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1658882

registered interest
date	06/09/2023
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	Lighting: Pollution
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the results of Star Count 2023 project published by CPRE, the countryside charity.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL9948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2023 answer text <p>The Government has not made a formal assessment of the results of CPRE’s Star Count 2023. We recognise that light pollution may have an impact on people and the environment and have put in place a range of measures to ensure that artificial light is managed effectively. These include controls in the planning system, the statutory nuisance regime, and improvements in street lighting.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 15/09/2023 12:15:01 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1655044

registered interest
date	24/07/2023
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	Livestock Worrying
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to take forward in the current parliamentary session the provisions of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill on livestock worrying.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL9637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2023 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. We will be taking forward measures from the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill individually through other means during the remainder of this Parliament.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 27/07/2023 10:47:35 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1653273

registered interest
date	14/07/2023
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	Farms: Renewable Energy
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what incentive schemes exist to promote the uptake of renewables among British farmers.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL9373
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2023 answer text <p>Food production is the primary purpose of farming and we are backing British farmersdelivering long-term energy security with more renewables.</p><p><br> At the No 10 Farm to Fork Summit, the Government committed to expand this year’s grant offer for farmers to fund investments in barn-top solar. This will first be available for cattle farmers wishing to install solar alongside wider upgrades to their calf housing as part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.</p><p><br> Government have also announced the Farming Investment Fund, which supports farmers investing in technologies with improved energy-use efficiency and use of renewable energy, and have provided funding for the Farming Innovation Programme which offers support to industry-driven research into innovative technologies. Government is also exploring renewable energy sources such as capturing methane on farms for use as biogas and green fuels for farm machinery, supporting further research into innovative new technologies.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 24/07/2023 15:17:00 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1653274

registered interest
date	14/07/2023
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	Farms: Carbon Capture and Storage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what support exists for farmers who are not claimants of the Basic Payment Scheme and who want to plant hedges and trees for the purpose of carbon sequestration.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL9374
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2023 answer text <p>There are several options available for farmers who are not claimants of the Basic Payment Scheme. Under the Countryside Stewardship (CS) Scheme, we pay for the management of hedgerows by rotational cutting and leaving some hedgerows uncut (BE3) and capital grants to plant and restore hedgerows. This includes hedgerow laying, hedgerow cropping and hedgerow gapping up.</p><p> </p><p>We pay for actions to create woodland under CS and the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO). This includes capital grants which are required to create woodland, such as planting trees and allowing natural colonisation of trees. Producing woodland creation plans ensure all proposals for new woodland consider any impacts on existing biodiversity, landscape character, water, soil and the historic environment, and that local stakeholders have been consulted. Maintenance payments are also essential to support the establishment of young trees.</p><p> </p><p>Woodland creation maintenance payments currently exist across multiple schemes including CS, EWCO and the Tree Health Pilot. We plan to bring these together into a single offer when EWCO transitions into the Environmental Land Management schemes. For Woodland management, under CS, we pay for producing a woodland management plan, woodland improvement and restoring plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites.</p><p> </p><p>Farmers and land managers can also apply to get money for projects that support carbon sequestration via our Landscape Recovery Scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 24/07/2023 10:49:59 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1650589

registered interest
date	05/07/2023
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	Livestock Worrying
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 13 June (HL8317), how many (1) arrests, and (2) prosecutions, were made in connection to livestock worrying in the last four years.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL9080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2023 answer text <p>Defra does not hold this information. Data on arrests and prosecutions may be held by individual police forces or by the courts.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 11/07/2023 11:27:45 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1643215

registered interest
date	08/06/2023
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	Horticulture: Peat
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what exemptions will there be to the general ban on the sale of peat and peat-containing products in the retail horticultural sector from 2024.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL8365
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2023 answer text <p>In August last year Ministers announced that the Government in England would be banning the sale of peat for use in the amateur gardening sector by 2024. We intend to provide various exemptions for professional growers up to 2030, including those for mushroom growing and plug plants. Discussions with stakeholders on the detail of these exemptions are ongoing. The legislation implementing our proposals will be introduced when Parliamentary time allows.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 16/06/2023 11:31:07 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1642831

registered interest
date	07/06/2023
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	Livestock Worrying
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support farmers who suffer from livestock worrying.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL8317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2023 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. Section 3 of the Animals Act 1971 provides that anyone who is the keeper of a dog which causes damage by killing or injuring livestock will be liable for that damage. Furthermore, farmers can obtain and claim on their insurance in relation to losses incurred as a result of livestock worrying incidents. As highlighted in our 2021 Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we look forward to progressing the delivery of additional measures to tackle livestock worrying soon.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 13/06/2023 10:12:16 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1640684

registered interest
date	25/05/2023
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: EU Law
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what are their current plans for exercising powers to be granted to them under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Repeal) Bill in relation to the Habitats Directive.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL8165
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/05/2023 answer text <p>Defra has been clear in its commitments to uphold and not weaken environmental protections. That is why our approach has always been to keep REUL, unless there is a good reason to either remove it from the statute book or reform it. That approach is now also reflected in the legislation, as the recently tabled Government amendment will mean that REUL is retained unless it is specifically cited in the revocation schedule. The Habitats Regulations are not on the schedule and therefore will not be revoked by the Bill. Defra is carefully considering the use of REUL Bill powers in the context of the Habitats Regulations.</p><p>We remain committed to our ambitious plans of the Net Zero Strategy and the Environment Improvement Plan 2023. We are clear that any REUL reform must be consistent with international obligations, including the various Multilateral Environment Agreements we are signatory to, such as the Bern Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 31/05/2023 12:53:06 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1612615

registered interest
date	19/04/2023
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	Slurry Infrastructure Grant
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid to farmers through the Slurry Infrastructure grant in 2022.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL7299
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2023 answer text <p>To date no payments are due under the Slurry Infrastructure Grant. The Rural Payments Agency has been assessing approximately 1,300 expressions of interest and will be inviting those applicants in the highest priority areas to submit a full application by the deadline of 24 June 2024. Once work has been completed claims will be submitted and payments issued.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 25/04/2023 12:07:09 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1609430

registered interest
date	30/03/2023
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	Phytophthora Ramorum: Disease Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 21 March (HL6420), what steps they are taking to provide financial (1) assistance, or (2) compensation, to those carrying out Statutory Plant Health Notices.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL7084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/04/2023 answer text <p>Statutory Plant Health Notices (SPHNs), requiring the felling and/or destruction of infected trees or the containment of susceptible material, are issued to prevent the spread of tree pests and diseases.</p><p> </p><p>It has been the policy of successive governments not to pay compensation for plant health measures, as we believe that resources should be directed at the detection of pests and diseases, risk management and research. Protecting plant health is not an issue for the Government alone. The current arrangements ensure that everyone shares a common understanding of biosecurity and their role and responsibilities.</p><p><strong><br> </strong>Individual landowners are responsible for the care and management of trees on their land; however, Government advice and financial support is available. Detailed case-specific advice is available from Forestry Commission Woodland Officers, who can support landowners with undertaking SPHN actions, and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme provides financial support for those affected by certain tree diseases. This includes support for the removal of <em>Phytophthora ramorum</em> infected trees and rhododendron, and grants for restocking following clearance because of this and other diseases (e.g. ash dieback and sweet chestnut blight).</p><p> </p><p>In 2021, we launched a series of pilot grant schemes for land managers, which test and refine different ways to slow the spread of tree pests and diseases and build the resilience of our treescape in the North West, the South East (including London) and the West Midlands. The Forestry Commission will support the felling and restocking of trees as well as providing maintenance payments for restock sites. Land managers are eligible if they have:</p><ul><li>Ash with ash dieback</li><li>Larch with <em>Phytophthora ramorum</em></li><li>Spruce growing in the high-risk spruce bark beetle area</li><li>Sweet chestnut with either Sweet Chestnut Blight or <em>Phytophthora ramorum</em></li><li>Oak infested with Oak Processionary Moth</li></ul><p> </p><p>In 2023 we introduced the tree health advice package for all SPHN holders[1], which aims to build land managers knowledge and awareness of tree health issues and woodland management, through providing funding for forestry/land agent advice and consultation to assist in creating a biosecurity management plan, and funding for biosecurity training and a personal biosecurity kit.</p><p> </p><p>[1] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tree-health-pilot-scheme-2023/statutory-plant-health-notice-sphn-advice-package" target="_blank">Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) advice package - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 13/04/2023 15:16:25 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans