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1124409

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cattle have been tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and then following slaughter have been negative on post-mortem testing; and what progress has been made in producing an accurate test before cattle are slaughtered.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Golding
	uin	HL15458
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The early detection and removal of tuberculosis (TB)-infected cattle before they develop advanced pathology and/or clinical signs of the disease (and thus become highly infectious) is a key element of bovine TB eradication programmes, including England’s 25 Year Bovine TB Strategy. To that effect, we use ante-mortem tests that measure the animals’ immune response to infection with the bovine TB bacterium (<em>Mycobacterium bovis – M. bovis</em>), rather than rely on direct detection methods.</p><p> </p><p>The single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) test, commonly known as the ‘skin test’, together with the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), is the legal standard approved in the EU legislation for the diagnosis of TB in live cattle in the UK. As with cases of TB in humans, only a proportion of those animals infected with <em>M. bovis</em> and reacting to a tuberculin skin test or IGRA display gross lesions of TB when subjected to post-mortem meat inspection in the slaughterhouse.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017 (the last year for which an analysis of post-mortem findings is available), approximately 60% of the 32,000 cattle compulsorily removed for bovine TB control reasons in England as skin test reactors or IGRA positives did not have visible lesions of TB on post-mortem and were also negative for <em>M. bovis</em> on bacteriological culture (where performed).</p><p> </p><p>Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are constantly striving for new ways to maximise the effectiveness of TB testing of cattle to achieve the objectives of the Strategy. APHA may exceptionally authorise the private use of non-validated diagnostic tests for bovine TB in herds where the disease is persistent, in order to help detect additional infected animals that may have been missed by the approved official tests (rather than to negate a positive result to such tests). A policy position paper on non-validated diagnostics for TB in cattle is now available on the APHA Vet Gateway (<a href="http://apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/index.htm" target="_blank">http://apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/index.htm</a>).</p><p> </p><p>Over £4 million was allocated to TB research and development in 2018/19, with the anticipation of a similar spend this financial year. The majority of these finds are being invested in improving diagnostic tests alongside vaccine development. However, validation for a new test to World Organisation for Animal Health standards would only lead to official adoption if it demonstrated proven advantages in the detection of disease alongside the current test portfolio.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/05/2019 16:25:10 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	281 label Biography information for Baroness Golding

1124633

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Eggs
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of eggs produced in the UK for enriched colony systems in 2019.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
	uin	HL15501
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>UK Packing Station egg throughput figures are collated quarterly and cover the vast majority of total eggs produced. Eggs produced from hens in enriched colony systems accounted for 42% of the total throughput in the first quarter of 2019 in the UK. This equates to 1.2 billion eggs.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/05/2019 16:44:27 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1124654

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Peat
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regular reporting on the proportion of peat being sold in compost and used as a growing medium in horticulture.
	tabling member printed	Lord Teverson
	uin	HL15522
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We are working with the industry to put in place a replacement for our previous monitoring of peat use in growing media, which last reported in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2016 report showed that peat use in 1) the amateur sector (2020 target) was down 21% in 2015 compared to 2011, and 2) the professional grower sector (2030 target) was down 26% since 2011. Nevertheless, whilst progress had been made in reducing peat use, it appears to be stalling.</p><p> </p><p>We stated in the 25 Year Plan for the Environment that if by 2020 we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives, we will look at introducing further measures. We have been discussing how we should judge what constitutes “sufficient movement” away from peat use and what potential further measures could look like. These discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL15523 HL15524 question first answered 16/05/2019 16:34:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3789 label Biography information for Lord Teverson

1124655

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Peat
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress towards their voluntary targets for the phasing out of the use of peat from compost and horticulture for (1) 2020, and (2) 2030.
	tabling member printed	Lord Teverson
	uin	HL15523
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We are working with the industry to put in place a replacement for our previous monitoring of peat use in growing media, which last reported in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2016 report showed that peat use in 1) the amateur sector (2020 target) was down 21% in 2015 compared to 2011, and 2) the professional grower sector (2030 target) was down 26% since 2011. Nevertheless, whilst progress had been made in reducing peat use, it appears to be stalling.</p><p> </p><p>We stated in the 25 Year Plan for the Environment that if by 2020 we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives, we will look at introducing further measures. We have been discussing how we should judge what constitutes “sufficient movement” away from peat use and what potential further measures could look like. These discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL15522 HL15524 question first answered 16/05/2019 16:34:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3789 label Biography information for Lord Teverson

1124656

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2019
	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	Peat
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory targets for the phasing out of the use of peat for compost and horticulture; and whether any such targets will be earlier than the current voluntary targets.
	tabling member printed	Lord Teverson
	uin	HL15524
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>We are working with the industry to put in place a replacement for our previous monitoring of peat use in growing media, which last reported in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The 2016 report showed that peat use in 1) the amateur sector (2020 target) was down 21% in 2015 compared to 2011, and 2) the professional grower sector (2030 target) was down 26% since 2011. Nevertheless, whilst progress had been made in reducing peat use, it appears to be stalling.</p><p> </p><p>We stated in the 25 Year Plan for the Environment that if by 2020 we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives, we will look at introducing further measures. We have been discussing how we should judge what constitutes “sufficient movement” away from peat use and what potential further measures could look like. These discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL15522 HL15523 question first answered 16/05/2019 16:34:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	3789 label Biography information for Lord Teverson

1125692

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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	Fisheries: Quotas
	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 the reference to article 43(3) of the TFEU and the relative stability keys referred to in Article 130 of the Withdrawal Agreement include the interpretive recitals 36 and 37 concerning Hague Preference which are contained within EU regulation 1380/2013.
	tabling member constituency	Camborne and Redruth
	tabling member printed	George Eustice
	uin	252565
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Article 130 of the Withdrawal Agreement provides for the relative stability keys for the allocation of fishing opportunities to be maintained during the implementation period. This provision is intended to ensure that the UK’s share of quota cannot be reduced and that the UK will continue to be able to invoke Hague Preference during the implementation period. The recitals to the basic Common Fisheries Policy Regulation (Regulation 1380/2013) make clear that relative stability should take account of the Hague Resolution and therefore this would be included in the reference to ‘relative stability keys’ in Article 130.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 16/05/2019 14:23:31 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	3934 label Biography information for George Eustice

1125694

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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	Rural Areas
	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 civil servants are (a) fully and (b) partially employed in (i) rural policy development and (ii) checking rural proofing of other departments and public bodies.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	252508
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The work of most staff in Defra and its arms’ length bodies touches on rural areas, whether it is on agriculture, fisheries, natural environment or wildlife.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently 25 posts in Defra’s Rural Policy Team. All are involved in rural proofing, whether it is developing Defra’s approach, building the evidence base, engaging with stakeholders to identify concerns or working with other departments on specific issues.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, there are 29 posts in the team in Defra managing the Rural Development Programme for England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 16/05/2019 16:39:25 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1125706

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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	Agriculture: Apprentices
	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 support apprenticeship schemes in the agri-food sector.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	252634
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>New employer designed apprenticeship standards are at the centre of the Government’s drive to ensure all apprenticeships are of the highest quality. There are now 20 new high quality standards available in the agriculture, environmental and animal care sector, plus a further 15 in development. Available standards include crop technician and land based service engineer.</p><p> </p><p>A full list of standards is published on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s website:</p><p><a href="https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/" target="_blank">https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/</a> .</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for apprenticeships policy in England. Defra works closely with DfE on how the apprenticeship system works for the agri-food sector.</p><p> </p><p>Defra also seeks to act as a bridge between industry and Government to support the sector in making the most of the Government’s apprenticeships reforms. The key mechanism for this activity is the Food and Drink Sector Council, which has identified skills as a key priority. Options to support and improve engagement with agri-food apprenticeships, as well as wider skills related issues, are being developed as part of the work of the Workforce and Skills Group of the Council.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 16/05/2019 14:46:55 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1125707

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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	Seafood: Northern Ireland
	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 discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland executive on the potential effect on the Northern Irish seafood industry of the UK leaving the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	252635
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Ministers meet monthly with their devolved administration counterparts at the Inter Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Discussions include progress in our negotiations with the EU, domestic preparations ahead of our departure from the EU and how the four administrations can work together constructively. The most recent meeting was on 29 April in Cardiff. The Permanent Secretary at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs attended the meeting in the current absence of a Northern Ireland Executive.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 16/05/2019 14:50:36 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1125726

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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	Pesticides
	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 he plans to review his Department's policy on pesticides.
	tabling member constituency	Chichester
	tabling member printed	Gillian Keegan
	uin	252647
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government intends to commence an in-depth review of pesticides policy later this year and will work closely with all interested parties as we develop our policy thinking.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 16/05/2019 14:48:38 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan