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418432

registered interest
date	11/09/2015
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	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the final version of her Department's report, Shale Gas: Rural Economy Impacts.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	10066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2015 answer text <p>The full version of the draft rural economy impacts paper was released on 1 July and is available on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-shale-gas-rural-economy-impacts-paper" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-shale-gas-rural-economy-impacts-paper</a>. The draft paper was intended as a rapid review of existing literature; it is not analytically robust. Work on this paper was discontinued and we have no plans to update it.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 18/09/2015 10:55:52 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

418422

registered interest
date	11/09/2015
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	Climate Change
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 Adaptation Sub-Committee Progress Report 2014, what steps she is taking to minimise the risks to the well-being of UK citizens identified in that report.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	10071
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>The National Adaptation Programme report sets out over 370 actions that are being taken to address the risks identified in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment, many of which impact on the well-being of UK citizens. The Government is committed to continue implementing the National Adaptation Programme, working across Government and with business, councils, civil society and academia.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 21/09/2015 13:26:54 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

348278

registered interest
date	03/06/2015
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	Wetlands
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 wetland sites there are in the UK; what area those sites cover; what statutory protections have applied to each such site in each year since 2005; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	1011
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p>Defra has sent two representatives to the 12<sup>th</sup> Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention in Uruguay.</p><p>The UK is a party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance and has designated 172 Ramsar sites. This is more than any other Contracting Party and includes 24 sites in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. In Great Britain, Ramsar sites cover an area of almost 700,000 hectares. Detailed site information is available on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee’s website at: <a href="http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=161" target="_blank">http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=161</a>.</p><p>In Great Britain, Ramsar sites are not afforded statutory protection but as a matter of Government policy receive the same protection as European sites designated under the EU Wild Birds and Habitats Directives. For example, in England the National Planning Policy Framework (2012) states that listed or proposed Ramsar sites should be given the same protection as European sites. In regard to the broader protection of wetlands, this is mainly delivered through national implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and the Birds and Habitats Directives. Defra takes a strategic approach to ensure that the implementation of these Directives is complementary to deliver common objectives.</p><p>Information regarding Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 961 question first answered 09/06/2015 09:00:37 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

418677

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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	Business: Carbon Emissions
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 (a) FTSE 100 and (b) FTSE 350 companies made voluntary climate disclosures beyond legal reporting requirements in the last year for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	10134
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>Defra does not hold the information requested.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 17/09/2015 16:15:12 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

418658

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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	Fly-tipping
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 plans she has to counteract the rise in fly-tipping.
tabling member constituency	Beckenham
tabling member printed	Bob Stewart
uin	10163
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>Tackling fly-tipping is a priority for the Government. As set out in our manifesto we will be giving councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping as well as reviewing the existing fixed penalty notices for littering.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These steps will build on other Government action to tackle fly-tipping, which has included; working with the Sentencing Council on its guideline for sentencing for environmental offences, which came into force on 1 July last year; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; and continuing work in partnership with others through the Defra chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting, investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 17/09/2015 16:12:22 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	3919 label Biography information for Bob Stewart

418683

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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: Freedom of Information
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 hours her Department spent on processing freedom of information requests in each of the last 24 months.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	10223
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>Defra does not record the time processing Freedom of Information Act requests.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 22/09/2015 10:23:18 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

418916

registered interest
date	15/09/2015
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	Plastic Bags: Fees and Charges
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 she plans for a vari-gauge bag, where the variation in gauge ranges from 35 to 45 microns and totals 80 microns, to be exempt from proposed charges on plastic bags; and whether she plans for vari-gauge bags with any combination of variation in gauge which totals more than 71 microns to be exempt from such charges.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff North
tabling member printed	Craig Williams
uin	10387
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>There are no current plans to exempt vari-gauge bags from the single use plastic bag charge.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 22/09/2015 09:55:46 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4438 label Biography information for Craig Williams

419098

registered interest
date	16/09/2015
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	Ivory
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 her Department is taking to prevent illegal trade in ivory products.
tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
tabling member printed	Stephen Phillips
uin	10397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The UK has played a leading role in galvanising international action to combat the illegal wildlife trade, including the illegal trade in ivory. We hosted the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014 and actively supported the Government of Botswana in its hosting of a follow-up Conference in Kasane in March 2015. The UK has also supported the Elephant Protection Initiative, of which nine African elephant range states are now members and which is designed to help them to secure and maintain healthy elephant populations.</p><p>The UK is committed to maintaining the current global ban on any new international trade in ivory, established under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In addition, the UK does not permit trade in raw ivory tusks of any age and we are pressing for this approach to be taken across the whole of the European Union.</p><p>We have committed £13 million to support projects around the world to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. These projects seek to reduce demand, strengthen law enforcement and develop sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by illegal wildlife trade, principally through Defra’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund. A second round of the Challenge Fund was launched on 5 August.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 12/10/2015 11:41:34 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4054 label Biography information for Stephen Phillips

348345

registered interest
date	03/06/2015
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	Hunting Act 2004
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 representations she has received supporting repeal of the Hunting Act 2004 since 7 May 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	1040
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p>Since 7 May 2015, Defra has received a variety of representations both for and against repeal of the Hunting Act 2004 from non-government organisations and the public.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 09/06/2015 10:32:24 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

348346

registered interest
date	03/06/2015
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	Hunting Act 2004
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 she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to repeal the Hunting Act 2004 in this parliamentary Session.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	1041
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p>The Government has said that it will give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote, with a government bill in government time.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 09/06/2015 10:28:14 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419096

registered interest
date	16/09/2015
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	Timber: EU Law
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 recent decisions she has had with (a) representatives of the EU and (b) her counterparts in other member states on EU timber regulations.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	10480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>Defra officials regularly discuss the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation with both the European Commission and other EU Member States.</p><p>Most recently (September 2015) Defra officials participated in a FLEGT/EUTR Expert Group meeting in Brussels, covering a range of related issues including implementation of the two regulations across the EU.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 15/10/2015 11:16:12 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

419095

registered interest
date	16/09/2015
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	Timber
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 she is taking to promote a sustainable approach to resourcing timber in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	10481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>Defra implements the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.</p><p>Defra is also responsible for the Government’s Timber Procurement Policy, which requires central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.</p><p>Domestic forests provide about 20% of the UK’s timber needs. They are managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. Moreover, about 85% of UK timber production is independently certified, providing additional assurances of sustainability.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 15/10/2015 11:21:41 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

419103

registered interest
date	16/09/2015
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	EU Law: Pollution Control
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 recent estimate she has made of the annual cost to British businesses of the EU's pollution directive.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	10492
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>There are a number of EU directives covering a wide range of pollution issues. This answer refers to the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU), which was transposed into law in England and Wales in February 2013. The Directive requires operators in a range of industrial sectors to comply with certain standards to ensure the reduction of emissions from their activities.</p><p>Prior to transposition of the Directive, our impact assessment estimated that the annual regulatory and compliance costs for the main affected sectors would be £105m for operators of large combustion plants and £0 - £15m for a range of other installations in the waste treatment and wood treatment sectors.</p><p>The impact assessment estimated that the annual human health benefits due to a reduction in emissions of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter from large combustion plants alone would be £188m. Other benefits for human health and the environment were also expected to arise from other pollutants that could not be monetised.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 15/10/2015 11:29:14 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

419522

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Hunting
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 her Department had with the Scottish Government on the Protection of Wild Mammals Act (Scotland) 2002 prior to tabling the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Exempt Hunting) (Amendment) Order 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	10578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government has received representations from a wide range of interested parties both for and against any repeal or amendment to the Hunting Act 2004.</p><p>The measures proposed in the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Order 2015 would not remove the ban on hunting. Given this we judged that more consultation would not have been likely to add to the information available to us.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 10621 10624 10625 question first answered 12/10/2015 11:54:18 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419524

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Wildlife: 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, what progress is being made on reducing international trade in endangered species.
tabling member constituency	East Yorkshire
tabling member printed	Sir Greg Knight
uin	10599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>The UK is an active Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates trade in over 35,000 species. Trade prohibitions are imposed where they are needed to conserve the long-term survival of a species and commercial trade in the most endangered is generally prohibited. For those where trade is allowed, this is subject to strict regulation and monitoring to ensure that it is sustainable.</p><p>The UK has also played a leading role in galvanising international action to combat the illegal wildlife trade, including of ivory. We hosted the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014 and actively supported the Government of Botswana in its hosting of a follow-up Conference in Kasane in March 2015. <em>The Review of Progress</em> prepared for that Conference, available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415690/review-progress-kasane-conf-150317.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415690/review-progress-kasane-conf-150317.pdf</a>, contains information on action being taken by countries and international organisations to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/10/2015 14:08:20 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1200 label Biography information for Sir Greg Knight

419519

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Hunting
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 her Department has had with the (a) police, (b) Crown Prosecution Service and (c) Law Commission on the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Exempt Hunting) (Amendment) Order 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	10621
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government has received representations from a wide range of interested parties both for and against any repeal or amendment to the Hunting Act 2004.</p><p>The measures proposed in the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Order 2015 would not remove the ban on hunting. Given this we judged that more consultation would not have been likely to add to the information available to us.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 10578 10624 10625 question first answered 12/10/2015 11:54:19 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419520

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Hunting Act 2004
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 plans her Department has to bring forward further amendments to the Hunting Act 2004.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	10622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government stands by its manifesto commitment to give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote, with a Government Bill in Government time.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 12/10/2015 12:12:05 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419521

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Hunting
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 the Government withdrew the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Exempt Hunting) (Amendment) Order 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	10623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>While the debate on the Statutory Instrument did not take place, the Government has not withdrawn the Draft Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Order 2015.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 12/10/2015 12:14:15 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419517

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Hunting
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 consultations her Department held with animal welfare organisations before laying the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Exempt Hunting) (Amendment) Order 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	10624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government has received representations from a wide range of interested parties both for and against any repeal or amendment to the Hunting Act 2004.</p><p>The measures proposed in the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Order 2015 would not remove the ban on hunting. Given this we judged that more consultation would not have been likely to add to the information available to us.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 10578 10621 10625 question first answered 12/10/2015 11:54:19 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419518

registered interest
date	17/09/2015
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	Hunting Act 2004
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 representations her Department has received on amendments to the Hunting Act 2004.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	10625
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government has received representations from a wide range of interested parties both for and against any repeal or amendment to the Hunting Act 2004.</p><p>The measures proposed in the draft Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Order 2015 would not remove the ban on hunting. Given this we judged that more consultation would not have been likely to add to the information available to us.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 10578 10621 10624 question first answered 12/10/2015 11:54:19 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

419988

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Floods: Insurance
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 assessment her Department made prior to laying the Flood Reinsurance (Scheme Funding and Administration) Regulations 2015 of whether the scope of the definition of home insurance in the regulations covered only those home insurers who explicitly protected against flood risk.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Ben Howlett
uin	10795
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>We consulted widely and worked very closely with the Association of British Insurers to ensure that the Flood Reinsurance (Scheme Funding and Administration) Regulations 2015 reflect the intended policy position. As set out in the Regulations, Flood Re will assess whether an insurer is liable for levy payments (and the amount of levy they are due to pay) based on the amount of domestic property insurance an insurer covers in the UK market.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/10/2015 12:26:29 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4445 label Biography information for Ben Howlett

419992

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Fly-Tipping
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce legislative proposals to amend existing fly tipping offences to make it possible to attribute group responsibility or culpability to ensure local authorities can take enforcement action when illegal encampments fly tip on public land.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	10847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>Tackling fly-tipping is a priority for the Government. Our manifesto sets out our plans to give councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping, as well as reviewing the existing fixed penalty notices for littering.</p><p>These steps will build on other action we have taken, including working with the Sentencing Council to strengthen its Guideline for sentencing for environmental offences, which came into force on 1 July last year; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; and continuing working in partnership with others through the Defra-chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting, investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.</p><p>Local Authorities already have enforcement powers to prosecute individuals who transport and dispose of waste illegally. There are no plans to amend fly-tipping offences to attribute group responsibility or culpability.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/10/2015 14:15:40 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

420005

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Floods: Insurance
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 progress her Department has made on introducing the Flood Re scheme.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	10925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>Flood Re began its operational testing phase in July 2015. It will be a matter for the Flood Re Board itself, rather than the Secretary of State, to determine when the scheme is ready to accept policies once it is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. We understand that Flood Re expects this to be in April 2016.</p><p>Insurers have agreed to continue to abide by the Statement of Principles which ensures continued access to flood insurance until Flood Re is fully operational</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/10/2015 12:29:03 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

420004

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Timber: Sustainable Development
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will implement proposals put forward by the World Wildlife Fund in its 2015 Forest Campaign to ensure that the UK timber market deals in 100 per cent sustainable timber by 2020.
tabling member constituency	Neath
tabling member printed	Christina Rees
uin	11046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>Defra is committed to tackling the trade in illegal timber. We implement the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.</p><p>The Government’s Timber Procurement Policy also requires Government Departments, Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.</p><p>It is positive that UK companies and other bodies are making similar commitments to trade in both legal and sustainable timber by signing up to WWF’s Forest Campaign.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/10/2015 12:31:42 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4525 label Biography information for Christina Rees

419995

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	EU Presidency: Malta
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 she has had with her counterpart in Malta on the chairing of the environment sessions when Malta takes up European Presidency in 2017.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	11059
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>There have not, as yet, been any discussions at ministerial level with Malta on the chairing of environment sessions during the Maltese Presidency of the European Union in 2017.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/10/2015 17:42:42 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

420006

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Drinking Water: Lancashire
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 (a) visits to the affected area and (b) meetings with United Utilities management Ministers of her Department held respectively during the cryoptosporidium outbreak in Lancashire in summer 2015.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Hendrick
uin	11081
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>The Secretary of State spoke with United Utilities (UU) Chief Executive, Steve Mogford, regularly throughout the incident, both over the phone and in person. Defra officials and Drinking Water Inspectors (DWIs) participated in regular meetings (several per day) convened by Defra and the Local Resilience Forum, all of which were attended by senior level representatives of UU. Defra Ministers were briefed similarly frequently.</p><p>The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) team in the area attended the relevant UU sites to liaise with company officials and to carry out their monitoring and inspection duties on behalf of the Department.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/10/2015 14:25:37 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

419998

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Drinking Water: Contamination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the Drinking Water Inspectorate to announce the findings of its investigations into the causes of the recent cryptosporidium water contamination.
tabling member constituency	South Ribble
tabling member printed	Seema Kennedy
uin	11104
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) holds the statutory responsibility to investigate and report on drinking water quality incidents that affect public water supplies in England and Wales. It continues to carry out a detailed and thorough investigation into the recent cryptosporidium outbreak in Lancashire. Once the final report is completed, it will be made publicly available.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/10/2015 14:29:04 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy

420000

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Drinking Water: Contamination
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 (a) her Department and (b) the Drinking Water Inspectorate are taking to ensure that utility companies take all reasonable measures to resolve efficiently and effectively (i) water contamination issues and (ii) cryptosporidium contamination.
tabling member constituency	South Ribble
tabling member printed	Seema Kennedy
uin	11105
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text <p>Water companies are required to provide safe supplies of drinking water to the public. Where contamination of a public water supply occurs, whether by cryptosporidium or by any other cause, the water company involved is expected to take all appropriate measures to ensure that the public remains safe, and that a safe supply of drinking water is restored. The DWI has a rigorous independent regulatory and inspection regime, and holds enforcement powers to ensure that the likelihood of such an event is minimised, and, when they do occur, that the measures taken to resolve any issues are in interests of the customer.</p><p>Defra is the sponsor department for the water industry and is responsible for setting the legal and policy framework for the regulatory regime as applied by Ofwat (the economic regulator) and the DWI (the drinking water quality regulator). When the DWI produces its report on the recent cryptosporidium incident in Lancashire, Defra will consider, with other stakeholders, what wider lessons can be learnt about the effectiveness of the current regime.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/10/2015 14:31:49 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy

419870

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Floods: Insurance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to recommend that insurance companies make public their geographical data suppliers in respect of areas deemed to be at risk of flooding.
tabling member constituency	Fermanagh and South Tyrone
tabling member printed	Tom Elliott
uin	11127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>Insurance companies determine the flood risk element of the premiums they charge. Insurers use a variety of models to identify flood risk which may differ by area and organisation and will depend on their approach to risk and their underwriting strategies. Insurance companies do not have to disclose the criteria they use. The criteria and data suppliers that insurers use is commercially sensitive information which, if made public, could serve to distort the effective operation of the market.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/10/2015 12:34:30 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4367 label Biography information for Tom Elliott

419966

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Timber: Sustainable Development
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to enable the establishment of a market in 100 per cent sustainable timber by 2020.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	11133
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>Defra is committed to tackling the trade in illegal timber. We implement the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.</p><p>The Government’s Timber Procurement Policy also requires Government Departments, Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.</p><p>Domestic forests provide about 20% of the UK’s timber needs. They are managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. Moreover, about 85% of UK timber production is independently certified, providing additional assurances of sustainability. We are strongly supportive of initiatives such as Grown in Britain, which create new sustainably managed woodland to increase the supply of British timber destined for use by local people and businesses. Timber and wood products labelled with the Grown in Britain logo are from trees and forests assured as compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/10/2015 12:36:44 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

348582

registered interest
date	04/06/2015
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	Bats: Churches
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 information her Department holds on the application and interpretation of provisions in the Habitats Directive on bats inhabiting church premises in other EU member states.
tabling member constituency	Meriden
tabling member printed	Mrs Caroline Spelman
uin	1114
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2015 answer text <p>Whilst we do not hold any information about how other Member States apply or interpret the provisions in the Habitats Directive in relation to bats in churches, the Government understands the problems that the presence of bats can cause.</p><p>To assist churches, Defra has funded research to identify techniques that can be used to deter bats from sensitive areas of churches, the results of which were published in March 2014. English Heritage is now funding a project trialling the techniques identified by this research in several churches to develop a toolkit and advice pack. A bid for Heritage Lottery funding to help pay for the implementation of this toolkit is also being prepared.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 10/06/2015 11:20:24 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman

419999

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will revise its consultation paper on air quality draft plans, published on 12 September 2015, to take into account findings by the US Environmental Protection Agency of car manufacturers cheating in vehicle emissions tests.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Zac Goldsmith
uin	11166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>The projections modelled in the draft plans were based on road transport emission factors from COPERT (Computer Programme to calculate Emissions from Road Transport). These take into account the gap between real world emissions and those from testing.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/10/2015 10:36:40 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

420680

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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 Supply
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 her Department is taking to help implement United Utilities' proposed North-South water pipeline alongside the currently proposed High Speed 2 route.
tabling member constituency	Clacton
tabling member printed	Mr Douglas Carswell
uin	11377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>United Utilities did not approach the Department to discuss such a project during the preparations for its water resources management plan, 2015 – 2040, and did not include it in the final submission to the Secretary of State before publishing its final plan.</p><p>Defra and the Environment Agency are now working with all water companies to ensure that they consider the range of options for balancing future supply and demand in their next update to their plans to be published in 2019. This includes looking at bulk transfers between companies.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 20/10/2015 15:09:37 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1527 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Carswell

420679

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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: EU Law
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 her Department is taking to implement the EU Water Framework Directive.
tabling member constituency	Clacton
tabling member printed	Mr Douglas Carswell
uin	11378
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>The Environment Agency is the competent authority for implementing the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in England. On the basis of Ministerial river basin planning guidance, the Environment Agency produces river basin management plans which set the policy framework for decision making by everyone with a stake in the water environment for each six-year planning period.</p><p>The Environment Agency has been reviewing the 2009 river basin management plans over the last three years. This has involved direct engagement with organisations with an interest in management and protection of the water environment, such as water undertakers, land managers, and planners, and three public consultations. Draft updated plans will shortly be submitted for approval to the Secretary of State and published.</p><p>Since the river basin plans were first published in 2009 the Environment Agency has worked with partners on projects to improve and protect over 15,000km of rivers, 52 bathing waters and more than 1,000 square kilometres of lakes. These projects include the installation of over 200 fish passes and almost 500 eel passes, which have opened up more than 12,000km of river to fish.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 20/10/2015 12:12:09 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1527 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Carswell

348548

registered interest
date	04/06/2015
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	Timber: EU Law
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 she is taking to reach common agreement with other EU member states on amending the EU Timber Regulation so it covers all timber and timber products.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	1138
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p>Defra has recommended that the scope of the EU Timber Regulation is increased to cover a wider range of timber and timber products. This is as part of the current EU-wide review of the Regulation.</p><p>In addition, Defra is actively encouraging better implementation of the EU Timber Regulation across the EU. This includes hosting meetings with EU Timber Regulation enforcement officials from other EU Member States to share practical advice and discuss best practice.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 09/06/2015 08:31:49 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

420676

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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	Public Footpaths: Coastal 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, what progress the Government is making towards ensuring that 3,000 miles of the England Coast Path will be open by 2020.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
uin	11488
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>The coastal access programme has so far opened up 101 miles of our beautiful coastline for everyone to enjoy, boosting local tourism and growing the rural economy.</p><p>The Government is working closely with Natural England to build on the progress already made. We have approved Natural England’s coastal access proposals for a further 176 miles. By the end of this financial year we expect Natural England to have submitted proposals for another 349 miles and also to be working on proposals for an additional 986 miles.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/10/2015 13:03:37 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

421046

registered interest
date	13/10/2015
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	Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a copy of the framework agreement between her Department and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
uin	11566
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>The Framework document between Defra and Kew is currently in draft. Defra and Kew are working in line with the draft Framework document, which sets out how the bodies work together but is not legally binding. Defra is looking at how it works with its arm’s length bodies and this may inform the finalisation of the document.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 20/10/2015 15:17:39 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

421362

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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	Hunting Act 2004
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 12 October 2015 to Question 10625, which organisations the Government has met to discuss amendments to the Hunting Act 2004.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	11907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published up to 31 March 2015 and can be accessed on GOV.UK at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-quarterly-transparency-information-january-to-march-2015" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-quarterly-transparency-information-january-to-march-2015</a></p><br /><p>Further publications of Ministerial meetings will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 20/10/2015 16:41:50 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

421368

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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	Schools: Water Charges
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 assessment she has made of the reasons for the difference between the water and sewerage charge per pupil in Lancashire and Kent; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	11940
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>Water and sewerage charges are set by water companies in line with the overall cap set by Ofwat on the amount that each water company may recover from their customers.</p><p>Water company charges vary across regions to reflect the cost of collecting or abstracting water and treating it to meet water quality standards; building and maintaining pipes to deliver water, remove sewerage and surface water; and treating sewerage to meet environmental standards. Due to the variations in demography and geography these processes and costs vary greatly by region.</p><p>Water charges include a surface water charge to cover the costs of removing and treating rainwater that drains away to public sewers. Some water companies share these costs equally across all their customers; four companies charge their non-household customers according to property size. Charging by this method better reflects the amount of rainwater draining into the public sewer.</p><p>The Government recognised that charging in this way can have a particular impact on community groups with property covering a large site-area and, in 2010, issued guidance to Ofwat and water companies on developing concessionary schemes for these groups. Our recent consultation on draft charging guidance to Ofwat recognised that concerns have subsequently been raised about the impact of site area charging on other groups, including schools. It recognised the importance of organisations taking a more sustainable approach to drainage, but said that area based charging should result in a recognisable benefit to customers as a whole and should not have an unduly negative impact on organisations that provide a wider benefit to society. We are currently considering the responses to this consultation, and whether we should review the guidance on concessionary schemes.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/10/2015 12:25:32 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

421726

registered interest
date	15/10/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve air quality in order to assist people with lung diseases.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Ben Howlett
uin	12119
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>We are fully committed to complying with EU Air Quality Standards as soon as possible. We have already committed over £2 billion since 2011 in transport measures to improve air quality. On 12 September we launched a public consultation on our draft revised Air Quality plans for nitrogen dioxide, which set out a range of local, national and European actions to lower levels of harmful emissions. The consultation closes on 6 November 2015.</p><br /><p>Government departments and agencies work together to prioritise action and offer the best advice to vulnerable groups to help mitigate the health effects of air pollution. Our daily air quality forecast includes accompanying health messages to the public based on advice provided by Public Health England.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 20/10/2015 16:33:33 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4445 label Biography information for Ben Howlett

348639

registered interest
date	04/06/2015
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	Flood Control
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 proportion of the funding for flood protection was provided through (a) her Department's standard partnership funding framework, (b) private sector contributions and (c) other public sector contributions as at 31 March 2015.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	1231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2015 answer text <p>Between April 2011 and March 2015, £134m of partnership funding contributions were provided towards new flood and coastal erosion management schemes. This represents around 5% of the £2.4bn in Defra funding provided for flood schemes over the same period.</p><p /> <p>Around 25% of the £134m originated from private sector sources and the remainder from the public sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 10/06/2015 09:49:37 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

422226

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
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	EU Presidency: Malta
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 14 October 2015 to Question 11059, whether officials in her Department have discussed with representatives of Malta the chairing of environment sessions during the Maltese Presidency of the European Union in 2017.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	12331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2015 answer text <p>Officials from Defra, along with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, have held preliminary discussions with representatives from Malta on support for chairing meetings during the Maltese Presidency of the European Union. These discussions are ongoing.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 23/10/2015 08:04:42 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

422229

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
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: Diseases
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 she is taking to prevent diseases (a) contaminating and (b) spreading between horse chestnut trees.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	12470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2015 answer text <p>Horse chestnut trees have been affected by two particular organisms in recent years; the horse chestnut leaf miner (<em>Cameraria ohridella</em>) and horse chestnut bleeding canker (<em>Pseudomonas syringae</em> pathovar <em>aesculi</em>).</p><p>These are both well established in Great Britain and statutory action to destroy affected trees would be impractical.</p><p>Forest Research has been involved in several studies to understand the nature of the organisms and their spread. This work has been used to develop recommendations for evidence-based disease management.</p><p>The UK Plant Health Risk Register helps to identify new and revised threats to horse chestnut trees and priority actions in response. In collaboration with EU partners we have taken actions to reduce the risk of damaging pests, such as the citrus longhorn beetle, being introduced and causing damage to horse chestnut trees.</p><br /> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 27/10/2015 11:39:52 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

422230

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
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	Badgers: Hedgehogs
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 recent discussions she has had with representatives of countryside organisations on the effect of the numbers of badgers on numbers of hedgehogs.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	12472
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2015 answer text <p>Defra is working with partners to identify actions that will help the conservation of hedgehogs, particularly though the Terrestrial Biodiversity Group chaired by Natural England. The reasons for the decline of the hedgehog population are complex. Badgers are one of a number of potential factors in the decline in hedgehog numbers.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 27/10/2015 16:18:56 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

422231

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
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	Cats
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 big cat sightings have been reported in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	12473
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2015 answer text <p>A total of 26 sightings of big cats in the wild have been reported to Natural England since 1 January 2010. This figure is broken down as follows:</p><br /><p>2010 – 6</p><p>2011 – 4</p><p>2012 – 4</p><p>2013 – 6</p><p>2014 – 1</p><p>2015 – 5 (to date)</p><br /><p>Please be aware that the above are only reports received and logged by Natural England. Other parties such as the Police may hold further records.</p><br /> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 26/10/2015 11:30:31 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

422232

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
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	Cats
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 animals have been reportedly killed by big cats in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	12474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2015 answer text <p>During 2015 a calf and a dog were reported to have been killed by big cats. This information was provided by Natural England, which holds no further information about animals reported to have been killed in this way.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 26/10/2015 11:45:35 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

422237

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
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	Game: Birds
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 the value is to the economy in (a) jobs and (b) monies generated by the grouse-shooting industry.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	12476
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2015 answer text <p>Government does not hold information on the value of shooting to the economy.</p><br /><p>According to the Moorland Association (<a href="http://www.moorlandassociation.org/grouse-shooting-economics/" target="_blank">www.moorlandassociation.org/grouse-shooting-economics/</a>), in England grouse moor management creates 42,500 work days a year and is responsible for over 1,500 full-time posts. Of these, 700 are directly involved in grouse moor management, with a further 820 jobs in related services and industries.</p><br /><p>The Moorland Association also state that each year owners and sporting tenants of their 175 member grouse moors in England and Wales spend a combined total of £52.5 million on land management.</p><br /><p>The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (<a href="http://basc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2015/03/Research-White-Paper-Grouse-shooting-and-management.pdf" target="_blank">http://basc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2015/03/Research-White-Paper-Grouse-shooting-and-management.pdf</a>) estimate the annual value of game meat in the UK as £61 million, with the retail value per bird varying between £6.50 and £12 per animal.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 26/10/2015 16:31:41 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

422616

registered interest
date	20/10/2015
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	Northumberland National Park
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 commercial freedoms she proposes to offer to Northumberland National Park.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne East
tabling member printed	Mr Nicholas Brown
uin	12526
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2015 answer text <p>National Park Authorities are engaging with devolution proposals and we believe that with their current powers, National Park Authorities are already well equipped to be a vital part of devolution deals across the country. The North East Combined Authority has set out proposals for a devolution deal designed to drive economic growth and bring jobs and investment to the North East. As part of considering this, we will be discussing with the National Park Authority what we could do for them that might help them in terms of commercial freedoms.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 28/10/2015 15:45:36 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	523 label Biography information for Mr Nicholas Brown

423317

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	Inland Waterways: Repairs and Maintenance
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 funding her Department has made available for the maintenance of waterways in (a) Pendle, (b) the North West and (c) England in 2015-16.
tabling member constituency	Pendle
tabling member printed	Andrew Stephenson
uin	13056
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government provides grant-in-aid funding to the two largest navigation authorities in England and Wales: the Canal &amp; River Trust (CRT) and the Environment Agency.</p><br /><p>Under the terms of the grant agreement, for 2015-16, the CRT will receive a total of £49.546m for the navigations it owns in England and Wales. The distribution of maintenance funding across CRT’s waterways is a matter for CRT.</p><br /><p>The Environment Agency does not own or manage any navigations in Pendle or the North West.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 28/10/2015 16:03:56 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson

423318

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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: Carbon Emissions
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 assessment her Department has made of the contribution of the agricultural industry to total UK carbon dioxide emission levels in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	13081
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2015 answer text <p>Defra works closely with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to identify carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture. We provide detailed farm statistics that DECC feeds into the UK Green House Gas Inventory, which contains the UK’s official reported greenhouse gas estimates.</p><br /><p>The Inventory indicates that:</p><br /><ul><li>Only around 1% of carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions in the UK are attributed to agriculture, these relate mainly to fuel use. Since 1990 there has been an overall decline in estimated carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture.</li></ul><br /><ul><li>CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from agriculture as a proportion of the UK total have fluctuated over the last 5 years between 1.0% and 1.2%. CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from agriculture are lower in 2013 compared to 2009 by around 6%.</li></ul><br /><ul><li>CO<sub>2 </sub>emissions make up a very small portion of agriculture emissions (around 9-10%).</li></ul> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 27/10/2015 17:10:22 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham