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1644601

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Food: Prices
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 had recent discussions with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential merits of making additional funding available to low-income households to help cover increases in the cost of food.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	189548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.</p><p> </p><p>We understand concerns about food inflation, and its impact on the costs of living. That’s why tackling inflation is this government’s number one priority, with a plan to more than halve inflation this year, and we’re monitoring all key agricultural commodities so that we can work with the food industry to address the challenges they face.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the pressures people are facing and has acted, providing total support of over £94bn over 2022/23 and 2023/24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of living. In April 2023 we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1 per cent, as well as increasing benefit cap levels by the same amount.</p><p> </p><p>Through regular engagement, Defra will continue to work with food retailers and producers to explore the range of measures they can take to ensure the availability of affordable food. For example, by maintaining value ranges, price matching and price freezing measures.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 19/06/2023 15:01:33 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1644661

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Zoos: Nature 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, whether her Department is taking steps to help promote wildlife species native to (a) Australia, (b) New Zealand and (c) Canada in British zoos.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	189515
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 requires zoos provide information to the public about the species of wild animals kept in the zoo and their natural habitats. It is a matter for each zoo to decide what species of wild animal they wish to keep.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 19/06/2023 13:34:51 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1644669

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Genetically Modified Organisms
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 pollen or seeds from trials of genetically modified crops from spreading to the surrounding environment.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	189637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>Under existing regulations, consent for release of GM crops for non-marketing purposes requires the applicant to submit a dossier of information.</p><p> </p><p>This is scientifically assessed for risk to the environment by our independent scientific expert panel, ACRE (the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment). Their expert advice informs the Secretary of State’s decision to grant consent for release of the GM crop for trial. Consent is only granted if measures are in place to ensure the risk of either pollen or seeds from GM plants entering the environment is negligible.</p><p> </p><p>After consent is given, the GM Inspectorate undertakes the inspection and auditing to ensure that the consent conditions specific for each trial are adhered to.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 19/06/2023 15:15:16 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1644733

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Food 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 she is taking to improve food security in the UK.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	189503
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain, as demonstrated throughout the Covid-19 response. It is well equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption.</p><p> </p><p>Our high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. We produce 61% of all the food we need, and 74% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year, and these figures have changed little over the last 20 years.</p><p> </p><p>UK consumers have access through international trade to food products that cannot be produced here, or at least not on a year-round basis. This supplements domestic production, and also ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has well established ways of working with the industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.</p><p> </p><p>Recognising the importance of food security, in the Agriculture Act 2020, the Government made a commitment to produce an assessment of our food security at least once every three years. The first UK Food Security Report was published in December 2021. The next Food Security Report will be published by the end of 2024.</p><p> </p><p>The Farm to Fork Summit also took place on 16 May 2023. Discussions focused on bringing great British food to the world; building resilience and transparency; strengthening sustainability and productivity across the supply chain; and growing an innovative, skilled food and farming sector. Engagement with the entire supply chain will continue as we deliver the commitments from the summit.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 19/06/2023 15:16:38 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1644756

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Air Pollution: Greater London
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 held discussions with the Mayor of London on the potential impact of air pollution levels on the environment.
tabling member constituency	Solihull
tabling member printed	Julian Knight
uin	189580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>Local Air Quality Management in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. The current SoS has not held any meetings with the London Mayor on this subject.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/06/2023 13:27:51 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1644770

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
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 6 June 2023 to Question 187162 on the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, what his expected timescale is for bringing forward the provisions of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
tabling member constituency	Dartford
tabling member printed	Gareth Johnson
uin	189590
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>We will be taking forward measures in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill individually through other means during the remainder of this Parliament. Parliamentary business will be announced in the usual way.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 19/06/2023 14:53:04 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	3970 label Biography information for Gareth Johnson

1644783

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Forests: Commodities
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 her Department plans to bring forward secondary legislation on due diligence provisions for forest-risk commodities.
tabling member constituency	Southport
tabling member printed	Damien Moore
uin	189700
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>We ran a consultation from 3 December 2021 to 11 March 2022 to seek views on the details of regulations that will implement the Environment Act provisions, to ensure that these are designed effectively. The Government published a summary of responses to this consultation on 1 June 2022 and is committed to implementing due diligence provisions at the earliest opportunity through secondary legislation.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 19/06/2023 11:28:48 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

1644844

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Nature Conservation: Crime
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 (a) estimate the economic cost of wildlife crime, (b) record wildlife crime and (c) measure trends in wildlife crime; and whether she has taken steps to address the recommendations in the UN Office on Drugs and Crime report entitled Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit Report: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 6 August 2021.
tabling member constituency	Ynys Môn
tabling member printed	Virginia Crosbie
uin	189734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government does not hold a figure for the economic cost of wildlife crime in this country but in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 2016 report: <em>The rise of environmental crime: A growing threat to natural resources peace, development and security</em>, estimates are made that, globally, poaching and illegal wildlife trade is worth up to £17 billion a year; and natural resources worth as much as USD $91 billion to $258 billion annually are being stolen by criminals, depriving countries of future revenues and development opportunities. This includes illegal logging and fishing.</p><p> </p><p>In terms of recording wildlife crime and measuring trends in wildlife crime, at a UK level the Office for National Statistics publishes police-recorded crime statistics, including statistics on wildlife crimes, where available. However, most wildlife crimes are not categorised as notifiable so there is no obligation for UK police forces to report on them. This makes it more challenging to measure trends in wildlife crime and gauge its true extent. Any decision to make offences notifiable sits with the National Crime Registrar at the Home Office. The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), funded partly by Defra and the Home Office, gathers intelligence from a number of organisations in addition to police forces and Border Force. This intelligence informs a Strategic Assessment of wildlife crime in the UK, which is produced every two years and contributes to the setting of the UK’s wildlife crime priorities.</p><p> </p><p>With regard to the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report (published on 21 December 2021), the Government welcomed this piece of work and the fact it recognised the UK's global leadership in fighting wildlife and forestry crime. We invited the UN to undertake this analysis and we are proud to be the first G7 country to request this assessment. We have carefully considered all the recommendations of the report and they are informing our work to help us build on the positive progress we have already made in tackling wildlife crime. This will include strategic engagement with our partners that have responsibilities where individual recommendations are concerned such as the devolved administrations, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the NWCU. Progress has already been made in response to the report. For example, in 2022 Defra more than doubled its funding of the NWCU from a total of £495,000 over the three previous years to £1.2 million for the three-year period of 2022-25. Additionally, Border Force has increased numbers in its team specialising in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Defra is not under any obligation to formally respond to the UNODC's assessment and has no plans to do so, but we will identify where we can act, including with stakeholders, to strengthen the UK's approach to tackling wildlife and forestry crime.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 19/06/2023 09:51:35 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4859 label Biography information for Virginia Crosbie

1644850

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
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	Sheep: Animal Breeding
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 assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of supplies of the Cevac Chlamydia vaccine.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	189725
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The production of veterinary medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. Manufacturers can experience difficulties from time-to-time for various reasons, from malfunctioning equipment on the production line, to packaging materials that fail to meet the required specification. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) liaises closely with pharmaceutical companies and distributors of medicines to detect potential problems at the earliest point possible in order to support the continued availability of veterinary medicines where possible.</p><p> </p><p>In regards to availability of Cevac Chlamydia vaccine, the VMD understand there to be sufficient supply to meet the current national demand, and are in close liaison with the Marketing Authorisation Holder should this status change. As always, to avoid placing undue pressure on supply chains, we encourage veterinary surgeons to continue with normal ordering patterns and to maintain appropriate and proportionate stocks of veterinary medicines.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 19/06/2023 15:21:03 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake

1644026

registered interest
date	13/06/2023
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	Rivers: 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 recent discussions has he had with water companies on tackling river pollution.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	189190
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State frequently meets representatives from water companies and the wider water industry to discuss environmental performance.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/06/2023 11:24:28 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon