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1105688

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation The future of food and agriculture—Alternative pathways to 2050, published on 4 October 2018; and what assessment they have made of which elements of that report apply to UK agriculture.
tabling member printed	Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
uin	HL14868
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>Defra has not specifically made an assessment of the report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation: ‘The future of food and agriculture – alternative pathways to 2050’. However, the issues addressed in this report are a priority for Defra. Defra Group’s Strategy sets out our ambition for the UK to be a world-leading food, farming and fishing nation; that we will grow more, sell more, and export more food around the world. It also sets out our ambition is to be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than that in which we found it.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to changing UK farming for the better as we leave the EU. The Agriculture Bill will help farmers in England to grow high quality food in a more sustainable way, enhancing the environment for future generations.</p><p> </p><p>Defra Research and Development (R&amp;D) also seeks to develop our knowledge in these areas, including research on sustainable intensification, through which farming systems can maintain or increase outputs while enhancing environmental and societal benefits; and breeding to improve the productivity, sustainability and resilience of food production, through our Genetic Improvement Networks.</p><p> </p><p>Together with existing R&amp;D, new cross-cutting measures for innovation, being developed alongside the Agriculture Bill will balance the needs to increase productivity and promote environmental benefit, enabling long term resilience and sustainability.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 09/04/2019 15:21:38 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1934 label Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

1105692

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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	Pollinators
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the research conducted by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in their report Widespread losses of pollinating insects in Britain, published on 26 March, in particular its finding that bee and hoverfly species have declined; and what assessment they have made of (1) the spread of losses of such species across the UK, and (2) the impact of such losses.
tabling member printed	Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
uin	HL14871
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government has worked closely with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) over a number of years on the development of the UK indicator of pollinator trends, which we publish annually.</p><p> </p><p>This indicator uses much of the same data as in the CEH paper and shows similar trends. It shows many bee and hoverfly species have become less widespread since 1980, leading to an overall, long-term decline, although some species have become more prevalent. It also shows that this overall decline has slowed, but not ceased, since the 1990s; and that since 2011, overall trends appear to have stabilised, although a number of individual species continue to decline.</p><p> </p><p>The Government acknowledges these long-term range contractions for many species and the changes in distribution amongst different types of pollinators. In response to the overall reductions we developed a National Pollinator Strategy (NPS) for England, a 10-year plan published in 2014. A core commitment of the NPS is to strengthen the evidence base so that we can better meet pollinators’ needs. We will continue to work with CEH and other research partners, and to understand better the CEH paper’s analysis of trends in upland areas and in southern Britain, and their impact across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>As part of ongoing work to improve the evidence base, CEH coordinates the UK-wide Pollinator Monitoring Scheme, which is part-funded by Government. It is the only scheme in the world generating systematic data on the abundance of bees, hoverflies and other flower-visiting insects at a national level. Furthermore, in March 2019, Defra published up-to-date evidence statements on UK pollinators and pollination services, to which CEH and other leading institutions contributed.</p><p> </p><p>We know that pollinators add substantial economic value to crop production through improving crop quality and quantity. Pollination’s economic benefit to UK crop production is approximately half a billion GBP annually, through increased yields of oilseed rape, fruit and vegetables. These crops are especially vulnerable to pollinator declines. There is no clear evidence, however, that UK crop pollination is being impacted, although a study has identified sub-optimal pollination in gala apples for example.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working with researchers to understand better such potential risks of pollinator declines to food production and biodiversity, and to better inform land management approaches. For example, the University of Reading is leading a three-year Research Council-funded project on mapping and managing risks to pollinators across the UK, to help support sustainable and resilient crop production and maintain sufficient pollination services.</p><p> </p><p>The NPS also commits us to provide habitat for pollinators. Certainly, we have seen success when landowners, farmers, conservation groups and Government collaborate to create new habitats and support reintroductions of lost species such as the barberry carpet moth, short-haired bumblebee and chequered skipper butterfly. We will continue to work in partnership with scientists and with practitioners to build on such successes and to see many more of our wonderful, vital insects thrive.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 09/04/2019 15:23:45 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1934 label Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

1105366

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Rural Areas: Community Development
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen rural communities.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL14829
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>This Government wants thriving rural areas with strong and sustainable economies and vibrant communities, and for those living and working in rural areas to have the same opportunities as those in towns and cities.</p><p> </p><p>Our rural communities already have many strengths. Employment in rural areas is higher than the UK average, and unemployment lower. Well-being is higher. The Government has, however, taken steps to address the challenges faced by rural communities.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of fast and reliable broadband and mobile connectivity in rural areas. Superfast broadband is now available to over 96% of UK premises and is expected to reach around 97% over the next few years. The Universal Service Obligation will ensure universal broadband coverage of at least 10Mbps by 2020. The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review published in July last year proposed an ‘outside in’ approach to delivery of full fibre which will ensure that the final 10% of premises across the UK, mostly in rural areas, are not left behind.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport has funded 37 pilot “Total Transport” schemes to improve rural transport and supported community transport operators by providing £25 million of funding through the Community Minibus Fund for over 400 new vehicles.</p><p> </p><p>Rural businesses can qualify for rate relief if they are in an area with a population below 3,000, and if they are either the only village shop with a rateable value of up to £8,500, or the only public house or petrol station with a rateable value of up to £12,500.</p><p> </p><p>In December 2017, the Government announced £370 million of funding (from April 2018 to March 2021) to secure the future of the UK’s Post Office network. Of that funding, £160 million is helping to protect the “last shop in the village” community branches and to ensure everyone continues to have access to their local branch.</p><p> </p><p>On healthcare, the Government has extended the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme which provides a £20,000 salary supplement for newly qualified GPs who take up offers to work in hard to recruit areas. In 2018, 265 places were funded and a further 276 locations have been identified for posts commencing in August 2019. The Pharmacy Access Scheme is safeguarding a baseline level of patient access to a bricks and mortar pharmacy, protecting rural pharmacies and this vital service for rural communities.</p><p> </p><p>Defra will soon be launching a £3 million grant fund to help improve village halls, making them more accessible and useful to the communities they serve and helping to alleviate issues such as isolation and loneliness. Linked to this Defra has set up a rural loneliness forum and is encouraging the Defra-funded network of rural community councils to focus on actions to tackle loneliness as part of the Government’s Loneliness Strategy.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/04/2019 14:44:18 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

1092790

registered interest
date	21/03/2019
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	Eggs: Imports
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Gardiner of Kimble to Lord Cunningham of Felling on 19 March (HL Deb, col 1365), how that response is consistent with (1) their recent announcement on farming tariffs, and (2) the operation of Council Regulation (EC) No 5/2001 of 19 December 2000 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 on certain marketing standards for eggs.
tabling member printed	Lord Rooker
uin	HL14741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to high standards of animal welfare and food safety.</p><p> </p><p>In the event of no deal, existing UK import standards will still apply and the level of tariff applied does not change what can and cannot be imported.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, existing EU egg marketing standards will be retained in UK law once we leave the EU. Where the UK cannot sufficiently guarantee that imported eggs are equivalent to these Regulations, the eggs must be clearly labelled as not meeting the UK standard. This will provide the necessary clarity to enable consumers to make informed purchasing choices.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/04/2019 14:39:53 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	302 label Biography information for Lord Rooker

1092439

registered interest
date	20/03/2019
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: Subsidies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 14 March (HL14136 and HL14137), what is the number of individual farmers who are awaiting (1) Countryside, (2) Entry Level, and (3) Higher Level, stewardship payments from (a) 2016, (b) 2017, and (c) 2018.
tabling member printed	Baroness Byford
uin	HL14695
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>A farm business may hold more than one agreement and make multiple claims. As of 17 March 2019:</p><p>1) All eligible Countryside Stewardship 2016 and 2017 claims have received a payment apart from exceptional cases such as those that cannot be paid for legal reasons such as probate.</p><p>There are just over 6,100 2018 claims still due an advance payment. Any claim that has not been paid a 2018 advance payment by the end of March will be issued a bridging payment in early April.</p><p>RPA are on track to complete 95% of 2018 final payments on claims by the end of July.</p><p>2) The information held on Environmental Stewardship claims does not currently separate between Entry and Higher Level agreements.</p><p>All eligible 2016 claims have received a system advance and/or final, or a bridging payment. All eligible 2017 claims received an advance or bridging payment.</p><p>RPA is on track to complete 95% of 2017 final payments by end of July. There are just over 9,500 2018 claims due their advance payment.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 01/04/2019 10:48:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3343 label Biography information for Baroness Byford

1091633

registered interest
date	19/03/2019
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: Shortages
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address a potential long-term water shortage in the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL14677
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government is working closely with other water regulators and the water industry to improve the resilience of water supplies. The Government recognises action is required and it is committed to a ‘twin track approach’, of reducing demand for water and increasing supply in parallel.</p><p> </p><p>Water companies have a statutory duty to provide clean and reliable water to customers under the Water Industry Act 1991 and to fulfil this duty there is a statutory requirement to plan to balance water supply and demand at least twenty-five years in to the future. The Government, the Environment Agency and Ofwat issued guidance to water companies in 2016 on how they should be planning to be resilient to foreseeable risks, including taking appropriate action to respond to climate change projections and population growth.</p><p> </p><p>The Government and regulators have challenged the companies when reviewing their draft plans and have made clear that companies should set challenging customer consumption figures, reduce leakage at least 15% by 2025 and by half by 2050 and bring forward supply schemes where necessary. Water companies have been revising their plans and they will finalise them this year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government knows that reducing water demand alone will not be enough; the country requires a mix of new large and small water supply solutions. In the case of large infrastructure, the Government’s National Policy Statement for water resources infrastructure, currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny, will streamline the process of gaining planning permission for nationally significant infrastructure projects that are needed to improve the long term resilience of water supplies.</p><p> </p><p>Looking further ahead the Government will launch a call for evidence on setting an ambitious target for <em>per capita</em> consumption by mid-May 2019. This will be a national, non-binding target that will be used to judge the effectiveness of the Government’s actions and those of the water industry in reducing water use. The Government will also examine the wider policy options required to support the target.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is also taking steps to improve water companies’ statutory planning process, to ensure that there is better collaboration between water companies and other water using sectors. This includes the Environment Agency developing a National Framework for water resources and consulting on legislative improvements.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 02/04/2019 12:30:10 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1088863

registered interest
date	14/03/2019
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	Bees: Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to save the shrill carder bee from extinction.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL14568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Natural England is working with a range of external partners on the Back from the Brink programme. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other external funders, this is an inspiring partnership for threatened species and their habitats. The programme is safeguarding the future of 12 specific species, including the shrill carder bee, and benefiting over 200 others, including the violet click beetle and royal splinter crane fly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Back from the Brink programme is supporting the conservation of the shrill carder bee in its two strongholds in England, in Somerset and the Thames Gateway. By working with specialists and volunteers, the programme is improving our understanding of the needs of this rare bee, encouraging improved management of existing flower rich grassland and creating further habitat to support its populations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The programme’s partners are also improving the management and understanding of ancient woodlands which provide habitat for the violet click beetle and royal splinter crane fly, including Windsor and Savernake Forests. The project is providing habitat for these species by installing beetle boxes and managing ageing trees, and is providing opportunities for the public to encounter and learn about these vital species.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL14569 HL14570 question first answered 26/03/2019 13:25:35 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1088864

registered interest
date	14/03/2019
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	Insects: Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to save the royal splinter crane fly from extinction.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL14569
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Natural England is working with a range of external partners on the Back from the Brink programme. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other external funders, this is an inspiring partnership for threatened species and their habitats. The programme is safeguarding the future of 12 specific species, including the shrill carder bee, and benefiting over 200 others, including the violet click beetle and royal splinter crane fly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Back from the Brink programme is supporting the conservation of the shrill carder bee in its two strongholds in England, in Somerset and the Thames Gateway. By working with specialists and volunteers, the programme is improving our understanding of the needs of this rare bee, encouraging improved management of existing flower rich grassland and creating further habitat to support its populations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The programme’s partners are also improving the management and understanding of ancient woodlands which provide habitat for the violet click beetle and royal splinter crane fly, including Windsor and Savernake Forests. The project is providing habitat for these species by installing beetle boxes and managing ageing trees, and is providing opportunities for the public to encounter and learn about these vital species.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL14568 HL14570 question first answered 26/03/2019 13:25:35 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1088865

registered interest
date	14/03/2019
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	Beetles: Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to save the violet click beetle from extinction.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL14570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Natural England is working with a range of external partners on the Back from the Brink programme. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other external funders, this is an inspiring partnership for threatened species and their habitats. The programme is safeguarding the future of 12 specific species, including the shrill carder bee, and benefiting over 200 others, including the violet click beetle and royal splinter crane fly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Back from the Brink programme is supporting the conservation of the shrill carder bee in its two strongholds in England, in Somerset and the Thames Gateway. By working with specialists and volunteers, the programme is improving our understanding of the needs of this rare bee, encouraging improved management of existing flower rich grassland and creating further habitat to support its populations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The programme’s partners are also improving the management and understanding of ancient woodlands which provide habitat for the violet click beetle and royal splinter crane fly, including Windsor and Savernake Forests. The project is providing habitat for these species by installing beetle boxes and managing ageing trees, and is providing opportunities for the public to encounter and learn about these vital species.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble grouped question UIN HL14568 HL14569 question first answered 26/03/2019 13:25:35 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1088882

registered interest
date	14/03/2019
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	Eggs: Imports
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what trade protections will be in place on (1) egg, and (2) egg product, imports from countries outside the EU in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Shrewsbury
uin	HL14587
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of eggs as an affordable and nutritious food for UK consumers. The UK egg industry has led the way in promoting high welfare standards, which the Government is committed to maintaining along with our existing high food standards for all imports.</p><p> </p><p>If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 12 April a temporary tariff regime would apply to all UK imports from countries with which no trading arrangement is in place, including the EU.</p><p> </p><p>In setting that temporary regime the Government has sought to strike a balance between the impacts on consumers and producers. No duty would apply to eggs or egg products.</p><p> </p><p>The temporary tariff policy would only apply for up to 12 months. During the 12 month period, the Government will work with industry and remain responsive to businesses and consumers. We will consider exceptional changes where clear evidence is provided against the criteria set out by the five principles of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018.</p><p> </p><p>After this, the Government intends to introduce a long term tariff regime. This would be developed over the course of the next 12 months following an appropriate public consultation process with interested stakeholders, including the egg sector.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 26/03/2019 13:24:18 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	2147 label Biography information for The Earl of Shrewsbury