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1665727

registered interest
date	18/10/2023
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: Theft
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 conviction rates for pet theft.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>Local Authorities have a statutory responsibility under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to inspect their areas from ‘time to time’ to identify and require the remediation of any land.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that in particularly severe or complex cases Landfill Tax can act as a prohibitive financial barrier to the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated land. My Department held a Call for Evidence on this issue and published a Government response in March this year. As a result of this evidence, we are currently developing a grant scheme to fund costs of Landfill Tax to public bodies in England, where such costs are acting as a determinative barrier to the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated land.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 25/10/2023 08:07:53 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1660136

registered interest
date	12/09/2023
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	Dangerous Dogs
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 estimate she has made of the number of attacks by American Bully XL dogs in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	199096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2023 answer text <p>From our assessment of publicly available data, it appears that the American XL Bully type dog has been disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks in the past 12 months. This is why the Government is taking urgent action to bring forward a ban on XL Bully dog types before the end of this year.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 10/10/2023 08:41:57 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1653795

registered interest
date	18/07/2023
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	Butterflies: Conservation
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 held with representatives from the RSPCA on long-term trends in the numbers of butterfly species.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	194711
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State meets with relevant stakeholders frequently.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s indicators of the abundance of UK butterflies show that since 1976, populations of habitat specialists have declined significantly, though species of the wider countryside show no significant change. Since 2014, both trends show no significant change. We are keeping these trends under review as encouraging but not yet definitive signs of progress.</p><p> </p><p>In England, we have now set four legally binding targets for biodiversity. By 2030 we have committed to halt the decline in species abundance and by 2042 we aim to reverse species decline; to reduce the risk of species extinction; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats. We have set out our plan to deliver on these ambitious targets, along with our other environmental targets, in the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23) published 31 January 2023. Here we link the different objectives, plans and mechanisms for recovering nature.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 25/07/2023 16:06:37 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1649901

registered interest
date	04/07/2023
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	Gardens: Soil
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 her Department are taking steps to regulate toxins in garden soils which are potentially dangerous for household pets.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	192312
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2023 answer text <p>The Government recognises that use of pesticides is one source of toxins in garden soils. Our first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. A pesticide may only be placed on the market in GB if the product has been authorised by our expert regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), following a thorough scientific risk assessment, that concludes all safety standards are met. Pesticides that pose unacceptable risks are not authorised. All authorised plant protection products have statutory conditions of use that must be followed, and our strict, science-based regulation is supplemented with policies to encourage safe and minimal use.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 12/07/2023 09:06:31 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1642093

registered interest
date	06/06/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Rural Areas: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has has discussion with Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland on the provision of additional mental support for older people and families living in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	187969
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2023 answer text <p>We are not aware of any discussions having taken place on the provision of additional mental support for older people and families living in rural areas between Defra officials and their NI counterparts in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. Both rural policy and healthcare are devolved issues.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 12/06/2023 15:54:43 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1640175

registered interest
date	24/05/2023
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 Housing: Regulation
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 has made a recent assessment of the potential risks to animals from unregulated animal sanctuaries.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	186799
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2023 answer text <p>The Action Plan for Animal Welfare includes commitments to pursuing the licensing of animal sanctuaries and rescue and rehoming centres including for cats, dogs and horses. Defra has been engaging with relevant organisations to monitor trends in the sector and to understand the possible impacts of regulating the sector. Any proposals to bring forward licensing regulations will be subject to a consultation.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 05/06/2023 12:37:30 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1639578

registered interest
date	23/05/2023
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	Sea Level
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 implications for her policies of rising sea levels.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	186351
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/05/2023 answer text <p>UK marine and coastal areas are being impacted by climate change, including through sea level rise. These impacts have consequences throughout the UK on livelihoods, ecosystems, communities and society.</p><p> </p><p>In the UK we are committed to ensuring that climate change adaptation, resilience and mitigation are fully considered and integrated in our policies. Under the Climate Change Act, government committed to laying policies and proposals before parliament to address risks identified by the third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3). It will do so through the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP), due to be published in 2023.</p><p> </p><p>Through the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) we are also improving our understanding of the impact of climate change and rising sea levels. MCCIP engages with a wide range of scientific authors to supply policy makers and the public with updates on the current and predicted impacts of climate change.</p><p> </p><p>As climate change leads to sea level rise and more extreme rainfall, the number of people at risk from flooding and coastal erosion is likely to grow. The Government announced in March 2020 a record £5.2 billion investment over 6 years in flood and coastal erosion schemes to better protect communities across England. In July 2020, the government published a long-term Policy Statement, which sets out our ambition to create a nation more resilient to future flood and coastal erosion risk.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 30/05/2023 14:16:41 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1639582

registered interest
date	23/05/2023
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	Butterflies: Conservation
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 make an assessment of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of butterflies.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	186582
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/05/2023 answer text <p>The Government’s indicators of the abundance of UK butterflies show that since 1976, populations of habitat specialists have declined significantly, though species of the wider countryside show no significant change. Since 2014, both trends show no significant change. We are keeping these trends under review as encouraging but not yet definitive signs of progress.</p><p> </p><p>Butterflies are important pollinators. We are taking action alongside many partners to implement the National Pollinator Strategy’s provisions as recovering the numbers of declining pollinator species is a priority for this government. In England, we have set a legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and action towards this target includes specific action which will help butterflies. We are restoring and creating habitat for wild and managed pollinators to thrive; addressing pressures including by supporting Integrated Pest Management (IPM); raising awareness across society so that people can take action themselves; and supporting monitoring and research.</p><p> </p><p>To strengthen our pollinator evidence base we work closely with leading academics and have introduced a national pollinator monitoring scheme across the whole of the UK, with trend estimates published annually as official statistics. Trends in the abundance of butterflies are also reported in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/england-biodiversity-indicators" target="_blank">England</a> and <a href="https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/ukbi-c6-insects-of-the-wider-countryside/" target="_blank">UK</a> biodiversity indicators, based on data collated through the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS).</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 30/05/2023 14:14:44 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1623612

registered interest
date	25/04/2023
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	Grouse Moors
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 make a comparative assessment of the potential benefits of grouse moor management on the (a) abundance and (b) breeding success of (i) grouse and (ii) hen harriers.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	182561
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2023 answer text <p>Shooting sports bring a range of conservation and economic benefits to rural communities and we therefore continue to support shooting as a legitimate activity, which provides jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas.</p><p> </p><p>There is evidence that sustainable control of predators on shooting estates can play a role in the recovery of rare or declining species, particularly ground nesting birds, such as lapwing and curlew.</p><p> </p><p>We take the decline in the hen harrier population in England seriously and we are committed to securing the future of this bird. That is why we took the lead on the Hen Harrier Action Plan. The plan sets out what will be done to increase hen harrier numbers in England and aims to restore hen harrier populations alongside the continuation of driven grouse shooting. The 2022 breeding season was the first time in over 100 years that more than 100 hen harrier chicks successfully fledged in England, showing real progress in efforts to protect and restore their numbers.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that it is vital that wildlife and habitats are respected and protected, and we will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 02/05/2023 15:31:51 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1599832

registered interest
date	28/02/2023
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	Squirrels: Pest 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 steps her Department is taking to control the grey squirrel population.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	155121
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2023 answer text <p>The Government is committed to addressing grey squirrel impacts. <br> <br> In 2019, the Government put in place the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order. Under the Order, listed invasive species, including the grey squirrel, cannot be imported, kept, bred, transported, sold, used or exchanged, allowed to reproduce, or released into the environment. <br> <br> We announced in the England Trees Action Plan and Environment Improvement Plan that we will update the Grey Squirrel Action Plan. The Government has introduced Countryside Stewardship funding for grey squirrel control and management.</p><p><br> We have also worked with stakeholders and the UK Squirrel Accord (UKSA) on their England Red Squirrel Action Plan which was published in January this year and sets out the actions needed to guide red squirrel conservation and recovery. Alongside the UK Squirrel Accord, research into fertility control for grey squirrels to reduce local grey squirrel populations.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 07/03/2023 17:30:22 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon