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91009

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
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	Bovine Tuberculosis
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 she has made of the effect of changes to safety requirements for the 2014 badger cull on the safety of that cull.
tabling member constituency	Derby North
tabling member printed	Chris Williamson
uin	208550
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Independent Expert Panel concluded that they were confident that controlled shooting can be carried out safely, even in the context of protester activity. As with the first year of the culls, Best Practice Guidance for the controlled shooting of badgers is in place and compliance with this will be monitored by Natural England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 11/09/2014 10:47:48 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	3976 label Biography information for Chris Williamson

90833

registered interest
date	05/09/2014
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	Written Questions
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 proportion of named day written questions were answered by her Department within the prescribed period in the (a) 2012-13 session, (b) 2013-14 session and (c) 2014-15 session to date.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	208424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Session</p></td><td><p>Percentage of named day written question answered within prescribed period</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-2013</p></td><td><p>56%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-2014</p></td><td><p>64%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-2015 to date</p></td><td><p>95% 1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><p>1. Figures for the 2014-2015 session cover questions for answer during the period 05 June to 05 September 2014, inclusive.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Departmental performance information, for ordinary and named day Parliamentary Questions, is collated by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and submitted to the Procedure Committee. This is published on a sessional basis by the committee, and includes evidence regarding departmental performance. The monitoring report relating to the 2012-13 session was published on 13 February 2014 as HC1046. The report covering statistics relating to performance during the 2013-14 session will be published very shortly by the Procedure Committee.</p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 10/09/2014 10:17:51 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

90834

registered interest
date	05/09/2014
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	Tree Felling
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 the levels of fines and sanctions for the illegal felling of trees were last reviewed and updated; and what steps her Department takes to ensure that fines and sanctions for the illegal felling of trees are kept up-to-date and are effective.
tabling member constituency	Basingstoke
tabling member printed	Maria Miller
uin	208409
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The fines and sanctions for the illegal felling of trees are laid out in the Forestry Act 1967 (as amended). The Criminal Justice Act 1982 made provision to increase the level of fine when it introduced the standard scale of fines for summary offences.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Forestry Act 1967 was also amended by the Regulatory Reform (Forestry) Order 2006. This amendment now enables the Forestry Commissioners the option of serving a Restocking Notice on a person who appears to the Commissioners to have committed an offence of felling without a licence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s regulation of the forestry sector was last reviewed in 2011 by the Forestry Regulations Task Force. The independently appointed Task Force made a comprehensive review of the regulations that protect and affect the management of woodland. The Government’s response to its recommendations can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-by-the-forestry-regulation-task-force-government-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-by-the-forestry-regulation-task-force-government-response</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 10/09/2014 10:34:57 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1480 label Biography information for Dame Maria Miller

90835

registered interest
date	05/09/2014
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	Tree Felling
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 many trees have been illegally felled in England and Wales; how many restocking orders have been issued by the Forestry Commission or other relevant body; how many enforcement notices have subsequently been issued following restocking orders not being completed; and how many prosecutions have been taken forward by the Forestry Commission as a result of illegal felling of trees in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Basingstoke
tabling member printed	Maria Miller
uin	208410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The answer below is for England only. Forestry is a devolved matter and responsibility for and monitoring of illegal felling in Wales rests with the Welsh Assembly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Forestry Commission does not hold records for the number of trees which are illegally felled because it is the volume of licensable timber which is the key consideration in whether any action may be taken. In 2013/14 however, 99.91% of licensable tree felling was carried out with Forestry Commission approval. The other data requested is shown in the table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 10/09/2014 10:33:18 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson attachment 1 file name Enforcement Notices - illegal tree felling 2004-05 to 2013-14.doc title Enforcement Notices - illegal tree felling
tabling member	1480 label Biography information for Dame Maria Miller

90836

registered interest
date	05/09/2014
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	Tree Felling
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 guidance her Department issues on the time required to investigate cases where prosecution is being considered by the Forestry Commission for the illegal felling of trees.
tabling member constituency	Basingstoke
tabling member printed	Maria Miller
uin	208411
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Defra does not issue any such guidance. Strict time limits are specified in the Forestry Act 1967 which states that proceedings for an offence of felling without a licence may be instituted within six months from the first discovery of the offence by the person taking the proceedings, provided that no proceedings shall be instituted more than two years after the date of the offence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 10/09/2014 10:18:43 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1480 label Biography information for Dame Maria Miller

90683

registered interest
date	04/09/2014
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	Domestic Visits
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 18 June 2014, Official Report, columns 626-7W, on official visits, what domestic visits she and her predecessor have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Sheila Gilmore
uin	208297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Information on Ministers’ meetings with external organisations is published quarterly on the Gov.uk site. This reflects the Government’s commitment to transparency. However, we cannot identify without incurring disproportionate cost every visit over the period for all Ministers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Relevant transparency reports can be found as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>1 January to 31 March 2013: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/212312/defra-min-transparency-1213-q4.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/212312/defra-min-transparency-1213-q4.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There has been a delay in publishing transparency data for 1 January to 31 March 2014. We expect it to be available shortly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>1 April to 30 June 2013:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246396/Ministerial_expenses_-_1_April_to_30_June_2013.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246396/Ministerial_expenses_-_1_April_to_30_June_2013.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>1 July to 30 September 2013:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265462/Ministers_Quarterly_return_July_to_September_2013.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265462/Ministers_Quarterly_return_July_to_September_2013.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>1 October to 31 December 2013:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/320333/Ministerial_Quarterly_Transparency_information_-_October_to_December_2013.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/320333/Ministerial_Quarterly_Transparency_information_-_October_to_December_2013.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 09/09/2014 10:06:40 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	3965 label Biography information for Sheila Gilmore

90689

registered interest
date	04/09/2014
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	Food: 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, pursuant to her written statement of 4 September 2014, on the Elliott Review, what extra resources (a) her Department and (b) the Government will provide to the Food Standards Agency for the establishment and operation of the Food Crime Unit in financial year (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	208361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Professor Elliott estimates that the Food Crime Unit will cost between £2-4 million per year. The costs of a unit this size will be met within the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) existing budgets, however it is too early to predict exact figures.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No other budgets within the FSA will be cut and their core remit will remain food safety and consumer protection. Instead the FSA has used a recent restructuring exercise to bring together skills in intelligence and investigation and redirect them to resource the new Unit. The FSA is also bolstering its analytical and intelligence capability through recruitment and secondments from other agencies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The FSA has committed to review likely future needs after two years. At this point there will also be further consideration of budgetary implications.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 09/09/2014 16:26:59 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

90692

registered interest
date	04/09/2014
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	Apprentices
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 discussions she and Ministers in her Department have had with Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the proposed reform of apprenticeships; what effect those discussions will have on her Department's projects and the work of their supply chain; and whether officials in her Department sit on programme boards managing the reform.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	208210
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Defra and BIS have regular discussions on a range of skills development issues, including reform of apprenticeships, to ensure that different departmental programmes are complementary and can effectively support growth. The Apprenticeship Trailblazers have had a strong focus on the food industry, with schemes supporting food engineering and butchery skills. I fully support the skills and apprenticeship agenda and regularly discuss this with stakeholders in the food and farming sectors.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 10/09/2014 14:11:08 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

90693

registered interest
date	04/09/2014
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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Northern Ireland
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 exchange scientific research with the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland on tackling bovine tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Down
tabling member printed	Lady Hermon
uin	208227
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Defra actively shares scientific information on bovine TB with the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland (DARDNI). Although Defra’s TB research budget does not cover Northern Ireland, DARDNI staff members regularly attend meetings of Defra’s TB Science Advisory Body sub-groups and Defra shares findings from its research with DARDNI including research on improving diagnostic tests for TB in badgers. The Chief Veterinary Officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and senior policy officials, also meet monthly to discuss all issues related to bovine tuberculosis, including research findings.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 10/09/2014 10:15:56 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1437 label Biography information for Lady Hermon

90694

registered interest
date	04/09/2014
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	Cetaceans: Faroe Islands
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 her Department has had with the government of Denmark about hunting cetaceans in the Faroe Islands.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	208168
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The UK continues to raise its opposition to the Faroese cetacean hunts at every appropriate opportunity.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Most recently, in May 2014, the UK Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) wrote to the Danish and Faroese governments to reiterate our concerns over the welfare and sustainability of their hunts. Prior to this, the UK Ambassador to Denmark visited the Faroe Islands in April 2014 and raised the issue in a meeting with the Prime Minister and officials from their Fisheries Ministry.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 09/09/2014 12:57:18 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy