improve and consolidate our service and technology estate.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 19/09/2023 11:36:54 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4508 label Biography information for Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

1600112

	registered interest
	date	28/02/2023
	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	Sugar Beet
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the rate of Virus Yellows in sugar beet.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Andrews
	uin	HL5974
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2023 answer text <p>The rate of incidence of YV may vary year-to-year, influenced by environmental conditions. The rate is not yet known at the time of planting sugar-beet, however. There is a means to predict the scale of threat. That is through the YV incidence prediction model developed and run by Rothamsted Research. This provides, a forecast of the level of YV infection that will be reached in August, in the absence of any plant protection intervention. Making the prediction on 1 March allows the model to take account of preceding winter temperatures, which are important in determining the likely incidence of YV. Forecast for Yellows Virus incidence from Rothamsted Research for 2023 is 67.5%.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 10/03/2023 13:57:04 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	2534 label Biography information for Baroness Andrews

1565229

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2023
	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	River Tees: Pyridine
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in their investigation into pyridine in the River Tees.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
	uin	HL4529
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2023 answer text <p>Defra is not progressing any further investigative work into the presence of pyridine in the River Tees at this time. We are however finalising the development and validation of a detection method to reliably quantify the amounts of pyridine in crab tissues. Once completed, we will use this test to assess the levels of pyridine in environmental crab tissues associated with the impacted and non-impacted areas, to better understand the significance of pyridine in crustacea, including the potential for its endogenous production post-mortem.</p><p>The Government Chief Scientific Adviser has conveyed an independent external expert panel to review all the scientific evidence relating to this issue and report published on Friday 20 January<ins class="ministerial">.</ins></p><p>Defra scientists continue to engage with the wider academic community with regard to ongoing research and development work into the ecological status of the Tees and the wider North Sea.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 31/01/2023 17:00:55 question first ministerially corrected 01/02/2023 11:22:23 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon previous answer version 51824 answering member printed Lord Benyon answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1565230

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2023
	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	River Tees: Pyridine
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government who has been appointed to the expert panel established to investigate pyridine in the River Tees.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
	uin	HL4530
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2023 answer text <p>The expert panel announced in November has been convened and is made up of experts from outside government and its agencies, with representatives from over 10 leading marine science organisations. They will assess the evidence and consider all explanations for the mortality of crabs and lobsters that occurred in 2021, using all available data and informed by wider scientific research and expert opinions. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/panel-of-independent-experts-publish-findings-into-crab-deaths" target="_blank">The panel’s findings</a>, and details of its membership and terms of reference, has now been published.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 30/01/2023 15:59:10 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Independent_Expert_Assessment_of_Unusual_Crustacean_Mortality_in_the_north-east_of_England_in_2021_and_2022.pdf title Expert Panel Findings
	tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top