Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1332172

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2021
	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	Horse Riding: Safety
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there is a connected bridle-ways network for horse riders so that they can avoid roads and the dangers posed by increased traffic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hodgson of Abinger
	uin	HL999
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2021 answer text <p>Public rights of way are a local matter and are handled by individual local highway authorities.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are required to keep a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) to plan improvements to their network, which is usually available on the authority’s website. I would hope local authorities, whenever possible, would look at the needs of all users, including walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. Safety must be a consideration in this process.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities receive most of their rights of way funding from central Government through the Revenue Support Grant to deliver various duties, including ROWIPs. It is not ring-fenced and we cannot say how much authorities should spend on ROWIPs. It is up to local authorities to manage their own budgets and decide how much they should spend on their different duties, and for local people to hold them to account.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon grouped question UIN HL1000 HL1001 HL1002 question first answered 24/06/2021 15:38:53 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	4301 label Biography information for Baroness Hodgson of Abinger

1248579

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2020
	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	Nature Conservation: Fines
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what happens to the fines levied under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and what plans they have, if any, to use any money raised by such fines solely for the benefit of wildlife and endangered species.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	uin	HL9941
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>CITES offences and penalties are used as a deterrent to illegal wildlife trade which in turn protects wildlife and endangered species. The collection of fines resulting from convictions under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations (COTES) is undertaken by HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service.</p><p> </p><p>With the agreement of HM Treasury (HMT), as part of its Spending Round 2015 settlement the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has been permitted to retain receipts from all fine collections. These receipts form part of the overall settlement provided by HMT to MoJ to operate the Courts and Tribunals Service and are used for this purpose.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 17/11/2020 14:12:29 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1248578

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2020
	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	Animals: Nature Conservation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the power to prohibit the holding of specimens including live animals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has been removed; if so, (1) why, and (2) what plans they have to reverse any such removal.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	uin	HL9940
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 do not lessen government powers or weaken our implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The provision in Council Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein states that Member States ‘may prohibit the holding of specimens, in particular live animals of the species listed in Annex A’.</p><p> </p><p>Rather than conferring any legislative powers, this provision simply states that EU Member States have discretion to act should it be considered necessary. At the end of the Transition Period, the UK will continue to be able to act, meaning the inclusion of the provision in retained direct EU legislation would be an unnecessary statement of the government’s ability to put in place legislation. Its omission does not lessen existing powers or weaken our controls on endangered species.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 17/11/2020 14:20:39 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1248577

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2020
	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	Scientific Review Group
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what relationship they plan to have with the EU's Scientific Review Group after 1 January 2021.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	uin	HL9939
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>As we have left the EU we will no longer participate in, or be bound by, EU structures, including the EU Scientific Review Group which comprises representatives from EU Member States’ Scientific Authorities. Our Scientific Authorities, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, will continue to provide scientific advice on a range of CITES matters and collaborate internationally with other CITES Scientific Authorities to ensure we remain a world leader in environmental protection.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 17/11/2020 14:25:39 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1248008

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2020
	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	Sky Lanterns
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the damage caused by sky lanterns; and what plans they have to impose a national ban on such lanterns in rural areas.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	uin	HL9857
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>In 2013, the UK and Welsh Governments jointly commissioned an independent study looking at the impacts of sky lanterns and helium balloons on livestock and the environment. The report concluded that the impact was generally low, though did highlight a potential fire safety risk.</p><p> </p><p>Any action the Government takes must be proportionate to the level of risk and we have concluded, based on the results of this research, that an outright ban would be disproportionate in the circumstances. Should evidence that this approach is no longer sufficient arise, we will take the necessary action.</p><p> </p><p>We do recognise the need to protect our environment and wildlife and have therefore used media messaging to encourage people and businesses to consider the risks before releasing lanterns.</p><p> </p><p>There may be times when a local ban is appropriate as part of a wider strategic approach. and local authorities already have powers to restrict or ban the use of sky lanterns on council or public land. Many councils in England, Scotland and Wales have applied such a ban. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and materials to take a systematic approach to reducing the use of single-use products.</p><p> </p><p>Voluntary actions and initiatives aimed at minimising the risks associated with sky lanterns and driving up safety standards have been effective. This includes a voluntary Code of Practice for sky lanterns developed by industry with Government support to ensure that they are manufactured to be safe and are sold responsibly. Sky lanterns also fall in scope of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which oblige producers and distributors to place only safe consumer products on the market.</p><p> </p><p>As the law stands in England, it is conceivable that a magistrates’ court would conclude that a release of sky lanterns constitutes a littering offence. Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 says: “A person is guilty of an offence if he throws down, drops or otherwise deposits any litter in any place to which this section applies and leaves it”. Ultimately it would be for a court to rule whether this phrase would cover sky lantern releases.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 17/11/2020 12:08:26 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1248036

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2020
	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	Pollinators: Conservation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support an international treaty for global pollinator stewardship and pollinator ecosystem restoration.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	uin	HL9820
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to taking action for pollinators, globally and at home.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We have supported international action under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the “Plan of Action 2018-2030 for the International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable use of Pollinators” adopted at the CBD’s most recent Conference of the Parties in 2018. The UK is also a member of ‘Promote Pollinators’, an international coalition of the willing under which we have committed to take action to protect pollinators and their habitats, and with whom we share information on research, policy and practical activities.</p><p> </p><p>We have supported and contributed to research which has underpinned such initiatives, including a major global review of the status and threats to insect pollinators, published in 2015 by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).</p><p> </p><p>The UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global framework for biodiversity under the CBD, expected to be adopted at COP-15 next year. In particular, we will promote ambitious and practical targets, including targets to enhance ecosystem resilience and species recovery, supported by strengthened implementation mechanisms that are commensurate with the scale of the challenge.</p><p> </p><p>Domestically, biodiversity is a devolved issue and each country has its own pollinator strategy which includes objectives for ecosystem restoration and other action in line with these international commitments and initiatives. The four countries also collaborate on monitoring the status of pollinators across the UK.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 16/11/2020 16:14:03 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1248035

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2020
	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	Trees: Fruit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of traditional orchards in England that are in a favourable condition.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	uin	HL9819
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>Traditional orchards are listed as a habitat of principal importance for the conservation of biodiversity under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Government agri-environment grant schemes, including Countryside Stewardship (which replaced the Environmental Stewardship Scheme) provide financial support to improve the condition of traditional orchards and to establish more of them.</p><p> </p><p>In England there are 1,952 hectares of traditional orchards being managed or established under agri-environment schemes.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/11/2020 17:23:33 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1248034

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2020
	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	Agriculture: Water
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to improve knowledge of, (2) to implement, and (3) to enforce, their farming rules for water.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	uin	HL9818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) jointly undertook communications on the announcement of the new 'farming rules for water' and the approach to their implementation. This included promotion of the rules on gov.uk, posters, banners, summary cards and questions and answer sheets distributed to a wide range of key farming and environmental stakeholders who also raised awareness via talks, press articles and their own websites. The EA continues to promote the rules via the Farming Advice Service (FAS) newsletter.</p><p> </p><p>The EA is responsible for regulation of the rules. In the first year it took an advice led approach raising awareness of the rules with farmers and their advisers. It is now actively enforcing the rules, through advice, guidance and the possibility of both civil and criminal sanctions. The EA takes a risk-based approach to farm visits with the resources it has available for agriculture, targeting visits at the activities with high potential for pollution or where actual pollution has been reported. The EA also works with those producing materials off-farm that are spread on farmers' fields, such as anaerobic digestates and biosolids from the water industry to raise awareness of the rules and the limits on what can be spread.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 16/11/2020 16:14:38 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1248033

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2020
	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	Natural England: Environmental Land Management Schemes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of demands arising from Environmental Land Management schemes on Natural England; and what plans they have to increase that organisations funding.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	uin	HL9817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>Like all other Defra sponsored bodies, Natural England (NE) receives an appropriate budget to carry out its duties and responsibilities in line with what is affordable and the priorities set out by the Secretary of State.</p><p> </p><p>NE is an important advisory and delivery partner in the Environmental Land Management (ELM) programme. For the current financial year, NE has been allocated approximately £3.6 million to support the development of ELM. This includes drafting ELM technical guidance, development of scheme design for the Pilot and associated policy advice.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently assessing the budgets for our arm’s length bodies as part of the Spending Review process.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/11/2020 17:17:56 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1246963

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2020
	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	Oak Processionary Moth
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the incidence of oak processionary moth in the UK in 2020 to date.
	tabling member printed	Lord Framlingham
	uin	HL9771
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The Forestry Commission has an annual programme of surveillance in place. This year, the Commission has enhanced its surveillance programme within the UK Protected Zone as a precaution in response to an increased number of intercepts of Oak Processionary Moth in 2019.</p><p>Oak Processionary Moth is established in most of Greater London and in some surrounding counties. In June and July 2020, it was found on a very small number of trees at five sites within the Protected Zone, in the English counties of Sussex, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cheshire. Swift action was undertaken to eradicate recent findings, including surveillance, tracing work and the removal of caterpillars and infested trees.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 12/11/2020 12:50:14 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	134 label Biography information for Lord Framlingham