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969107

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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 Supply
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 measures is he taking to reduce the amount of water leakage by water companies; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	New Forest West
tabling member printed	Sir Desmond Swayne
uin	171269
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>Total leakage has fallen by a third since 1994, following investment by water companies. However, there is still more to do.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out the Government’s ambitions for reducing demand on water resources. This includes support for Ofwat’s target for water companies to reduce leakage by 15% by 2025.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State recently called in water company Chief Executives who did not meet their leakage targets this year to explain this failure and what actions they were taking to improve their performance - particularly in light of this summer’s dry weather.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In their draft business plans, water companies have proposed an average reduction of 16% by 2025. It is now for Ofwat to scrutinise these plans.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 13/09/2018 09:16:03 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne

969121

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Health
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 uses Office for National Statistics estimates of personal well-being when formulating policy; and what policies his Department has introduced to improve national well-being in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	171302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p><br></p><p>In line with the Government’s Green Book, Defra policy is appraised and developed using an assessment of costs and benefits. This appraisal is based on improving well-being. Policy makers and analysts use a range of data sources in making this assessment, which can include ONS estimates of personal well-being.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p><br></p><p>Defra recognises that the quality of the environment underpins our well-being and prosperity. During the last 12 months we have introduced a range of actions to improve well-being, including those set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan and the Clean Air Strategy.</p><p><br></p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 14/09/2018 11:26:57 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

969137

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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: Vacancies
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 make an estimate of the level of labour shortages in the farming sector.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	171414
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>Defra continue to monitor the latest data and work closely with industry to understand trends in labour demand and supply.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for National Statistics estimates that around 29,000 people make up the permanent agricultural workforce, with Defra estimating a further 67,000 seasonal workers. Industry sets this figure at 80,000 - the majority of which are EU migrant workers.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s best estimate of seasonal labour shortages, using both Defra’s June agricultural survey and the National Farming Union’s survey of labour providers, is that in June 2016 there was a shortfall of 3,231 seasonal workers, and in June 2017; a shortfall of 7,676.</p><p> </p><p>A new pilot scheme in 2019 will enable non-EEA migrant workers to come to the UK to undertake seasonal employment in the horticultural sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 11/09/2018 12:00:38 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

969162

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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: Sentencing
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 bring forward legislative proposals to increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty sentences from six months to five years imprisonment.
tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
tabling member printed	Mark Tami
uin	171315
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government has announced that it intends to increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty from 6 months’ imprisonment to 5 years’ imprisonment. The necessary legislation needed to make this change will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 12/09/2018 15:08:19 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

969217

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: World Health Organization
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have met officials from the World Trade Organisation since the EU referendum in June 2016; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	171332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>The UK is a full and founding member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Since June 2016, Defra officials have consulted with a range of partners, including the WTO Secretariat and other WTO members, as we re-establish our independent membership upon leaving the EU. The Department for International Trade is primarily responsible for the government’s relationship with the WTO, as such Defra Ministers have not met with any WTO officials.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 12/09/2018 14:54:22 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

968016

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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: Weather
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 make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the approach taken by the devolved administrations in supporting farmers and food producers during the dry weather in summer 2018.
tabling member constituency	Canterbury
tabling member printed	Rosie Duffield
uin	170548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>As agricultural policy in the UK is devolved, it is for each administration to decide its approach and what measures it should adopt according to its evaluation of the situation which pertains to its area. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for Defra to comment on the approach which the devolved administrations have taken.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 12/09/2018 14:43:15 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4616 label Biography information for Rosie Duffield

968017

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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 Feed: Republic of Ireland
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 effect of the Irish Government’s fodder transport scheme on the (a) price and (b) supply of fodder in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Canterbury
tabling member printed	Rosie Duffield
uin	170556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>Farmers in the UK, Ireland and across northern Europe, have experienced a difficult time this year with the hot, dry weather. The impacts are likely to be most severely felt by grazing livestock due to the shortage of grass, but the full effect may not be realised until later in the year. We have prioritised practical solutions to help farmers increase access to fodder and bedding both now and in the coming months. These actions will help farmers to limit the impact of extra feed costs by allocating land to forage growth and grazing, but we will keep the situation under review.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Particular measures the Government has taken to help farmers are:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>We have clarified that English farmers, unlike farmers in other EU countries where derogations have been sought, have been able to use fallow land for grazing since 1 July. That is because our legislation reflects what we consider to be the minimum EU requirement.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>We were the first Member State to raise a concern with the Commission to establish Ecological Focus Area (EFA) catch crops by 20 August: Other Member States agreed with us and the Commission agreed that “force majeure” would apply in these circumstances, so we could waive penalties for farmers in this situation.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>We are seeking a derogation from the requirement to sow only certain seed types which are unpalatable to livestock in EFA areas as catch crop. The derogation we expect to secure shortly will allow for grass and herbaceous forage to be grown in those areas, and for those areas to be grazed.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>On Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and forestry legacy agreements farmers are able to ask Natural England to agree a temporary variation to the agreement conditions, either as an Environmental Stewardship Derogation (to date, over 130 have been granted) or a Countryside Stewardship Minor and Temporary Adjustment (over 30 have so far been granted). We will allow farmers to derogate temporarily from specific prescriptions to provide bedding, fodder and grazing for livestock without materially affecting the environmental benefits of their agreement.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I will monitor whether the fodder import scheme that has been introduced in Ireland has an appreciable effect on supplies of fodder and bedding within the UK. We have also made the point to the European Commission that whilst the UK is committed to working to identify appropriate responses to this year’s weather impacts, these should not interfere with the normal functioning of the market or obscure the focus of farmers in mitigating weather impacts.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Opportunities such as the ones described above were discussed with a wide range of stakeholders at the National Farmers’ Union “Dry Weather Summit” on 1 August 2018 and we have received some further representations in writing from farming industry organisations. Further discussions took place at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Industry Partnership Group meeting in Reading on 20 August 2018. Additionally, a small number of individual farmers have made representations through the RPA’s Helpline. All representations received have been considered in the round and informed the approach we are taking to offering all available support to alleviate the impacts of the recent extreme weather conditions for farmers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 170410 170411 170417 170418 170864 question first answered 10/09/2018 12:18:32 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4616 label Biography information for Rosie Duffield

968091

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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	Genetically Modified Organisms: EU Law
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 to ensure that the Deliberate Release Directive continues to be enacted after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	170760
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The requirements of Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms will continue to apply in the UK after we leave the EU by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 14/09/2018 11:34:33 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

968100

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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	Meat Products: Import Controls
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 prohibit the importation of products, such as foie gras developed in ways which would not be permitted in the UK after the UK has left the EU.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	170768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>We have some of the highest standards of animal welfare and the production of foie gras by force feeding is banned in the UK as it is incompatible with our domestic legislation. However, foie gras is produced in some EU member states. Once we leave the European Union, it will be open to government to review the approach to such imports and sales in the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 12/09/2018 14:48:11 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

968117

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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	Chemicals: EU Law
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 Parliamentary Under Secretary of State's evidence to the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee on 18 July 2018, whether it is the policy of the Government to remain a member of the European Chemicals Agency and subject to REACH after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Workington
tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
uin	170775
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>As set out in the Government’s White Paper <em>‘The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union’</em> published on 12 July 2018, the Government’s vision is for an economic partnership that includes participation by the UK in those EU agencies that have a central role in facilitating regulations for those highly regulated goods sectors including the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This would mean accepting the rules of the ECHA including REACH and making an appropriate financial contribution.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 170352 question first answered 10/09/2018 10:47:13 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock