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1130540

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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	Biodiversity
	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 has made an assessment of the contribution that green bridges make to biodiversity.
	tabling member constituency	Windsor
	tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
	uin	261183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2019 answer text <p>Green bridges are structures designed to provide wildlife and non-motorised users with easy and safe crossing of main roads and railways.</p><p> </p><p>In 2015, Natural England published a review of the literature on green bridges. The review looked at 53 case studies from Europe and North America and found evidence that, in the majority of cases, green bridges were utilised by wildlife, although an assessment of their effectiveness in conserving wildlife populations was limited by the lack of long-term monitoring data. Guidance on the design of green bridges was also published by the Landscape Institute based on research undertaken by Natural England.</p><p> </p><p>In 2015, the Government published research which included an assessment of the A21 Scotney Caste Green Bridge, constructed by the then Highways Agency, which found that of all incidences of bats crossing the road to and from the Scotney Castle Estate, 97 per cent used the green bridge. At least five bat species were recorded foraging over the bridge which was also used by deer, badger and breeding dormice.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will keep the evidence for the effectiveness of these structures under review as new green bridges are planned and implemented.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 14/06/2019 11:08:13 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

1130541

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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	Biodiversity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which key performance indicators his Department uses to assess progress in improving the UK’s biodiversity.
	tabling member constituency	Windsor
	tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
	uin	261184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2019 answer text <p>Domestic biodiversity policy is a devolved matter. The UK government has a range of performance indicators for England, although we do also work with the devolved administrations to compile indicators at UK scale for international reporting.</p><p> </p><p>In June 2019 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published its <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs-single-departmental-plan/department-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs-single-departmental-plan-may-2018" target="_blank">Single Departmental Plan</a> which includes biodiversity performance indicators for England, including: extent of marine protected areas and condition of protected sites and priority habitat.</p><p> </p><p>In May of this year, the Government published a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan" target="_blank">new indicator framework</a> for the 25 Year Environment Plan, setting out a transparent, comprehensive framework that shows how the environment in England is changing and whether it is improving over time. These indicators include diversity and health of our seas, wildlife and wild places, and nature on land and water.</p><p> </p><p>To support reporting of progress across the whole of the UK, the government publishes a set of <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/biodiversity-indicators-for-the-uk" target="_blank">UK Biodiversity Indicators,</a> updated annually. These measure long term trends in the UK’s biodiversity and progress against our international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 14/06/2019 09:52:58 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

1133868

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2019
	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	Wood-burning Stoves
	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 Government is reviewing the planning regulations on the installation of wood burning stove chimneys near residential properties as part of the ongoing review into domestic fuel burners.
	tabling member constituency	Cheltenham
	tabling member printed	Alex Chalk
	uin	267761
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>No. The focus is on the fuels used and guidance on how stoves should be best used.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 28/06/2019 15:44:57 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1138167

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	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	Waste: Exports
	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 the Government is taking to penalise (a) local authorities and (b) companies found to be illegally exporting refuse and recycling abroad.
	tabling member constituency	Cheltenham
	tabling member printed	Alex Chalk
	uin	275789
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations set out offences in relation to the shipment of waste and provide that a person found guilty of an offence can be fined and/or imprisoned for up to two years. The regulations are enforced by the UK’s competent authorities which will take appropriate action against any illegal activity.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has a robust approach to enforcing these controls. The UK environmental regulators take a pro-active, intelligence led approach to checking compliance, targeting exports which pose a high risk and intervening to stop illegal exports taking place. In 2017/18, the Environment Agency issued 158 stop notices, prohibiting the export of unsuitable waste. It stopped 367 containers of waste destined for illegal export at ports and intervened further upstream to prevent 8,974 tonnes of waste from reaching our ports.</p><p> </p><p>After exports are stopped, the costs associated with returning a waste shipment that is found to be unfit for export to the site of origin for further treatment can be a significant cost to the exporter. This prevents illegal exports and makes sure that the waste is recovered or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.</p><p> </p><p>I have asked the Environment Agency to contact you with more information on their enforcement activities and the letter will be placed in the Library.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 22/07/2019 14:31:56 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk

1135534

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	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	Solid Fuels: Heating
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood in England, if he will place in the Library copies of all the data and reports his Department is using to inform the consultation in respect of non-PM2.5 toxic pollutants released when burning (a) smokeless briquettes, (b) wet wood, (c) dried wood and (d) house coal on open domestic fires in England; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	270774
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Shipley, Philp Davies, on 20 June 2019, PQ UIN 263780.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 08/07/2019 11:32:12 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1138959

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2019
	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	Dogs: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2019 to Question 257548, what further collaboration his Department is planning with (a) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (b) Border Force following that meeting with the Immigration Minister.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
	tabling member printed	Alex Norris
	uin	277278
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2019 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), as an executive agency of Defra, delivers Defra’s animal health and welfare and plant health policy, including in the area of illegal dog imports, which was discussed at the Ministerial meeting in question. APHA and Defra colleagues are in continual communication about how to best shape and deliver this important policy area.</p><p> </p><p>Regarding further collaboration between Defra and Border Force, we are taking forward our work to disrupt illegal imports of dogs as part of a wider refresh of our engagement at points of entry. Specifically, this includes APHA working more closely with Border Force to further improve operational processes at port, as well as exploring options for more mutual sharing of intelligence and intelligence led work.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/07/2019 14:44:05 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris

1134599

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	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	Animal Welfare: Inspections
	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 support his Department provides to local authorities to ensure that those authorities have access to fully trained animal welfare inspectors to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	269141
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Local authorities are able to make decisions based on local needs and the arrangements that work best for them, and it is for local authorities to determine how to prioritise their resources.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is investing in Britain’s future, and this year’s local government finance settlement includes extra funding for local services. Local authorities will have access to £46.4 billion this financial year (2019/20) to meet the needs of their residents including for the protection of animal welfare. This is a cash increase of 2.8% and a real terms increase which will strengthen services and support to local communities.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities can also ensure that they have fully trained inspectors to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 2006 through resources available to them to enforce The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. The 2018 Regulations give local authorities the power to charge a cost recovery fee to cover the cost of enforcement of the regulations including inspections of premises. The same officers appointed under the regulations are able to enforce the 2006 Act.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/07/2019 13:54:40 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1137497

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	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: Ammonia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason agricultural ammonia emissions are not monitored from the majority of UK farms.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	274626
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>Intensive pig and poultry installations are major point sources of ammonia emissions that are regulated under the Industrial Emissions Directive. These farms are required to report their ammonia emissions annually through their pollution inventory return. This requirement applies to installations with more than 40,000 places for poultry, or 2,000 places for production pigs (over 30kg), or 750 places for sows.</p><p> </p><p>Agricultural ammonia emissions from all farm types are estimated on a national scale and reported annually through the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 16/07/2019 13:12:13 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1137507

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	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	Palm Oil: Imports
	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 his Department is taking to reduce the amount of imports of products containing palm oil into the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	274629
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is not taking steps to reduce the amount of imports of products containing palm oil into the UK as we recognise the versatility of palm oil and that replacing it with other fats and oils may have unintended consequences, as alternatives usually require more land for production. This was also shown in a 2016 World Wide Fund for Nature report. The Government is, though, committed to achieving sustainably sourced palm oil, working with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to create a UK market for sustainably sourced palm oil and reduce the environmental impact of palm oil production overseas.</p><p> </p><p>In 2012, the Government established the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to improve reporting, traceability and understanding of supply chains to ensure continuous improvement and increased use of certified palm oil. Latest figures indicate that the UK’s certified sustainable palm oil rose from 16% in 2010 to 75% in 2017. The UK’s Global Resource Initiative (GRI) builds upon the Government’s work convening commodity-specific roundtables, and will identify actions the UK can take across supply chains to improve sustainability of products, including palm oil, and reduce deforestation.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the Amsterdam Declarations Partnership that supports a 100% sustainable palm oil supply chain in Europe, and supports the Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) which recently secured the Marrakesh Declaration on palm oil, under which seven countries and major companies have agreed principles for responsible palm oil in the region. We recognise that more remains to be done and will continue to explore opportunities to improve the sustainability of palm oil production.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 16/07/2019 15:39:46 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1135382

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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	Pets: Vaccination
	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 his Department is taking to promote the vaccination of pets.
	tabling member constituency	Morley and Outwood
	tabling member printed	Andrea Jenkyns
	uin	270450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2019 answer text <p>Pet owners are strongly advised by the chief veterinary officer to consider vaccinating their pets to prevent diseases which can prove to be fatal. They should consult their private vet for advice based on the individual pet’s risk and circumstances. General advice on vaccination can be obtained from a number of sources including from the <a href="https://www.noah.co.uk/focus-areas/vaccines-and-vaccination/vaccination-for-animal-health-an-overview/" target="_blank">National Office of Animal Health</a>.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/07/2019 12:36:46 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns