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1491319

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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 assessment he has made for the implications of his policy on food security of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report entitled Labour shortages in the food and farming sector, published 29 March 2022.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	42187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Enabling an innovative, productive and competitive food supply chain which invests in its people and the skills they need is a priority for this Government</p><p> </p><p>The Government thanks the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee for its report into labour shortages in the food and farming sector. We are aware that there are both short and long-term workforce challenges across the food and farming sector, particularly with respect to seasonal labour. It is with great concern that we have seen evidence of horticulture businesses reducing their plantings, ploughing in crops or considering offshoring production because of concerns over labour availability, all of which have food security implications.</p><p> </p><p>Defra continues to work closely with industry and other government departments to understand labour supply and demand and its implications, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce. We extended the Seasonal Worker visa route until 2024 and expanded the number of visas available through this route to 40,000 (now including 2000 visas for poultry workers to meet pre-Christmas demand) as a result of the clear evidence of need this year. Last autumn we delivered emergency, temporary visa schemes for the poultry, pork, and HGV food transportation sectors in response to specific challenges, and introduced an accompanying package of non-immigration measures to alleviate pressures in the pig sector, including Private Storage Aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment Schemes.</p><p> </p><p>As announced in the Government Food Strategy, the Government will soon be commissioning an independent review to tackle labour shortages in the food supply chain, covering automation, domestic labour and migration. The review will consider the challenges facing food and farming businesses to access the labour they require and will provide recommendations.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/09/2022 13:24:13 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1491355

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Sewers
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 progress his Department has made on (a) implementing section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and (b) assessing the potential merits of supplementary regulations to adopt (i) private wastewater pumping stations and (ii) other existing sewerage assets constructed since July 2011.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	41982
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government has reviewed the case for implementing Section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. We will consult in due course on making regulations concerning the adoption of existing private sewerage assets by sewerage companies.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 05/09/2022 16:14:39 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1491394

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Consultants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on external consultants in each of the last five years; and if he will publish a breakdown of (a) the amount paid to each consultancy contracted, (b) the name of each consultancy contracted, (c) the specific matters on which they were consulted and (d) whether each contract was subject to usual Government procurement rules.
tabling member constituency	Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
tabling member printed	Neale Hanvey
uin	42244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The department’s spend on consultancy is published each year in the Annual Report and Accounts.</p><p> </p><p>2020-21</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-to-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-to-2021</a> (page 100)</p><p> </p><p>2019-20</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020</a> (page 87)</p><p> </p><p>2018-19</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2018-to-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2018-to-2019</a> (page 64)</p><p> </p><p>2017-18</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-to-2018</a> (page 51)</p><p> </p><p>2016-17</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017</a> (page 42)</p><p> </p><p>The breakdown of this expenditure could only be provided by incurring disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>Details of all Government contracts awarded from 2016 above £10,000 and £25,000 in the wider public sector are published on <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fcontracts-finder&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cemmy.clarkson%40dhsc.gov.uk%7C332dd3e59a5f4b1b1e5308da6b104a3e%7C61278c3091a84c318c1fef4de8973a1c%7C1%7C0%7C637940014946084226%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=EHT%2Bj9EH86g04c73Xn7YYL0Qyi3Lc4Dm8J%2F8B8YuCNE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Contracts Finder</a>. Each award notice provides information on the name of the supplier, value of the contract, its purpose and information on the type of awarding procedure used. Government departments, their individual agencies and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) are required to publish all spend against individual suppliers above £25,000 on <a href="http://gov.uk/" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a>.</p><p> </p><p>All Government departments and their individual ALBs and agencies are required to follow the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in awarding contracts.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/09/2022 13:03:44 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4782 label Biography information for Neale Hanvey

1491429

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Fluorinated Gases
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 his Department has conducted modelling on the impact of the potential removal of medical exemption to the F gas phase down schedule on the cost of medicines.
tabling member constituency	Makerfield
tabling member printed	Yvonne Fovargue
uin	41998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Defra is reviewing the F-gas Regulation, which includes an exemption from the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown for metered dose inhalers (MDIs). The review will consider the implementation of the current F-gas Regulation and options for future policy development. The implications of removing the exemption for MDIs, including the potential impact of this on cost and supply, will be included in the analysis.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England is in the process of reducing the use of MDIs containing high global warming potential propellants and has produced cost estimates for the switch from MDIs to currently readily available alternatives. These cost estimates will be incorporated in Defra’s work.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is working on this review jointly with the Scottish and Welsh Governments and we plan to consult on proposed future policies next year.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 05/09/2022 07:09:16 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4034 label Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue

1491432

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Fluorinated Gases
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 he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on a timescale for the phasedown of the use of fluorinated gases in asthma inhalers.
tabling member constituency	Makerfield
tabling member printed	Yvonne Fovargue
uin	41999
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Defra has a legal duty to undertake a comprehensive review of the F-gas Regulation. As part of this work, Defra will identify additional action that can be taken with regard to F-gases and their contribution to net zero. At COP26, Defra committed to an accelerated hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. Defra intends to publish an assessment report by the end of 2022 as the first stage of the review. It will focus mainly on analysing the effects of the current Regulation, together with the current state of play in relevant industry sectors and international commitments. The second stage of the review will involve a public consultation on proposals for any legislative changes.</p><p>The F-gas Regulation currently includes an exemption from the HFC phasedown for metered dose inhalers (MDIs). The continuation or removal of the exemption for MDIs will be considered as part of the policy development and analysis into future options, as well as implications of the HFC phasedown on MDIs. To support this work there is ongoing engagement between Defra, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 05/09/2022 07:05:41 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4034 label Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue

1491450

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Agency Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on (a) agency workers and (b) agency retainer fees in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2022.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	41938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>(a) agency workers</p><p>Agency workers (more commonly referred to as “contingent labour” or “temporary workers”) are subject to a Cabinet Office controls framework to ensure robust governance of spending in this area.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contingent-labour-spend-control" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contingent-labour-spend-control</a></p><p> </p><p>Commentary on contingent labour usage, if applicable, is available in departmental annual reports.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-reports-and-accounts-for-central-government-departments" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-reports-and-accounts-for-central-government-departments</a></p><p> </p><p>The Crown Commercial Service provides two frameworks specifically for the supply of Contingent Labour which are used by central government departments. These are:</p><p> </p><p>RM3749 - Public Sector Resourcing.</p><p><a href="https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/rm3749" target="_blank">https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/rm3749</a></p><p> </p><p>This provides a managed service for departmental use including low supplier margins, regular pay rate benchmarking, comprehensive tracking and reporting of contingent labour assignments, full timesheeting and approvals technology and onboarding, contracting and payroll services.</p><p> </p><p>RM6160 - Non Clinical Temporary and Fixed Term Staff</p><p><a href="https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6160" target="_blank">https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6160</a></p><p> </p><p>This provides access to a range of generalist, specialist and niche contingent labour agencies offering a wide range of suppliers, maximum margins, free transfer to permanent after 12 weeks and onboarding, contracting and payroll services.</p><p> </p><p>Use of these frameworks provides robust governance, visibility, value for money and flexibility in meeting departmental contingent labour needs.</p><p> </p><p>(b) agency retainer fees</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have interpreted agency retainer fees as the fees charged at the commencement of the provision of a search recruitment service. This is only applicable when recruiting for a permanent or fixed term post.</p><p> </p><p>Agency retainer fees are not applicable to the contingent labour market.</p><p> </p><p>There is no recorded expenditure on agency retainer fees.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/09/2022 14:49:50 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1491593

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Chemicals: 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, if he will extend the representation of (a) downstream users, (b) FMCGs, and (c) working groups when developing (i) UK REACH, and (ii) UK Chemical classification, labelling and packaging policy.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	42034
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2022 answer text <p>We are developing an Alternative Transitional Registration (ATR) model to address industry concerns about costs of transitioning to UK REACH, while still ensuring high levels of environmental and health protection. Alongside this work, Defra and the Devolved Administrations are beginning a project to consider how best to improve UK REACH and enable it to deliver UK priorities effectively.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the chemicals supply chain as this work develops, for example through a small consultative Oversight Group on the ATR work. We are also engaging more widely with a broad range of stakeholders with relevant experience on a range of technical considerations as we develop the ATR model in more detail. Although it is too early to commit to a new model, any changes to the UK REACH legislation would also require public consultation as part of the legislative process.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive holds the policy lead across government for the GB CLP Regulation and continues regular contact with stakeholders in the UK chemicals industry through GB CLP e-Bulletins as well as close engagement with stakeholders, including trade associations and duty holders, on the process for the GB mandatory classification and labelling of hazardous substances.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double grouped question UIN 42035 42037 question first answered 06/09/2022 10:18:55 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1491594

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Chemicals: 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, what recent discussions his Department has had with downstream users across industries when developing (a) UK REACH, and (b) UK Chemical classification, labelling and packaging policy.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	42035
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2022 answer text <p>We are developing an Alternative Transitional Registration (ATR) model to address industry concerns about costs of transitioning to UK REACH, while still ensuring high levels of environmental and health protection. Alongside this work, Defra and the Devolved Administrations are beginning a project to consider how best to improve UK REACH and enable it to deliver UK priorities effectively.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the chemicals supply chain as this work develops, for example through a small consultative Oversight Group on the ATR work. We are also engaging more widely with a broad range of stakeholders with relevant experience on a range of technical considerations as we develop the ATR model in more detail. Although it is too early to commit to a new model, any changes to the UK REACH legislation would also require public consultation as part of the legislative process.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive holds the policy lead across government for the GB CLP Regulation and continues regular contact with stakeholders in the UK chemicals industry through GB CLP e-Bulletins as well as close engagement with stakeholders, including trade associations and duty holders, on the process for the GB mandatory classification and labelling of hazardous substances.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double grouped question UIN 42034 42037 question first answered 06/09/2022 10:18:55 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1491597

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Chemicals: 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 his Department is taking steps to ensure the UK REACH Regulation does not create (a) bureaucracy and (b) additional costs for UK businesses.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	42037
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2022 answer text <p>We are developing an Alternative Transitional Registration (ATR) model to address industry concerns about costs of transitioning to UK REACH, while still ensuring high levels of environmental and health protection. Alongside this work, Defra and the Devolved Administrations are beginning a project to consider how best to improve UK REACH and enable it to deliver UK priorities effectively.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the chemicals supply chain as this work develops, for example through a small consultative Oversight Group on the ATR work. We are also engaging more widely with a broad range of stakeholders with relevant experience on a range of technical considerations as we develop the ATR model in more detail. Although it is too early to commit to a new model, any changes to the UK REACH legislation would also require public consultation as part of the legislative process.</p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive holds the policy lead across government for the GB CLP Regulation and continues regular contact with stakeholders in the UK chemicals industry through GB CLP e-Bulletins as well as close engagement with stakeholders, including trade associations and duty holders, on the process for the GB mandatory classification and labelling of hazardous substances.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double grouped question UIN 42034 42035 question first answered 06/09/2022 10:18:55 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1491691

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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: Monitoring
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 criteria, checks and procedures his Department used to decide where to site Automatic Urban and Rural Network units.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	42157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2022 answer text <p>Defra adheres to the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010) when deciding where to site Automatic Urban and Rural Network units. This includes detailed provisions on the location and number of sampling points, the measurement methods to be used, the classification of sites, the data quality objectives and the siting criteria each monitoring station must meet. Potential new sites are subject to a detailed technical review process, to ensure that they meet these requirements.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 07/09/2022 13:22:18 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock