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1172748

registered interest
date	22/01/2020
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential damage to the environment as a result of the three crop rule leading farmers to cultivate drenched farmland and thereby damage soil structures.
tabling member printed	Lord Carrington
uin	HL679
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>Farmers have been experiencing difficulties with the recent prolonged wet weather and are concerned about their ability to meet Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst we have not carried out specific assessments of the environmental impact of cultivating waterlogged farmland following the wet weather experienced so far this winter, we encourage farmers to take all the necessary and reasonable steps to protect their soils. In some cases, we understand that this may result in difficulty meeting CAP rules, including the ‘three crop rule’. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has recently updated its GOV.UK online guidance on flooding and wet weather so that farmers are clear on the rules and possible alternative options that will allow them to remain compliant – including alternatives to the three crop rule. This was put together in direct response to customers’ and stakeholders’ questions and concerns.</p><p> </p><p>If they are in doubt, farmers should contact the RPA to discuss possible mitigation measures where farmers are unsure of the impact that flooding will have on their ability to comply with greening, or other CAP rules, including whether they should apply for <em>force majeure</em>.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>We will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with stakeholders, including farmers, where cases of <em>force majeure</em> are put forward. We are also exploring how best to provide flexibility and support farmers affected by the recent wet weather.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL680 HL681 question first answered 28/01/2020 14:47:19 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4712 label Biography information for Lord Carrington

1172749

registered interest
date	22/01/2020
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the weather conditions experienced by farmers this planting season, what plans they have to suspend the three crop rule.
tabling member printed	Lord Carrington
uin	HL680
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>Farmers have been experiencing difficulties with the recent prolonged wet weather and are concerned about their ability to meet Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst we have not carried out specific assessments of the environmental impact of cultivating waterlogged farmland following the wet weather experienced so far this winter, we encourage farmers to take all the necessary and reasonable steps to protect their soils. In some cases, we understand that this may result in difficulty meeting CAP rules, including the ‘three crop rule’. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has recently updated its GOV.UK online guidance on flooding and wet weather so that farmers are clear on the rules and possible alternative options that will allow them to remain compliant – including alternatives to the three crop rule. This was put together in direct response to customers’ and stakeholders’ questions and concerns.</p><p> </p><p>If they are in doubt, farmers should contact the RPA to discuss possible mitigation measures where farmers are unsure of the impact that flooding will have on their ability to comply with greening, or other CAP rules, including whether they should apply for <em>force majeure</em>.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>We will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with stakeholders, including farmers, where cases of <em>force majeure</em> are put forward. We are also exploring how best to provide flexibility and support farmers affected by the recent wet weather.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL679 HL681 question first answered 28/01/2020 14:47:19 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4712 label Biography information for Lord Carrington

1172750

registered interest
date	22/01/2020
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to accept early Force Majeure claims as a prevention mechanism to ensure that soil structure is not damaged as a result of farmers trying to adhere to the three crop rule.
tabling member printed	Lord Carrington
uin	HL681
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>Farmers have been experiencing difficulties with the recent prolonged wet weather and are concerned about their ability to meet Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst we have not carried out specific assessments of the environmental impact of cultivating waterlogged farmland following the wet weather experienced so far this winter, we encourage farmers to take all the necessary and reasonable steps to protect their soils. In some cases, we understand that this may result in difficulty meeting CAP rules, including the ‘three crop rule’. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has recently updated its GOV.UK online guidance on flooding and wet weather so that farmers are clear on the rules and possible alternative options that will allow them to remain compliant – including alternatives to the three crop rule. This was put together in direct response to customers’ and stakeholders’ questions and concerns.</p><p> </p><p>If they are in doubt, farmers should contact the RPA to discuss possible mitigation measures where farmers are unsure of the impact that flooding will have on their ability to comply with greening, or other CAP rules, including whether they should apply for <em>force majeure</em>.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>We will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with stakeholders, including farmers, where cases of <em>force majeure</em> are put forward. We are also exploring how best to provide flexibility and support farmers affected by the recent wet weather.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL679 HL680 question first answered 28/01/2020 14:47:19 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4712 label Biography information for Lord Carrington

1169308

registered interest
date	07/01/2020
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of fly-tipping in England; whether it has increased over the last five years; and whether local authorities have sufficient powers to prevent fly-tipping.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>Defra publishes annual fly-tipping statistics for England, with the most recent publication detailing the number of fly-tipping incidents reported by local authorities in 2018/19 published on 7 November 2019. The statistics show that incidents of fly-tipping have shown gradual increases over the last five years, albeit with a decrease reported between 2016/17 and 2017/18. The 2018/19 figures reported an increase of 8% from 2017/18. This most recent increase in recorded incidents does not, however, necessarily mean the number of fly-tipping incidents has increased. Local authorities have reported that as they make it easier for citizens to report fly-tipping, for example through mobile apps, they see an increase in the number of incidents recorded.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities have a range of powers available to tackle fly-tipping. These include the power to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) of up to £400 for fly-tipping offences, including to those caught fly-tipping and householders who pass their waste to a fly-tipper. Local authorities also have enhanced powers to search and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. Powers to issue FPNs provide local authorities with an efficient mechanism to hold fly-tipping perpetrators to account without having to go to court, which can be a time-consuming, resource-intensive and expensive process. Additionally, the ability to issue FPNs can deter potential fly-tippers from fly-tipping in the first place.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities also have the ability to take those accused of fly-tipping to court. If a fly-tipper is convicted, the offence is punishable by up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment if convicted in a Magistrates' Court. The offence can attract an unlimited fine and up to five years imprisonment if convicted in a Crown Court. Defra has already worked with the Sentencing Council to amend sentencing guidance for magistrates to ensure that they are aware of local fixed penalty levels for these offences. The Resources and Waste Strategy published in December 2018 includes a number of commitments to improve this, including working with the Sentencing Council to increase magistrates’ awareness of the prevalence and importance of waste crime, helping local authorities improve the quality of cases, and ensuring the Environmental Offences Definitive guideline is kept up to date and magistrates are effectively trained on it.</p><p> </p><p>Recent figures showed that there were 76,000 fixed penalty notices issued by Local Authorities in 2018/19, up by 11% from 2017/18. Prosecution outcome figures from 2018/19 also showed that the value of total fines increased by 29% to £1,090,000.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 21/01/2020 14:43:09 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1168555

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Game: Birds
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission an independent review into the economic, environmental and wildlife impacts of driven grouse shooting.
tabling member printed	Lord Birt
uin	HL13
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government will consider the findings of the recently released Werritty Review which addresses these issues in Scotland. We will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 07/01/2020 12:36:31 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1168606

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Trees: Urban Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefit of trees in English cities; and what steps they intend to take to prevent any large-scale felling of such trees.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL64
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the value of urban trees in creating healthy communities and liveable places for people and wildlife. In our manifesto we pledged to plant more trees in towns and cities, and will expect all new streets to be lined with trees.</p><p> </p><p>The public care deeply about this issue, and the Environment Bill, which returns to Parliament in January, will include measures to increase the transparency of decisions over street trees. The proposed duty to consult will encourage authorities to consider concerns raised by the public, and have regard to these when making decisions – giving the public a say in the management of these important natural assets.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 07/01/2020 13:53:26 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1168611

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure continued access for British citizens to the EU pet passport scheme after Brexit.
tabling member printed	Baroness Quin
uin	HL69
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets is covered by the EU Pet Travel Scheme which has three categorisations of third country: unlisted, Part 1 listed and Part 2 listed. Third countries can apply to the European Commission to be listed under the EU Pet Travel Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK submitted its application to allow the UK to become a Part 1 listed third country under Annex II of the EU Pet Travel Regulations to the European Commission in January 2019. Should the UK become a Part 1 listed country, there would be little change to the current arrangements, with only minor changes needed for documentation and, in most cases, no change for owners from what they currently need to do in terms of their animal’s health preparation. It is now for the Commission to consider our application for listed status.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 07/01/2020 13:52:59 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	518 label Biography information for Baroness Quin

1168612

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Agriculture
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Agriculture Bill will be introduced to Parliament.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL70
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>A new Agriculture Bill was announced alongside the Queen’s Speech and will be introduced shortly.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 07/01/2020 12:46:16 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1151640

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Rivers: Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to protect the (1) water level, and (2) quality, of chalk streams and rivers.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Caithness
uin	HL277
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2019 answer text <p>The 25 Year Environment Plan and Abstraction Plan set out the Government’s commitment and actions to protect our water environment and the Environment Bill aims to strengthen this.</p><p> </p><p>Abstraction licence changes made by the Environment Agency since 2008 are returning 16 billion litres of water back to chalk streams per year and removed the risk of further 14.9 billion litres being abstracted a year. Further abstraction reductions are planned in the next few years. Additionally, through the Environment Bill the government is taking action to address abstraction that is causing, or is at risk of causing, environmental damage and to remove unused headroom on an abstraction licence where there is no justifiable reason for having it.</p><p> </p><p>A programme of habitat restoration is underway in England, including 11 chalk river Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Since 2011 over 70 kilometres of the chalk stream priority habitat has been improved through 60 projects costing £4.3 million including £1.6m partner contributions.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2006, Catchment Sensitive Farming has provided grants and advice to help reduce pollution from farms within 68 priority catchments, including chalk streams.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/11/2019 17:46:44 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3310 label Biography information for The Earl of Caithness

1151641

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Chilterns: High Speed 2 Line
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in order to secure the (1) water level, and (2) quality, of chalk streams, what plans they have to prevent HS2 from using water to tunnel through the Chilterns.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Caithness
uin	HL278
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2019 answer text <p>The Environment Agency is advising HS2 Ltd and their contractors on mitigating the potential impacts of their works on water level and quality of chalk streams. This includes water usage for tunnelling in the Chilterns. The Environment Agency will review any application for increased abstraction in the Colne catchment in line with the current Colne Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on the environment.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/11/2019 17:45:47 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3310 label Biography information for The Earl of Caithness