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1173124

registered interest
date	23/01/2020
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 progress they have made in eliminating Japanese knotweed.
tabling member printed	Baroness Wilcox
uin	HL774
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the threats posed by invasive non-native species including Japanese knotweed and has a comprehensive Great Britain Non-native Species Strategy designed to tackle these threats, the first of its kind in Europe.</p><p> </p><p>Local Action Groups, with support from the Government, are actively involved in reducing and eradicating Japanese knotweed. Increasing public awareness of the species and what can be done about it is an important part of tackling the problems caused by Japanese knotweed. To that aim, we launched the first Invasive Species Week in 2015, to bring together a wide range of organisations to raise awareness of invasive non-native species, to highlight work going on to tackle them and to inspire people to get involved and help prevent their spread. Invasive Species Week has gone from strength to strength, with eight administrations taking part in 2019 and 93 events held.</p><p> </p><p>Defra continues to fund a biocontrol programme through the release of a psyllid insect to tackle Japanese knotweed. The Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) is working to establish the highly specific psyllid <em>Aphalara itadori</em> in the UK and a population of climatically suitable psyllids from Japan is being studied in CABI’s quarantine in Surrey. It is hoped this will be the key to unlocking the potential of this agent to reduce the effort and cost of managing Japanese knotweed and its invasive capacity. Research is also underway to evaluate a leaf-spot fungus for use as a mycoherbicide.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has developed guidance on how to prevent the spread of Japanese knotweed, which can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading</a></p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 28/01/2020 17:15:32 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1727 label Biography information for Baroness Wilcox

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

1175184

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
hansard heading	Agriculture: Subsidies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent any negative effect on the income of cereal and livestock farmers as a result of the wet weather.
tabling member printed	Lord Carrington
uin	HL682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2020 answer text <p>Defra has been working closely with all farming sectors on the impacts of the wet weather experienced over the autumn and winter.</p><p> </p><p>In recognition of the difficulties caused to farmers by flooding, Defra has made a total of £4 million available to eligible farmers through the Farming Recovery Fund. In August Defra announced up to £2 million available for farming businesses in Wainfleet and North Yorkshire that were particularly hard-hit by flooding, and in November 2019, Defra announced that it would extend the scheme to cover those impacted by the November flooding with a further £2 million. Assistance is provided to cover non-insurable items and activities such as re-cultivation, reseeding, reinstating field boundaries and removing debris from agricultural land.</p><p> </p><p>During the current six year capital investment programme (from April 2015 to March 2021) the Government is investing a record £2.6 billion in over 1,000 flood defences schemes which will better protect 300,000 homes and an additional 700,000 acres (285,000 hectares) of agricultural land, helping to avoid more than £1.5 billion worth of direct economic damages to agricultural land.</p><p> </p><p>In terms of the wider impact of the wet weather on farmers, Defra is continuing to observe price movements and other market information. For example, we will give close attention to the results of the Early Bird Survey, which the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is rerunning to take account of the impact of the wet weather on winter cereal plantings.</p><p> </p><p>We appreciate that the effects of the wet weather upon cash flow, yields, and other outcomes may only become apparent in the longer term, and will continue to engage closely with sectors in the coming months as to the negative impact from wet weather and to determine whether any action is needed.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/02/2020 17:40:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4712 label Biography information for Lord Carrington

1171779

registered interest
date	20/01/2020
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, if any, to fund the provision of independent advice for farmers in any new agricultural support schemes.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy. <br></p><p>ELM is looking into several options for sourcing advisors, considering both private and public sector options. The options we are considering allow flexibility to source experienced advisors in the short-term for the National Pilot, whilst building sufficient and high-quality advisor capacity to support the full roll out of ELM. The National Pilot provides an opportunity to co-design with stakeholders and land managers the most appropriate way to provide this capacity and whether it is provided from the public or private sector.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 28/01/2020 14:50:06 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

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