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1471727

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
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	Fisheries: Quotas
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 16 June 2022 to Question 13027 on Fisheries: Quotas, if he will make it his policy to (a) follow the advice published in June 2022 by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, in full and for all stocks, when (i) setting quotas and (ii) negotiating with the relevant countries in 2022 and (b) where that advice is not followed, publish the scientific advice he plans to follow instead.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	21072
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2022 answer text <p>The UK’s approach to negotiating total allowable catches (TACs) is founded on the best available scientific evidence. Once agreed, TACs and quota shares reflect negotiated outcomes that balance the objectives set out in the Fisheries Act 2020, including the needs of our fishing industry and the long-term sustainability of our fisheries and fish stocks.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 23/06/2022 11:53:18 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1467805

registered interest
date	06/06/2022
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	Fisheries: Quotas
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 commit to not setting future fishing quotas in excess of scientific advice.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	13027
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2022 answer text <p>The UK's approach is that Total Allowable Catches for all species should be based on the best available scientific advice. The goal is to seek to maintain fish stocks and fisheries at sustainable levels in the long term or to rebuild them to such levels, where necessary.</p><p> </p><p>The objectives in the Fisheries Act 2020, the draft Joint Fisheries Statement and proposed Fisheries Management Plans collectively reaffirm our commitment to achieving sustainable fishing and protecting the marine environment. The Act enshrines in law the Government’s commitments for sustainable fishing, restating our commitment to fishing at maximum sustainable yield through the ‘sustainability objective’ and ‘precautionary objective’.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 13238 question first answered 16/06/2022 13:00:36 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1467806

registered interest
date	06/06/2022
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	Marine Protected Areas: Fisheries
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 set out the Government's timeframe for ensuring that all offshore marine protection areas designated for seabed features are fully protected from bottom trawling.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	13028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2022 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Crawley, on 20 May 2022, PQ UIN 1160.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 09/06/2022 16:44:51 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1465160

registered interest
date	23/05/2022
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: Conservation
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 effectiveness of mandatory water labelling on taps and non-electric showers on persuading consumers to be mindful of their water consumption.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	6663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2022 answer text <p>Defra, Waterwise and the water companies commissioned The Energy Saving Trust to conduct a review on water labelling comparing the impacts on taps and showers only <a href="https://www.waterwise.org.uk/knowledge-base/water-labelling-taps-and-showers-only-comparison-est-2020/" target="_blank">Water Labelling: Taps and Showers Only Comparison – EST (2020) – Waterwise</a>. This builds on a previous <em>Independent review of the costs and benefits of water labelling options in the UK</em> <a href="https://waterwise.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/WESTrategy001-EXT_SummaryReport_2.3-1.pdf#:~:text=In%202018%2C%20the%20Energy%20Saving%20Trust%20produced%20an,label%20linked%20to%20building%20regulations%20and%20minimum%20standards." target="_blank">Microsoft Word - 190626_WESTrategy001-EXT_SummaryReport_2.3 (waterwise.org.uk)</a>.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 26/05/2022 16:12:19 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1465163

registered interest
date	23/05/2022
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: Conservation
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 he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on increasing the use of water efficiency devices in UK households to reduce carbon emissions.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	6666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2022 answer text <p>In our 2021 Written Ministerial Statement on reducing demand for water, we committed to delivering a mandatory water efficiency label. We are working with BEIS to develop a label which could include energy saving information.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 26/05/2022 12:55:50 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1461510

registered interest
date	10/05/2022
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: Conservation
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 take steps with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional ringfenced funding for the roll-out of water saving technologies.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	22
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2022 answer text <p>There are no plans for additional ringfenced funding for the roll-out of water saving technologies. Some water companies are already funding water saving measures for their customers and we continue to work towards delivering the Written Ministerial Statement on reducing demand for water, including introducing a water efficiency label.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 18/05/2022 16:14:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1381472

registered interest
date	23/11/2021
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: Methane
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 encourage UK farmers to invest in on-farm methane reduction.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	80187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2021 answer text <p>Greenhouse gas emissions from UK agriculture are predominantly associated with methane and nitrous oxide. The UK has a strong record on reducing emissions from methane, one of the main greenhouses gases warming our planet, with around13% of methane emissions cut from the agricultural sectors compared to 1990 levels. Since 1990 we are now producing a litre of milk with 21% less GHG emissions. However, we are not resting on this progress, and we will continue to take action to reduce UK methane emissions even further.</p><p>For example, livestock feed additives with methane inhibiting properties have the potential to reduce emissions, especially from housed cattle. Whilst this is an emerging technology, the Government is actively investigating the promising role these products may have in delivering emissions savings in the medium term.</p><p>As announced at COP26, the UK is also proud to be one of the first signatories of The Global Methane Pledge, a commitment to take voluntary actions to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030, against 2020 levels. More broadly our recently published Net Zero Strategy outlined our commitment for 75% of farmers in England to be engaged in low carbon practices by 2030, rising to 85% by 2035.</p><p>The Government will support the agricultural sector to reduce all emissions through the schemes set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan. We are introducing three schemes that reward environmental benefits: the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery. Together, these schemes are intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.</p><p>Our plans include a range of policies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. For example, our recently launched Sustainable Farming Incentive standards for soils can help create conditions for farmers to reduce the requirement to apply mineral fertilisers, so helping reduce emissions of nitrous oxide. In the future we are intending to introduce a Standard for Nutrient Management which will further incentivise reductions in the application of mineral fertilisers.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 80192 question first answered 03/12/2021 13:43:50 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1381473

registered interest
date	23/11/2021
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 and Food: Waste
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 for farm conversion of agri-food bio-wastes into bioenergy in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	80188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2021 answer text <p>This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. We are interpreting this question as a request for information on the Government’s assessment of the role that anaerobic digestion (AD) can play in both treating food wastes and generating bioenergy.</p><p> </p><p>I recognise the valuable contribution that wastes, including food derived wastes, can make towards our carbon targets when used in AD to produce biogas and biomethane.</p><p> </p><p>The recently closed non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (NDRHI) provided financial support for AD plants, including on farms. As of December 2020, the NDRHI has supported 95 biomethane to grid plants and in 2019 supported the production of ~3.6TWh of biomethane injected into the gas grid. In 2018, the NDRHI changed to include a waste feedstock minimum threshold of 50%, to incentivise the use of wastes in the production of biomethane. The Green Gas Support Scheme, due to launch on 30 November 2021, is a successor to the biomethane element of the NDRHI and will maintain this minimum threshold.</p><p> </p><p>Evidence indicates that the existing stock of AD plants, including on farms, may have the capacity to treat more food waste. As such, we are assessing the potential to increase waste that goes to AD.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 01/12/2021 17:08:32 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1381477

registered interest
date	23/11/2021
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: Methane
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 plans his Department has to reduce rural methane emissions from farms.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	80192
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2021 answer text <p>Greenhouse gas emissions from UK agriculture are predominantly associated with methane and nitrous oxide. The UK has a strong record on reducing emissions from methane, one of the main greenhouses gases warming our planet, with around13% of methane emissions cut from the agricultural sectors compared to 1990 levels. Since 1990 we are now producing a litre of milk with 21% less GHG emissions. However, we are not resting on this progress, and we will continue to take action to reduce UK methane emissions even further.</p><p>For example, livestock feed additives with methane inhibiting properties have the potential to reduce emissions, especially from housed cattle. Whilst this is an emerging technology, the Government is actively investigating the promising role these products may have in delivering emissions savings in the medium term.</p><p>As announced at COP26, the UK is also proud to be one of the first signatories of The Global Methane Pledge, a commitment to take voluntary actions to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030, against 2020 levels. More broadly our recently published Net Zero Strategy outlined our commitment for 75% of farmers in England to be engaged in low carbon practices by 2030, rising to 85% by 2035.</p><p>The Government will support the agricultural sector to reduce all emissions through the schemes set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan. We are introducing three schemes that reward environmental benefits: the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery. Together, these schemes are intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.</p><p>Our plans include a range of policies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. For example, our recently launched Sustainable Farming Incentive standards for soils can help create conditions for farmers to reduce the requirement to apply mineral fertilisers, so helping reduce emissions of nitrous oxide. In the future we are intending to introduce a Standard for Nutrient Management which will further incentivise reductions in the application of mineral fertilisers.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 80187 question first answered 03/12/2021 13:43:51 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

1381478

registered interest
date	23/11/2021
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: Soil
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 help improve soil health on UK farms.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	80193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2021 answer text <p>This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>The Sustainable Farming Incentive is one of three new schemes that reward farmers and land managers for producing public goods. The other, future, schemes are Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery, both of which we will begin piloting next year. These schemes will operate together and pay for sustainable farming practices, improve animal health and welfare, improve environmental outcomes, and reduce carbon emissions. They will create habitats for nature recovery and make landscape-scale changes, such as establishing new woodland and other ecosystem services, providing key means to deliver against our 25 Year Environment Plan goals and carbon net zero targets.</p><p> </p><p>Our approach to environmental land management is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy and will be realised through a combination of schemes, using public money to reward farmers and land managers for delivering environmentally sustainable actions. The schemes are intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.</p><p>We agree that healthy soils should be a priority outcome for our new environmental land management schemes in England, and to help achieve our commitment to sustainably managed soils by 2030, we are already taking action to support land managers and farmers to achieve sustainable soil management. Firstly, we are focusing on soil in two of the first standards to be rolled out under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme next year – the Improved Grassland Soils and Arable and Horticultural Soils standards. Recently published details on the Sustainable Farming Incentive set out for which sustainable farming actions to improve soil health farmers will be rewarded, such as the introduction of herbal leys and the use of grass-legume mixtures and cover crops.</p><p> </p><p>It makes sense to start the early roll out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive with these soils standards because healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable farming and underpin a range of environmental benefits, as well as production. The soil standards will be widely applicable and will therefore provide opportunity for many farmers to be rewarded for sustainable soil management. The standards and the overall scheme are designed to support a range of farmers; including those who are beginning to adopt sustainable practices as well as those who are already experienced in these, who will be rewarded for increasing the ambition of their land management. We will test these standards in the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot and release further information on our plans for the Sustainable Farming Incentive on gov.uk in December 2021.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 01/12/2021 11:36:53 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead