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1218584

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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	Northern Ireland Protocol: Customs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what progress has been made in the construction of the inspection facilities at the ports of (a) Warrenpoint, (b) Belfast, and (c) Larne, as part of the post-Brexit custom checks allied to the New Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland; and (2) who will pay for the (a) construction, and (b) operation of those facilities.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL6253
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>Applications were submitted to the European Commission at the end of June for sanitary and phytosanitary inspection facilities at the ports of Belfast, Warrenpoint, Larne and Foyle. These applications were submitted to ensure we meet our agreements under the Northern Ireland Protocol.</p><p> </p><p>DAERA and Defra will continue to work together to develop plans for the construction of these facilities. The facilities will be operated by DAERA in conjunction with local authorities, the Food Standards Agency and the port operators. The Government has agreed in principle to fund the construction costs for these facilities. This funding is limited to costs associated with reaching the required level of compliance to implement the UK’s obligations in relation to the Protocol.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/07/2020 11:38:19 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1218611

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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	Waste Management: Coronavirus
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 he is taking to support (a) Lakeside EfW and high temperature incinerator and (b) other waste industry organisations in providing services to local authorities and NHS trusts during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	65992
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>Government is continuing to work closely with the waste industry, including operators of incineration and EFW plants such as Lakeside, to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the sector and to provide the necessary and appropriate support to ensure the provision of services.</p><p> </p><p>The Chancellor announced unprecedented support for businesses in general, including a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, deferral of VAT payments for firms until the end of June and £330 billion of Government-backed and guaranteed loans including a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>Early in the pandemic, Defra worked with the waste industry to develop an online platform to facilitate the sharing of resources between local authorities and commercial operators. The platform, WasteSupport, was launched on 16 April. In addition, the Environment Agency has been taking a proportionate approach to regulation and published a number of COVID-19 Regulatory Position Statements, to address specific concerns around compliance with permit conditions, for instance on exceeding waste storage limits at permitted sites. These can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/covid-19-regulatory-position-statements" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/covid-19-regulatory-position-statements</a></p><p> </p><p>Throughout the outbreak, we have worked closely with the NHS to monitor the position in relation to clinical waste. We have clear, sensible contingency plans in place and continue to keep the position under review.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has worked with local government, other Government departments and the waste industry to produce and publish guidance to help local authorities manage their waste collection services and household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) during the Covid-19 outbreak. The guidance on reopening HWRCs was developed in conjunction with Public Health England and the Home Office and sets out how to operate HWRCs in a way that protects human health while maintaining safe systems of working. The HWRC guidance is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-to-local-authorities-on-prioritising-waste-collections/managing-household-waste-and-recycling-centres-hwrcs-in-england-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-to-local-authorities-on-prioritising-waste-collections/managing-household-waste-and-recycling-centres-hwrcs-in-england-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic</a></p><p> </p><p>Since publication of our guidance nearly all local authorities are now able to offer a HWRC service and local householders can make trips to these sites as needed. Weekly surveys indicate that, due to the hard work of those in the sector, nearly all English authorities are operating household waste collections as normal, with only a small percentage reporting minor disruption.</p><p> </p><p>The Minister for Regional Growth and I wrote to local authorities on 5 May to thank those working to deliver waste services during the Covid-19 outbreak for the vital role they are playing in protecting the environment, public amenity and people’s health. We wrote a further letter on 28 June asking local authorities to ensure that as much access as possible is provided to HWRC services where this can be done safely.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 07/07/2020 16:50:38 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

1218612

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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: Boats
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 23 June 2020 to Question 59339, whether there is not a statute or other legal restriction which inhibits the common law rights to navigate freely the inland rivers of England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	65901
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>It is not the Government’s role to offer advice on such legal matters, and only the courts can determine whether a public right of navigation exists on a particular stretch of river.</p><p> </p><p>My answer of 23 June 2020, to which the Hon. Member refers, sets out the current position with regards to navigation of inland rivers for recreational purposes where there is no navigation authority.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 07/07/2020 14:07:06 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1218617

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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	Furs: Coronavirus
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 of the potential link between the global fur trade and the spread of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
tabling member printed	Allan Dorans
uin	66198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>We are monitoring the situation carefully and are aware of the recent Covid-19 cases in mink. However, there is currently no evidence suggesting there being a link between the spread of Covid-19 and the global trade in fur. Farming for fur was banned in England and Wales in 2000 and in Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2002, and there are no mink farms in the UK. Therefore the risk to the UK population from these outbreaks in mink is negligible.</p><p> </p><p>Nevertheless, we are keeping a close eye on the findings that mink can effectively maintain the virus which causes Covid-19.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 07/07/2020 13:34:03 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4740 label Biography information for Allan Dorans

1218628

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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	Dangerous Dogs: Police Custody
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 he is taking to ensure that dogs taken into police custody under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are processed and released in a timely manner.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	65953
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>Every effort is made to ensure that cases involving dogs held under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are processed on time. The magistrates’ courts continue to increase their number of hearings and the range of types of cases heard has also increased with the reintroduction of first hearing guilty and anticipated not guilty plea cases commencing. Trials, in small numbers, also continue to be listed. Dogs seized by police in England under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are held in confidence in kennels licensed under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. Such kennels must meet statutory minimum animal welfare conditions, including that dogs are kept safely and receive appropriate levels of exercise. The 2018 Regulations are enforced by local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 65954 question first answered 07/07/2020 16:45:35 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1218632

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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	Dangerous Dogs: Police Custody
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 his Department is taking to ensure that dogs kept in police custody under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are (a) stored in safe conditions and (b) taken for regular exercise.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	65954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>Every effort is made to ensure that cases involving dogs held under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are processed on time. The magistrates’ courts continue to increase their number of hearings and the range of types of cases heard has also increased with the reintroduction of first hearing guilty and anticipated not guilty plea cases commencing. Trials, in small numbers, also continue to be listed. Dogs seized by police in England under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are held in confidence in kennels licensed under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. Such kennels must meet statutory minimum animal welfare conditions, including that dogs are kept safely and receive appropriate levels of exercise. The 2018 Regulations are enforced by local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 65953 question first answered 07/07/2020 16:45:35 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1218690

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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	Wool: Coronavirus
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 his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on sales of wool.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	66178
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>Defra does not regularly collect or monitor information on sales of wool. The British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) is a public, non-financial corporation, that collects, grades, monitors, markets and sells British wool on behalf of its producers to the international wool textile industry for use in flooring, furnishings and apparel.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 07/07/2020 16:48:02 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake

1218705

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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: Microplastics
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 of current levels of micro plastics in food destined for human consumption; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Yorkshire
tabling member printed	Sir Greg Knight
uin	65942
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2020 answer text <p>Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. The UK is a world leader in tackling plastic pollution, including microplastics.</p><p> </p><p>The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been monitoring the scientific literature concerning the occurrence and effects of microplastics in food. On the basis of current evidence, the FSA considers it is unlikely that the presence of microplastics particles that have been reported to occur in certain types of food, especially seafood, would cause harm to consumers.</p><p> </p><p>The FSA will continue to monitor and assess emerging information concerning microplastics in food including further consideration of this issue by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) later this year.</p><p> </p><p>Despite research findings that show the presence of low levels of microplastics in a few types of food or drink, microplastics analysis is very challenging and there are still no practical fully validated methods that would allow reliable routine analysis for microplastics in food and therefore to assess trends.</p><p> </p><p>Our priority is preventing plastic from entering the environment in the first place. The Government’s landmark Resources and Waste Strategy sets out our plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 65943 question first answered 02/07/2020 14:57:47 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1200 label Biography information for Sir Greg Knight

1218706

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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: Microplastics
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 (a) undertake research into current micro plastic levels in food destined for human consumption and (b) make an assessment of the trend in those levels; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Yorkshire
tabling member printed	Sir Greg Knight
uin	65943
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2020 answer text <p>Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. The UK is a world leader in tackling plastic pollution, including microplastics.</p><p> </p><p>The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been monitoring the scientific literature concerning the occurrence and effects of microplastics in food. On the basis of current evidence, the FSA considers it is unlikely that the presence of microplastics particles that have been reported to occur in certain types of food, especially seafood, would cause harm to consumers.</p><p> </p><p>The FSA will continue to monitor and assess emerging information concerning microplastics in food including further consideration of this issue by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) later this year.</p><p> </p><p>Despite research findings that show the presence of low levels of microplastics in a few types of food or drink, microplastics analysis is very challenging and there are still no practical fully validated methods that would allow reliable routine analysis for microplastics in food and therefore to assess trends.</p><p> </p><p>Our priority is preventing plastic from entering the environment in the first place. The Government’s landmark Resources and Waste Strategy sets out our plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 65942 question first answered 02/07/2020 14:57:47 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1200 label Biography information for Sir Greg Knight

1218739

registered interest
date	29/06/2020
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: Shipley
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 of air quality levels across the Shipley constituency.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	65969
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>Local authorities take the lead on monitoring levels of air pollution within their boundaries. City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC) was one of eight local authorities directed in October 2018, as part of the supplement to the 2017 UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) Concentrations, to develop a local plan to tackle identified NO<sub>2</sub> exceedances, following a Government-funded targeted feasibility study conducted by the council. This study identified persistent long-term exceedances of legal NO<sub>2</sub> limit values in and around the city centre including the Shipley area, and that without further action CBMDC would not be compliant with legal NO<sub>2</sub> limits until 2027.</p><p> </p><p>Following approval of its plan early this year, CBMDC was subsequently directed and funded to introduce a charging Clean Air Zone in late 2021 that will cover the city centre, Canal Road corridor, Shipley and Saltaire, enabling CBMDC to achieve compliance by 2022.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 07/07/2020 14:08:51 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies