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1716153

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Tree Planting
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 hectares of trees have been planted in each year since 2015.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	24876
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chesterfield on 2 April 2024 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-03-21/19841" target="_blank">19841</a>.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 13/05/2024 11:10:29 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1715573

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Sewage: Waste Disposal
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 his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending water undertakers' licences under the Environment Act 2021 to require those undertakers to accept septic tank waste (a) where there is market failure in the processing of that waste and (b) in other circumstances.
tabling member constituency	St Ives
tabling member printed	Derek Thomas
uin	24692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>Defra does not have the power to amend water company licence conditions; Ofwat has this power under the Water Industry Act 1991.</p><p> </p><p>In the Plan for Water, the Government has committed to review existing regulatory arrangements and explore funding and other support options for improving septic tank activities. We continue to consider options that mitigate the risks arising from private sewage discharges.</p><p> </p><p>In January 2023, to ease the pressures on the septic tank waste disposal market in Cornwall, the Environment Agency issued a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storing-and-treating-chemical-toilet-waste-rps-277/storing-and-treating-chemical-toilet-waste-rps-277" target="_blank">regulatory position statement</a> to increase waste storage capacity. This means that tanks can temporarily store more sewage (up to 60 cubic metres) until South West Water has capacity to take it.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/05/2024 15:50:30 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4532 label Biography information for Derek Thomas

1715584

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	BSE: Disease Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has identified the original source of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	24698
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>Classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was first diagnosed in the United Kingdom in 1986. Scientific opinion is that classical BSE was caused by feeding feedstuffs to cattle that were contaminated with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent due to the inclusion of meat and bone meal. Scientific research has not identified any other definite vector of transmission and found no other potential causes, such as exposure to organophosphates. There is no evidence that it ‘spreads’ from animal to animal or between holdings.</p><p> </p><p>As a result of this scientific opinion, a ban on prohibiting the sale, supply and use of feeding stuff incorporating animal protein for feeding to ruminants was put in place in the UK in 1988. Following further scientific advice, in 1996 the ban was extended to prohibit the feeding of mammalian meat and bone meal, or any feeding stuff containing it, to any farmed animals.</p><p> </p><p>From a peak of over 37,000 cases in 1992 in the UK, there have been only 4 cases of the disease confirmed since 2014. This supports the hypothesis that classical BSE is a food-borne disease introduced by the inclusion of animal protein in feed, and that our BSE controls are working. It is still unknown which TSE agent caused the BSE epidemic (e.g. a scrapie agent from sheep or goats or an agent previously unknown in the cattle population that was recycled). Various transmission studies undertaken in GB and other countries failed to reproduce a BSE-like disease with TSE agents isolated from sheep or cattle other than classical BSE.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 08/05/2024 13:19:49 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1715586

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	BSE: Disease Control
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 prepare for another potential outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	24699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>The measures to be followed in the event of suspicion of BSE are set out in UK legislation, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (AHPA) are well prepared to carry out the necessary actions. In the rare event that BSE is suspected, whole farm movement restrictions are applied by APHA who then trace cohorts (animals that shared feed with the affected animal during its first year of life) and any of its offspring born in the last two years.</p><p> </p><p>In the event of the suspect case testing positive for BSE, its cohorts and offspring are then humanely culled, samples are taken from the brain stem for testing and the carcases are then destroyed, with the owners of the culled animals receiving compensation. While it not believed that BSE can be transmitted by mother to offspring during pregnancy ('vertical transmission') these animals are culled, along with cohorts, on a precautionary basis.</p><p> </p><p>The APHA also carry out a rolling national feed audit which inspects and takes samples at various stages of the animal feed chain. This includes checks for prohibited processed animal proteins in samples of feeding stuffs intended for farmed animals. If feed is non-compliant, APHA inspectors look at the cause of contamination and make a decision based on the risk. Depending on the severity, feed may have to be removed from the market, and cattle exposed to it may be restricted or killed.</p><p> </p><p>We remain vigilant to the threat posed by BSE and have a comprehensive surveillance programme in place to monitor the level of BSE over time and check on the continued effectiveness of our BSE controls. More detail on this is set out in Defra’s latest TSEs annual report here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monitoring-programme-for-tses-annual-report-2021-and-2022" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monitoring-programme-for-tses-annual-report-2021-and-2022</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 08/05/2024 13:09:23 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1715630

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to write to the hon. Member for Christchurch on the potential impact of the level of phosphates in the River Avon on housing developments in Christchurch.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
uin	24604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to my letter issued on 7 May 2024.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 09/05/2024 13:43:50 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1715631

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to write to the hon. Member for Christchurch on the Avon Valley footpath between Burton and Christchurch.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
uin	24605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>Following our recent meeting on the Avon Valley footpath, I will write to the hon. Member shortly.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 09/05/2024 13:42:20 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1715656

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Game: Gun Sports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to increase the transparency of the process for licensing game bird shoots.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	24637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>Defra has introduced several improvements to the transparency of processes since 2023 including proactively publishing all regulatory documents relating to GL43 and GL45 on Gov.uk, and by sharing the number of individual licenses approved and rejected in a previous PQ (PQ 202935). Defra has regularly engaged with a broad range of stakeholders to develop an improved risk assessment process, as well as a general licence for Special Protection Areas for birds. Defra has kept stakeholders informed of progress throughout the development of the general licence and individual licensing process.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 13/05/2024 11:03:49 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1715657

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Game: Birds
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 publish the names of the members of his Department’s expert committee that is responsible for reviewing Natural England’s advice regarding licencing applications to release non-native gamebirds.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	24638
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>In 2023, Defra established an expert panel to advise on individual licence applications to release common pheasant or red legged partridge on or within 500m of Special Protection Areas for birds. The panel consisted of experts in exotic disease control and epidemiological risk from Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/05/2024 13:43:55 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1715737

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Animal Welfare
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when they will specify the relevant activities which will be proscribed under legislation to enable compliance with, and enforcement of, the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.
tabling member printed	Lord Trees
uin	HL4369
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad.</p><p> </p><p>Future decisions on which specific animal activities will fall in scope of the advertising ban will be evidence-based and subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. Sufficient, compelling evidence will be required to demonstrate why any specific advertising ban is needed.</p><p> </p><p>This Government continues to make animal welfare a priority and we are currently exploring a number of options to ensure progress as soon as is practicable<em>.</em></p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 10/05/2024 10:05:07 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4260 label Biography information for Lord Trees

1716701

registered interest
date	02/05/2024
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	Floods: Food
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 impact of flooding on food production in the last four months.
tabling member constituency	City of Chester
tabling member printed	Samantha Dixon
uin	902725
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>We recognise that the recent period of wet weather has impacted UK agriculture. While the current market assessment is that this will impact the domestic production of certain foods, it is too early to predict the impact on overall consumer supply at this stage. However, the UK has a highly resilient food supply chain which allows us to use international trade to supplement any fluctuations in domestic food supply and maintain overall food security.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 10/05/2024 08:10:59 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4976 label Biography information for Samantha Dixon