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516250

registered interest
date	27/04/2016
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	Pesticides
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 her Department has made of the effects on wider biodiversity of commonly used pesticides; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	35869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2016 answer text <p>Strict regulation is in place to reduce the risk of environmental damage by pesticides. A pesticide may only be placed on the market if and when the product has been authorised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Following a thorough risk assessment, HSE imposes conditions on the way pesticides are used, to ensure there is no harm to human health and no unacceptable effect on the environment. Pesticides that pose unacceptable risks are not authorised.</p><p> </p><p>Assessments by Defra and others identify three types of impacts on biodiversity:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>General impacts of past agricultural intensification. The 2011 UK National Ecosystem Assessment identified significant biodiversity loss over the last 50 years, with pollution and land use change on farmland as major drivers. Land use change includes the loss of flower-rich habitat, changes to cropping types and timings, drainage, hedge management, and pesticide use. It is not simple to disentangle these impacts;</p><p> </p></li><li><p>Direct impacts on non-target organisms, including insects and aquatic species. For example, Defra-commissioned research on the status of UK pollinators identified some correlative evidence of reduced species richness at the landscape-scale associated with more intensive use of pesticides, but concluded that further research on direct empirical evidence of field-scale impacts was required. Further research is ongoing; and,</p><p> </p></li><li><p>There is evidence on indirect impacts of pesticides on species such as birds or bats that feed on invertebrates or plants. This is an area of active research in the UK, Europe and North America, with population impacts recorded for some species such as grey partridge.</p></li></ul> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 04/05/2016 12:39:38 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

516252

registered interest
date	27/04/2016
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	Dairy Farming
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 her Department has made of the effect of the dairy crisis on (a) jobs in the industry, (b) local economies, (c) supply chains and (d) the environment.
tabling member constituency	Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
tabling member printed	Simon Hart
uin	35872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2016 answer text <p>The dairy industry in Britain has had a very tough year. A slowdown in global markets, low farm-gate prices, and a strong pound increasing imports, have all contributed to this. The UK average farm gate milk price for March 2016 is 22.38p per litre. This represents a 10.5% decrease on March 2015 and continues the downward trend seen since November 2013.</p><p> </p><p>There were 281 fewer registered dairy producers in England and Wales in April 2016 compared with April 2015 (a 2.8% reduction). This continues the long-term trend which has resulted in dairy producer numbers falling while the average herd size and annual yields per cow have increased. In the year ending February 2016, forecasts suggest that incomes on dairy farms in England fell by 45% to an average of £45,000 per farm. Average incomes on Welsh dairy farms fell by around 40% to £42,000 in the same period. Expert commentators such as Rabobank expect the current cycle of low prices to be maintained through most of 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The Government continues to work closely with the UK farming unions, Dairy UK and Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) to assess the difficult market situation and what we can do to help the industry to recover. For example, we are currently drawing up practical options for creating new derivatives markets, co-operating closely with the AHDB’s volatility forum, farmers, processors and the finance sector.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 09/05/2016 10:37:12 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	3944 label Biography information for Simon Hart

516257

registered interest
date	27/04/2016
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: Pesticides
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 she is taking to protect bees from (a) neonicotinoids and (b) other harmful pesticides.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	35884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2016 answer text <p>A pesticide may only be advertised, sold, supplied, stored and used if the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued an authorisation. Such authorisations can only be issued if the active substances contained in the product have been approved by the European Commission. Following a thorough risk assessment, HSE imposes conditions on the way pesticides are used to ensure there is no harm to human health and no unacceptable effects on the environment. The assessment considers risks to bees; any pesticides considered liable to harm bees are not authorised.</p><p> </p><p>Neonicotinoids are subject to these rules. The European Commission withdrew approval for the use of three neonicotinoid active substances on a number of crops in December 2013. The UK Government has implemented these restrictions in full.</p><p> </p><p>The National Pollinator Strategy includes actions designed to improve the status of our bees and other pollinating insects, for example tackling the loss of flower-rich habitats. Another action is to promote and increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by farmers and growers. Increased uptake of IPM will help to achieve a more targeted approach to managing pests, weeds and diseases, with benefits for pollinators.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 04/05/2016 12:13:52 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

516258

registered interest
date	27/04/2016
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: Enterprise Zones
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 the Government has made on Food Enterprise Zones.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	35885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2016 answer text <p>All 17 of the pilot areas are making steady progress towards establishing their Food Enterprise Zones (FEZ). Some have secured their Local Development Orders (LDO) which are the planning bases for establishing FEZ. As soon as an LDO is established, FEZ can then take forward plans to encourage businesses to make investment decisions to benefit local communities.</p><p> </p><p>In Suffolk, there will be three LDOs within two FEZ to reflect the different needs of local food related businesses. These include the FEZ in South Suffolk at Orwell where LDOs will support the growth of existing businesses as well as attracting new inward investment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 04/05/2016 12:48:00 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

516259

registered interest
date	27/04/2016
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: Affordable Housing
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 she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on provision of affordable housing in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Dr Paul Monaghan
uin	35886
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2016 answer text <p>The Secretary of State holds regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Rural housing is one of the issues that frequently arises.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 03/05/2016 10:33:40 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4383 label Biography information for Dr Paul Monaghan

515820

registered interest
date	26/04/2016
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	Deer Act 1991: Prosecutions
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 people were (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under the Deer Act 1991 in 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	35643
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2016 answer text <p>The Government is committed to tackling wildlife crime. The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is part-funded by Defra, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities, including those relating to badger persecution and poaching, which are UK wildlife crime priorities. The Unit also provides assistance to police forces when required.</p><p> </p><p>Court proceedings data for 2015, including those for the offences listed above, are planned for publication by the Ministry of Justice in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 35636 35637 question first answered 03/05/2016 10:40:41 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

515821

registered interest
date	26/04/2016
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	Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996
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 people were (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act 1996 in each police force area in 2015.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	35637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2016 answer text <p>The Government is committed to tackling wildlife crime. The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is part-funded by Defra, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities, including those relating to badger persecution and poaching, which are UK wildlife crime priorities. The Unit also provides assistance to police forces when required.</p><p> </p><p>Court proceedings data for 2015, including those for the offences listed above, are planned for publication by the Ministry of Justice in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 35636 35643 question first answered 03/05/2016 10:40:41 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

515822

registered interest
date	26/04/2016
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	Beverage Containers: Deposit Return Schemes
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 she will assess the merits of introducing a deposit return system for single-use drinks containers in England.
tabling member constituency	Brent Central
tabling member printed	Dawn Butler
uin	35646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2016 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham Hall Green, Roger Godsiff, on 11 April 2016, PQ UIN32607.</p><p> </p><p>Defra analysed the costs and benefits of implementing a deposit return system (DRS) for single use drink containers as part of the 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England, and sought views in the 2012 consultation on higher packaging recycling targets.</p><p> </p><p>This work showed that introducing a DRS may increase recycling and reduce litter but might impose additional costs on businesses, consumers and local authorities (which would lose revenue from recycling). However, we lack evidence to quantify these benefits and costs appropriately. The current approach has driven a significant increase in packaging waste recycling rates, from less than 47% in 2003 to nearly 65% in 2013.</p><p> </p><p>Last year, the Scottish Government published a feasibility study and a call for evidence investigating the implementation of a DRS for single use drink containers in Scotland. This valuable work highlighted significant uncertainties regarding the impacts and benefits that a DRS would have, notably regarding costs, environmental quality and littering, and existing waste collection systems. The Scottish Government is doing further work on the topic and we will review any new evidence arising from this in due course. However, in the meantime, we will continue to focus on improving existing waste collection and recycling systems, and developing a new National Litter Strategy for England to help coordinate and maximise the impact of anti-litter activity by local government, industry and others.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 03/05/2016 10:47:45 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1489 label Biography information for Dawn Butler

515823

registered interest
date	26/04/2016
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: Antibiotics
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 she will make it her policy to ban the routine preventive use of antibiotics in farming.
tabling member constituency	Brent Central
tabling member printed	Dawn Butler
uin	35647
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2016 answer text <p>The legislation that controls veterinary medicines and medicated feed within the EU is currently under revision. The new proposed frameworks set out additional controls on antibiotics, including a ban on the routine preventative use of antibiotics, which the government supports.</p><p> </p><p>Negotiations on the frameworks are expected to continue until late 2017. There are no plans to revise or amend the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 significantly until the review of the EU legislation has been completed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 29/04/2016 13:03:56 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1489 label Biography information for Dawn Butler

515824

registered interest
date	26/04/2016
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	Hunting Act 2004: Prosecutions
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 people were (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under the Hunting Act 2004 in each police force area in 2014.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	35640
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2016 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Foyle, Mark Durkan, on 23 June 2015, PQ3270.</p><p> </p><p>2014 figures for the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Hunting Act 2004 are set out, by police force area in England and Wales, in table 1.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Table 1: Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Hunting Act 2004 <sup>(1)</sup>, by police force area, England and Wales, 2014<sup>(2)(3)</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Police force area</p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Avon and Somerset</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bedfordshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cambridgeshire</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cheshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cleveland</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cumbria</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Derbyshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Durham</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Essex</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Gloucestershire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hampshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hertfordshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Humberside</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kent</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lancashire</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leicestershire</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lincolnshire</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Merseyside</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Metropolitan Police</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Norfolk</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Northumbria</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nottinghamshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Staffordshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolk</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Surrey</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sussex</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames Valley</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Mercia</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wiltshire</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>England and Wales</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>64</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>35</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>(1) Includes Section 1,3(1)(2), 5(1)(a)(b)(c)(d), 5 (2)(a)(b)(c) and 6 of Hunting Act 2004.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>There are no figures available for 2015.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 35644 question first answered 03/05/2016 13:03:31 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith