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1005616

	registered interest
	date	12/11/2018
	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	Water Voles: Conservation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent further decline in the population of water voles in the UK.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL11387
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2018 answer text <p>The water vole is a protected species, listed under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and a species identified as being of principal importance under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. As part of this, the species has a number of priority actions assigned to it, and as this is a devolved matter, the following information refers to actions in England.</p><p> </p><p>Natural England is committed to the actions set out in the Species Action Plan for water voles, alongside partner organisations noted within the plan, and recently published ‘A Review of the Population and Conservation Status of British Mammals’, which identifies and confirms areas of work where continued resource should be placed to conserve and enhance water vole populations. Natural England is working with Sussex University, Brighton University, the Wildlife Trusts and People’s Trust for Endangered Species to undertake a habitat suitability mapping exercise to maximise conservation gain using a landscape scale approach. Dependent on these findings and the results of another project, with WildCru (Oxford University) and specialist water vole consultants assessing mitigation techniques used in development, Natural England is considering adapting its licensing policies with the aim of maximising conservation gain for the species at a landscape scale.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2010 the Environment Agency has delivered 328 projects that included habitat creation or improvement for the benefit of water voles. It has restored 6,725 hectares and created 6,330 hectares of priority habitat in rivers, lakes and coastal waters. The Environment Agency has delivered training to relevant staff across its organisation to raise awareness of water voles and their protection, and screens its activities to ensure water voles and their habitats are protected from damage.</p><p> </p><p>Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship provide suitable habitat for wildlife including water voles and other small mammals. Scheme options that benefit water voles include buffer strips alongside ponds, ditches, and other watercourses and fencing alongside watercourses to protect bankside vegetation.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Forestry Commission is currently undertaking a flagship project for water voles in Kielder Forest. Having eradicated the mink there, the Forestry Commission is working with the Tyne Rivers Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the University of Aberdeen on the restoration of water voles and their habitats across the North Tyne catchment, and has already released hundreds of water voles into the area.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 21/11/2018 14:15:19 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1005655

	registered interest
	date	12/11/2018
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have that the badger cull in Somerset and Gloucestershire has been effective.
	tabling member printed	Lord Truscott
	uin	HL11426
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2018 answer text <p>In September of this year, the Animal and Plant Health Agency published data showing there has been a drop in cattle TB incidence in the first two cull areas, where the number of new confirmed breakdowns has dropped by around 50%. In the Gloucestershire cull area, the incidence of TB has dropped from 10.4% before culling began to 5.6% in the twelve months following the fourth year of culling. In the Somerset cull area, it has dropped from 24% to 12%.</p><p> </p><p>Using the TB incidence measure for this purpose is in line with the reporting of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial and National Statistics. It is the best way to monitor the impact of badger control in these areas. These data provide an encouraging sign that the steps we are taking to control the disease are having a positive impact, and are consistent with the effects seen during the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Further analysis of the data is underway and will be submitted to a scientific journal for publication in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 23/11/2018 10:52:10 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3682 label Biography information for Lord Truscott

1007915

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2018
	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	Convention on Biological Diversity
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will be represented at the forthcoming meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
	uin	HL11524
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment, and Government officials represented the UK Government at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 28/11/2018 14:52:09 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1007917

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2018
	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	Non-native Species
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to combat the threat to biodiversity from biological invaders.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
	uin	HL11526
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>This Government takes the threat to biodiversity posed by invasive species seriously and is committed to preventing any damage and continuing to mitigate risk. As part of these efforts the GB Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy, first published in 2008 and reviewed in 2015, operates to ensure coordinated action across Great Britain. This strategy follows internationally recognised principles and priorities of prevention, rapid eradication and management. For example, since the arrival of the Asian hornet in France in 2004, Defra has been aware of the increased risk of this hornet to our bees and beneficial insects. We have plans in place to detect and tackle it, which we have successfully deployed several times since the first UK incursion in autumn 2016.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Governments of each UK administration are putting into place penalties and sanction regimes for the EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species, a core provision of which is the creation of a list of species subject to strict restrictions. These species cannot be imported, kept, bred, transported, sold, used or exchanged, allowed to reproduce, grown or cultivated, or released into the environment. There are currently 49 species listed under the regulation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 28/11/2018 14:54:24 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1012149

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2018
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis Strategy Review
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the Bovine TB Strategy Review, published in October.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Parminter
	uin	HL11676
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>As set out in my written statement of 13 November 2018 (HLWS1048) the Government will consider the Review recommendations carefully and a formal response will be published in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/12/2018 15:02:46 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4178 label Biography information for Baroness Parminter

1014664

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2018
	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: Waste
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made to reduce levels of household food waste through the Waste and Resources Action Programme in the last 12 months.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL11798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>Food waste is a financial and environmental issue, but the UK has made good progress with total food waste in the UK reducing by 14% per person between 2007 and 2015 (post-farm gate).</p><p> </p><p>Household food waste accounts for around 70% of total food waste in the UK, and householders spend £15 billion every year on food that could have been eaten but ends up being thrown away.</p><p> </p><p>Food waste prevention is one of the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s (WRAP) key priorities. Action to reduce levels of household food waste is being taken in two ways:</p><ul><li>through the Love Food Hate Waste consumer behaviour change campaign; and</li><li>under WRAP’s voluntary agreement, the Courtauld Commitment 2025, which aims to cut the carbon and waste associated with food &amp; drink by at least one fifth over a decade.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Courtauld 2025 will publish interim progress results in 2019 and 2022, and final results in 2026. Quantitative data is not, therefore, currently available in relation to progress made over the last 12 months.</p><p> </p><p>Over the last 12 months, WRAP’s activities to reduce household food waste have been focused on two key areas: behavioural change interventions and national communications. WRAP has developed a set of behavioural change interventions and technical changes that can work in-store and at home, which focus on people buying what they need and using what they buy. WRAP has also been increasing awareness through mini-campaigns under Love Food Hate Waste. The latest mini-campaign, ‘Chill the Fridge Out’, launched on World Food Day (16 October).</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 04/12/2018 17:39:25 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1015854

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2018
	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	Coastal Erosion
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional funds they will make available to deal with coastal erosion, following the report by the Met Office, UK Climate Projections, published on 26 November, which highlighted the impact of climate change on potential flood areas.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
	uin	HL11852
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>On 26 November, we published with the Met Office, a new set of UK Climate Projections 2018. This is the first major update to the UK’s national climate change projections for nearly 10 years.</p><p> </p><p>Coastal change through erosion or flooding of land has always been a risk for those living and working by the sea. These projections show we can continue to expect increases to extreme coastal water levels, driven mainly by increases in mean sea level rise, although we cannot rule out additional changes in storm surges.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is investing over £1.2 billion of Government funding as part of our current programme to better protect 170,000 properties from coastal flooding and erosion in the 6 years up to 2021.</p><p> </p><p>We are considering future needs for investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management, ahead of a review of flood and coastal erosion funding beyond 2021. The updated climate projections will be taken into consideration as part of this work.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/12/2018 16:47:55 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

1015855

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2018
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis Strategy Review
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to consult (1) animal welfare organisations, (2) vets, and (3) the farming community on the implications of the Godfray Report, A Strategy for achieving Bovine Tuberculosis free status for England: 2018 review, published on 16 November.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
	uin	HL11853
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government has consulted extensively on the development and implementation of its strategy for achieving bovine tuberculosis free status for England. Additionally Professor Godfray and his team ran a public call for evidence and met a number of stakeholders, including animal welfare, veterinary and farming interests, as part of their independent review of the strategy. The Government is engaging with stakeholders as it considers its response to the review.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 04/12/2018 13:11:45 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

1015856

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2018
	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	Hare Coursing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources are in place to implement the ban on hare coursing.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
	uin	HL11854
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>Local police forces are taking steps to address hare coursing and associated crimes. The role of locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners is to hold their forces to account, including on how they tackle the crimes that matter most to residents and businesses. The National Wildlife Crime Unit includes hare coursing as one of its priorities. In addition, the six police forces across the East of England have come together and are deploying Operation Galileo to tackle hare coursing.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 11/12/2018 16:03:06 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

1015858

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2018
	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: Imports
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have prepared for householders on the availability of food supplies previously imported from the EU in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
	uin	HL11855
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2018 answer text <p>The UK has a high degree of food security as shown by the UK Security Assessment. This is built on access to diverse sources of supply, including our excellent domestic production. Consumers will continue to have a wide choice of food after we leave the EU.</p><p> </p><p>While we are making sensible preparations for all eventualities as we leave the EU, there are no plans for the Government to store food.</p><p> </p><p>Defra recently published a series of Technical Notices outlining preparations in the event of leaving the EU without a deal. This information can be found on the GOV.UK website.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL11856 question first answered 05/12/2018 16:39:15 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch