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1329357

registered interest
date	04/06/2021
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	Paraquat: Exports
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 the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the export licensing of Paraquat.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	10466
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2021 answer text <p>We take our trade and international obligations for human health and the environment seriously and continue to monitor action in other countries and learn from their experiences.</p><p> </p><p>The export of paraquat from Great Britain (GB) is regulated under the GB Prior Informed Consent (PIC) regulatory regime for the export and import of certain hazardous chemicals. Companies intending to export any of these chemicals from the GB must notify the importing country via the exporter’s Designated National Authority. For GB, the Designated National Authority is The Health and Safety Executive (HSE).</p><p> </p><p>Paraquat additionally requires the explicit consent of the importing country before export can take place. The exchange of information that PIC provides allows the importing countries to make informed decisions on the import of those chemicals and on how to handle and use them safely. This process is kept under review.</p><p> </p><p>We believe it is essential that the use of actives that are known to be hazardous to human health or the environment should be subject to scientific risk assessment, mitigation and regulatory protections. That is why we support notification of the export of Paraquat under GB PIC and support its listing under the Rotterdam convention.</p><p> </p><p>We also believe in evidence based international policy making through the use of scientific committees, such as the Chemical Review Committee, and support the strengthening of the international science:policy interface for chemicals and pesticides to support global decision making.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 15/06/2021 16:34:26 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1312315

registered interest
date	27/04/2021
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	Biodiversity
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 the Government has made of the potential merits of setting specific targets for biodiversity recovery in the UK; and whether the Government has plans to introduce targets for biodiversity recovery.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	188121
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>Domestic biodiversity policy is devolved in the UK and each nation is bringing forward its own plans and policies, while we continue to collaborate on UK-wide approaches to biodiversity recovery.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Bill creates a power to set long-term, legally binding environmental targets for England. It requires the Government to set, and achieve, at least one target in each of four priority areas, including biodiversity.</p><p> </p><p>In our policy paper published in August 2020, we set out the objectives for targets currently under consideration. These include improving the condition of our protected sites, increasing species populations, and restoring and improving the quality of habitats, which together would recover biodiversity.</p><p> </p><p>Legally binding long-term targets will be supported by interim targets, covering up to five years. These will allow for an ongoing assessment of whether the Government is on track to meet its long-term targets.</p><p> </p><p>We will want to ensure that, for biodiversity, these targets align with international goals and targets to be set through the Convention on Biological Diversity for 2030.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 29/04/2021 13:20:22 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1312316

registered interest
date	27/04/2021
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	Tree Planting: Northern 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 steps he is taking to support the Northern Ireland Executive to increase the level of woodland planting to match the rest of the UK.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	188122
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>We are committed to increasing tree planting across the UK to 30,000 hectares per year by the end of this parliament.</p><p> </p><p>Forestry policy is a devolved matter. Many sector organisations operate at UK level, and we continue to engage with the devolved administrations on these issues.</p><p> </p><p>Northern Ireland Environment Minister Edwin Poots announced in 2020 the next stage of the Forests for our Future programme by launching a grant scheme to encourage and help landowners plant woodlands. This will help to meet Northern Ireland’s pledge to plant 18 million trees by 2030 and create 9,000 hectares of new woodland.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 29/04/2021 14:09:28 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1312317

registered interest
date	27/04/2021
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	Genetically Modified Organisms: Licensing
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 for the licensing of genetically modified crops for use in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	188123
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>Currently no genetically modified (GM) crops are being grown commercially in the UK, but GM products are marketed as food and feed.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is committed to following a science-based approach to GM crop approval. Under current rules, GM crops and the products derived from them must be authorised before they can be used. This authorisation is dependent on a favourable risk assessment from our independent scientific experts. Defra’s policy is to maintain high standards that protect people, animals and the environment.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is currently reviewing the responses to the Government’s recent consultation on genetic technologies, which included early engagement to start gathering views on wider GM reform. The consultation ended on 17 March and a Government response will be published within three months of it closing.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/04/2021 12:00:05 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1312318

registered interest
date	27/04/2021
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	Peatlands: Controlled Burning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature UK Peatland Programme, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of banning the burning of peat.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	188124
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>While there continues to be scientific debate over aspects of the environmental impact of managed burning, there is a large and increasing body of literature that provides evidence that overall managed burning is damaging to peatland. This literature includes a systematic evidence review published by Natural England in 2013 synthesising the findings from 124 studies.</p><p> </p><p>We have always been clear of the need to phase out rotational burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these vulnerable habitats. This is why we have brought forward legislation that will limit burning of vegetation on protected deep peat.</p><p> </p><p>This legislation represents a crucial step in meeting the Government’s nature and climate change mitigation and adaptation targets, including the legally binding commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.</p><p> </p><p>We will be setting out further measures to restore, protect and manage England’s peatlands this year as part of a package of measures to protect England’s landscapes and nature-based solutions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 29/04/2021 14:19:03 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire