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99726

registered interest
date	17/10/2014
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 steps the Government is taking to prevent plastic contaminants in UK river basins from reaching the sea.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	211006
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government focuses on preventing litter from entering rivers and the sea by reducing it at source.</p><p>Through the waste hierarchy, we seek to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place and to encourage greater reuse and recycling of goods and materials. The Waste Prevention Programme for England, published in December last year, sets out actions for government, businesses, the wider public sector, civil society and consumers to prevent waste.</p><p>Where litter is found on waterside land, the responsibility for rectifying it depends on the ownership and management arrangements. The responsibility for removing litter may fall on local authorities, appropriate Crown authorities, designated statutory undertakers and the governing bodies of educational institutions. All of these bodies have a statutory duty to keep specified land clear of litter and refuse. The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse recommends that canals and waterside areas should be subject to regular and systematic management and monitoring of litter and refuse.</p><p>Investment by the water companies to improve sewerage infrastructure has resulted in a significant reduction in sewage-related litter entering rivers and the sea through screening of discharges and improvements to sewage treatment.</p><p>We welcome work such as that done by Keep Britain Tidy and Anglian Water through their RiverCare programme to engage local communities in clearing litter, removing non-native species, surveying and monitoring flora and fauna and carrying out habitat management and restoration in their local rivers.</p><p>Defra will shortly be consulting on a programme of measures, including for marine litter, as part of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The UK is contributing to the OSPAR convention’s regional action plan on marine litter in the north-east Atlantic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra has not undertaken any recent studies into the effect of plastic and litter contamination on rivers; however, Defra is funding a study into the possible effects of microplastics in the marine environment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson grouped question UIN 211007 211008 question first answered 22/10/2014 16:59:03 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

99727

registered interest
date	17/10/2014
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: 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 (a) prevent and (b) rectify plastic and litter contamination of (i) UK river basins and (ii) the sea.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	211007
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government focuses on preventing litter from entering rivers and the sea by reducing it at source.</p><p>Through the waste hierarchy, we seek to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place and to encourage greater reuse and recycling of goods and materials. The Waste Prevention Programme for England, published in December last year, sets out actions for government, businesses, the wider public sector, civil society and consumers to prevent waste.</p><p>Where litter is found on waterside land, the responsibility for rectifying it depends on the ownership and management arrangements. The responsibility for removing litter may fall on local authorities, appropriate Crown authorities, designated statutory undertakers and the governing bodies of educational institutions. All of these bodies have a statutory duty to keep specified land clear of litter and refuse. The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse recommends that canals and waterside areas should be subject to regular and systematic management and monitoring of litter and refuse.</p><p>Investment by the water companies to improve sewerage infrastructure has resulted in a significant reduction in sewage-related litter entering rivers and the sea through screening of discharges and improvements to sewage treatment.</p><p>We welcome work such as that done by Keep Britain Tidy and Anglian Water through their RiverCare programme to engage local communities in clearing litter, removing non-native species, surveying and monitoring flora and fauna and carrying out habitat management and restoration in their local rivers.</p><p>Defra will shortly be consulting on a programme of measures, including for marine litter, as part of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The UK is contributing to the OSPAR convention’s regional action plan on marine litter in the north-east Atlantic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra has not undertaken any recent studies into the effect of plastic and litter contamination on rivers; however, Defra is funding a study into the possible effects of microplastics in the marine environment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson grouped question UIN 211006 211008 question first answered 22/10/2014 16:59:03 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

99728

registered interest
date	17/10/2014
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 steps her Department has taken to study the effect of plastic and litter contamination of UK river basins on local biodiversity.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	211008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government focuses on preventing litter from entering rivers and the sea by reducing it at source.</p><p>Through the waste hierarchy, we seek to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place and to encourage greater reuse and recycling of goods and materials. The Waste Prevention Programme for England, published in December last year, sets out actions for government, businesses, the wider public sector, civil society and consumers to prevent waste.</p><p>Where litter is found on waterside land, the responsibility for rectifying it depends on the ownership and management arrangements. The responsibility for removing litter may fall on local authorities, appropriate Crown authorities, designated statutory undertakers and the governing bodies of educational institutions. All of these bodies have a statutory duty to keep specified land clear of litter and refuse. The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse recommends that canals and waterside areas should be subject to regular and systematic management and monitoring of litter and refuse.</p><p>Investment by the water companies to improve sewerage infrastructure has resulted in a significant reduction in sewage-related litter entering rivers and the sea through screening of discharges and improvements to sewage treatment.</p><p>We welcome work such as that done by Keep Britain Tidy and Anglian Water through their RiverCare programme to engage local communities in clearing litter, removing non-native species, surveying and monitoring flora and fauna and carrying out habitat management and restoration in their local rivers.</p><p>Defra will shortly be consulting on a programme of measures, including for marine litter, as part of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The UK is contributing to the OSPAR convention’s regional action plan on marine litter in the north-east Atlantic.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra has not undertaken any recent studies into the effect of plastic and litter contamination on rivers; however, Defra is funding a study into the possible effects of microplastics in the marine environment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson grouped question UIN 211006 211007 question first answered 22/10/2014 16:59:03 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93510

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Sierra Leone
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has planned for incidents of Ebola infection amongst the 750 troops to be deployed in Sierra Leone.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence has a robust plan to be enacted in the unlikely event that any of our troops contract Ebola.</p> answering member constituency Rayleigh and Wickford answering member printed Mr Mark Francois question first answered 23/10/2014 15:37:20 answering member 1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois previous answer version 23148 answering member constituency Rayleigh and Wickford answering member printed Mr Mark Francois answering member 1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93511

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Sierra Leone
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that the 750 troops to be deployed to Sierra Leone have adequate training to minimise the risk of exposure to Ebola.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>All Armed Forces personnel deploying under Op GRITROCK are required to undertake specific training before deploying to Sierra Leone, to mitigate the risk that Ebola represents.</p> answering member constituency Rayleigh and Wickford answering member printed Mr Mark Francois question first answered 22/10/2014 16:24:11 answering member 1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois previous answer version 23149 answering member constituency Rayleigh and Wickford answering member printed Mr Mark Francois answering member 1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93567

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Ebola
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many quarantined hospital beds the UK has capacity to provide for Ebola treatment.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210739
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The Secretary of State laid out what hospital facilities were available for the treatment of Ebola patients during his statement to the House on 13 October 2014, Official Report, columns 28 to 46.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The National Health Service has a network of clinicians and infectious diseases units that work in a collaborative manner to manage patients with infectious diseases. In rare and complex infections, treatment is likely to include the use of isolation facilities with appropriate air handling and air filtration systems (for the protection of staff and public as per the Health and Safety Executive Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens guidelines). The use of beds is managed through the network and escalated as necessary based on the needs of the presenting patient. This network of units will continue to work together with NHS England to manage the current threat of Ebola as they would with any new or emerging infectious disease.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 20/10/2014 16:18:04 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93626

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	West Africa
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what contingency plans her Department has made for a British national contracting Ebola when carrying out humanitarian work in West Africa.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK is building a 12 bed facility in Sierra Leone to treat health workers, including British nationals, who contract Ebola, providing a UK comparable level of Ebola care. In line with medical advice, we will also provide medical evacuation for all British nationals in the countries affected should they become infected with Ebola.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Putney answering member printed Justine Greening question first answered 20/10/2014 16:15:53 answering member 1555 label Biography information for Justine Greening
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93188

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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 her policy is on reduction of the virtual footprint of UK water usage.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210586
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government recognises we must ensure a sustainable and secure water supply for the future. Defra encourages businesses to become more water efficient by, for example, incentivising the purchase of water efficient technology and providing business tools to manage their water use so as to save water and money.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), Defra supports sector-led action to understand and reduce the environmental impacts of products sold in the UK. In some cases, this includes looking at their water footprint. For example, signatories of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan have committed to a 15% reduction in water use per tonne of clothing by 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of its wider work to ensure the UK has a secure, environmentally sustainable and affordable supply of food, the UK government is encouraging the UK food and drink industry to use resources more sustainably. Lead trade associations and major businesses have developed sustainability strategies, which include targets to measure and reduce water use. For example, the Federation House Commitment aims to help reduce overall water usage across the food and drink sector by 20% by 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are also looking to improve water efficiency internationally through ongoing negotiations on the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 17/10/2014 13:55:27 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93191

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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 steps her Department has taken to reduce carbon dioxide release from agricultural practices while maintaining and increasing crop yields.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210588
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2014 answer text <p>Carbon dioxide emissions make up 7% of total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions based on the UK National Inventory of Greenhouse Gases. Government and industry efforts have therefore been focused to date on the challenge of supporting crop yields while reducing nitrous oxide (53%) and methane (39%) emissions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra research indicates that the major sources of carbon dioxide emissions on farm are field operations, heating of greenhouses and livestock buildings, and grain drying.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Since 2010 Defra has actively engaged with industry to develop a greenhouse gas (GHG) Action Plan which they are now taking forward. The action plan includes implementation of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy generation on farms. The major cost effective energy related emissions savings are supported by DECC’s wider energy efficiency initiatives such as the Renewable Heat Incentive.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 17/10/2014 14:00:52 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

93192

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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: Imports
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 it her policy to reduce the import of any hardwood timber from tropical forests.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	210589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2014 answer text <p>The import of hardwood timber from tropical forests is governed by a robust regulatory framework.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The EU Timber Regulation prevents the import of illegally-harvested timber into the EU by laying down obligations on operators who place timber and timber products on the market and those who subsequently trade in them. It was implemented in the UK by the Timber and Timber Products (Placing on the Market) Regulations in March 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK supports the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) process between the EU and timber producing countries, many of which contain tropical forests, under the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan. The VPA process helps timber producing countries to stop illegal logging by driving improvements in the regulation and governance of the forest sector. Once in operation, VPAs will ensure that timber and timber products exported to the EU come from legal sources.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition, the import of a number of endangered hardwood species into the UK is controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) licensing system. The system aims to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of endangered species and is implemented in the EU by the Wildlife Trade Regulations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 17/10/2014 13:56:53 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham