Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1701267

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	Marine Environment: Investment
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 support private investment in ocean recovery.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	21935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2024 answer text <p>Ocean conservation and the protection of marine biodiversity is a global challenge and one that is critically underfunded. Through the UK’s £500m UK aid Blue Planet Fund and in line with the 10 Point Plan for Financing Biodiversity and the International Development White Paper, we are supporting innovative projects that aim to attract and scale up private investment in ocean recovery. These initiatives include restoration and protection of blue carbon habitats and increasing coastal community resilience, funded through programmes led by the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (£13.9m), the World Bank’s sustainable blue economies programme- PROBLUE (£37.5m), and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (£33m), amongst others. In June 2023, Lord Benyon hosted a joint UK-GFCR Investors Roundtable event, which showcased the GFCR as a viable investment opportunity and supported investor mobilisation for the GFCR Investment fund. At 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28), the GFCR Coalition announced the mobilisation of more than $200 million USD as an initial direct investment toward the newly established 2030 Coral Reef Breakthrough targets, these include mobilising $12bn for corals and protecting 125,000 km2 of corals (50% of ~250,000km2 global total) by 2030.</p><p> </p><p>As set out in Mobilising Green Investment: 2023 Green Finance Strategy, we are also taking action to meet our target to raise £1bn in private finance into nature’s recovery in England every year by 2030, both on land and at sea.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/04/2024 13:43:58 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1701268

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	Marine Environment
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 (a) preserve and (b) expand blue carbon habitats.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	21936
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government recognises the important role that blue carbon habitats such as saltmarsh and seagrass can play in climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience. These richly biodiverse habitats also provide a crucial buffer from coastal flooding, benefit fish stocks and improve local water quality.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is a global leader in ocean protection and we have taken a number of steps to support blue carbon habitats. In England, we have established a comprehensive network of 181 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which cover the majority of our saltmarsh and seagrass habitats. MPAs are intended to protect designated features listed within the MPA target. While blue carbon habitats may not always be an explicitly designated feature, MPA protection may still yield benefits. Our focus is now on ensuring that these MPAs are effectively protected to allow the designated features to achieve favourable condition. The first three Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMAs) designations in English waters came into force in summer 2023. Two of the three designated sites, Allonby Bay and North East of Farnes Deep, contain blue carbon habitats. Defra is exploring identifying additional candidate HPMA sites.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency’s Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) initiative is working to restore seagrass meadows, saltmarsh and native oyster reefs. Working in partnership with environmental non-government organisations, industry, community groups, and academia, the initiative aims to identify innovative funding opportunities, streamline regulatory processes, build capacity and share knowledge with partners to facilitate a larger programme of restoration.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has set up the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership in partnership with the Devolved Administrations to address evidence gaps that currently prevent the inclusion of blue carbon habitats in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI). Inclusion of these habitats in the GHGI will allow blue carbon to be marketed and traded as a carbon offset, leveraging private investment into these vital natural carbon stores.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/04/2024 12:45:39 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1701282

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	Plastics: Recycling
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 his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the size of the global market for recycled rigid plastics; and what steps his Department is taking to develop (a) recycling capabilities of local authorities and (b) the global market for recycled rigid plastics.
tabling member constituency	Suffolk Coastal
tabling member printed	Dr Thérèse Coffey
uin	21984
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>In December 2018, the UK Government published its Resources and Waste Strategy. This sets out how we will achieve a circular economy for plastic and achieve our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Our goal is to maximise resource efficiency and minimise waste (including plastic) - by following the principles of the waste hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – to keep plastic in circulation for longer. We will do this by making producers more responsible for the plastic they make with our incoming Collection and Packaging Reforms.</p><p> </p><p>Simpler Recycling will make recycling clearer and more consistent across England. Local authorities will be required to collect the same materials from households in the following core groups: metal; glass; plastic: paper and card; food waste; garden waste by March 2026 (with plastic film collections being introduced by March 2027). This will reduce confusion with recycling to improve recycling rates, ensuring there is more recycled material in the products we buy, and the UK recycling industry will grow. As well as Simpler Recycling, we are introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and a Deposit Return Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>To tackle the use of virgin plastics, the Government brought in the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, a tax of over £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. We have since increased the tax to £217.85 per tonne and will continue to monitor the situation and adjust accordingly.</p><p> </p><p>There is a growing global demand for recycled plastics, including recycled rigid plastics. For example, IMARC estimates the size of the global plastic recycling market in 2023 to be $42bn and projects it to grow to $62bn by 2032.</p><p> </p><p>With 35% plastic content, the Government earlier this year consulted on measures to reduce the 155,000 tonnes of small electricals that are thrown in the bin annually. The government response will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 24/04/2024 10:18:48 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey

1701286

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	White Fish: Fishing Catches
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which ports will be included in the Pollack Compensation Scheme; and how many vessels will be eligible in each port.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22010
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>It is estimated that approximately 50 vessels will be eligible for the compensation scheme. The home ports of eligible vessels are being verified by MMO, and the majority are expected to be registered in Newlyn, Plymouth and Brixham. MMO will be reaching out to eligible vessel owners in the coming days, when we will be able to confirm the home ports of those eligible for the scheme.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 16:56:37 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1701287

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	White Fish: Fishing Catches
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of providing support to small scale fleets that follow a seasonal fishery and will not achieve the 30 per cent of landings value required by the Pollack compensation scheme.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22011
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>The direction given was to support those businesses that have been most impacted by the bycatch-only TAC this year. As there is finite funding available, the pollack compensation scheme is focused on providing funding to vessel owners whose income is mainly derived from pollack and who made at least 30% of their reported landings income in 2023 from pollack.</p><p> </p><p>Pollack fishers who are not eligible for compensation are still able to apply for grant funding from the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, which provides funding on a first come first served basis.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 17:02:34 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1701295

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	White Fish: Fishing Catches
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 his Ministerial Direction in relation to a pollack compensation scheme, published on 10 April 2024, whether he received legal advice on the potential for this scheme to set a precedent.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22012
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>Legal advice was sought ahead of the Direction to provide support to commercially registered vessel owners who were reliant on pollack for at least 30% of their reported landings income in 2023.</p><p> </p><p>This is a unique situation; unlike other zero TAC stocks, there are some vessels that only target pollack, for whom a bycatch-only TAC could not help and whom are in some cases, highly dependent on pollack for their living.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 17:08:40 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1701298

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	White Fish: Fishing Catches
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 estimate he has made of the cost of the Pollack compensation scheme; and how his Department plans to fund this scheme.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22013
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>Using MMO landings data from 2023, approximately 50 vessels would be eligible for the scheme. In 2023 these vessels landed around 220 tonnes of pollack, with a value of around £800,000. Compensating for 50% of the 2023 value would cost around £400,000. This data is being verified by MMO.</p><p> </p><p>Funding for the compensation will be found from Defra’s existing budget.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 17:18:17 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1701299

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	White Fish: Fishing Catches
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 Pollack compensation scheme, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of compensating for shore-based supply chain losses as part of that scheme.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22014
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>The direction given was to support those vessel owners that have been most impacted by the bycatch only TAC this year. As there is finite funding available, the pollack compensation scheme is focused on providing funding to vessel owners whose income is mainly derived from pollack and who made at least 30% of their reported landings income in 2023 from pollack.</p><p> </p><p>Shore based businesses, though not eligible for compensation, are still able to apply for grant funding from the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, which provides funding on a first come first served basis.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 16:56:05 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1701300

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	White Fish: Fishing Catches
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 vessels under eight metres in length are eligible for the pollack compensation scheme.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	22015
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>According to the most up to date MMO landings data for 2023, there are 34 vessels under eight metres in length eligible for the compensation scheme. As there is finite funding available, the pollack compensation scheme is focused on providing funding to vessel owners whose income is mainly derived from pollack and who made at least 30% of their reported landings income in 2023 from pollack. The MMO are currently verifying data and will reach out to eligible vessel owners in the coming days. Fishers who believe they meet the requirements of this scheme but have not heard from MMO by Monday 29<sup>th</sup> April 2024 should contact MMO by sending an email to <a href="mailto:UKFisheriesSupport@marinemanagement.org.uk" target="_blank">UKFisheriesSupport@marinemanagement.org.uk</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 16:18:28 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1700737

registered interest
date	15/04/2024
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of flooding on farmland on the likelihood of food shortages and loss of farm income.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL3773
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market with the value of commodities established by those in the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>The recent prolonged period of wet weather has impacted the UK arable and livestock sectors in several ways. These include late/limited planting opportunities for arable and horticulture crops; delayed turn out of grazing animals and the associated risk of diseases in keeping animals housed indoors for longer periods than usual, concerns about the potential scarcity and cost of straw; a build-up of stored slurry and reduced application opportunities; and wider concerns about the impact on mental health of farmers. Yields and productivity will also vary depending on individual farmer decisions, region, area and in the case of the arable sector, crop and soil type amongst other factors.</p><p> </p><p>A number of individual farms have clearly been affected by the wet weather. While the current market assessment is that there may be implications over the coming months for certain commodities, particularly in the expected yield and quality of several arable crops this summer/autumn, it is still too early to predict the full impact on domestic food production, especially if the weather improves in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to monitor the on-going situation, working closely with the industry and through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG). The UK AMMG held an interim meeting on 16 April to specifically consider the impacts of the weather on each commodity sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Farming Recovery Fund has been opened to provide farmers support to recover from uninsurable damage with grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return their land to the condition it was before exceptional flooding of Storm Henk. The fund was initially opened in nine English local authority areas where the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated to help farms which have experienced the highest levels of flooding. Eligibility for the Fund is actively under review.</p><p> </p><p>This forms part of a package of support available to farmers through the Flood Recovery Framework, including a grant of up to £2,500 through the Business Recovery Grant Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) sets out an analysis of statistical data relating to food security, fulfilling the duty in the Agriculture Act 2020 to present a report on food security to Parliament at least once every three years. It examines trends relevant to food security to present the best available understanding. The report was last published in December 2021 and will next be published by December 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Starting this year, we are strengthening our food security monitoring by producing the Annual Food Security Index. This will complement the UKFSR with a shorter and more regular report. The first version will be published at the Farm to Fork Summit in the Spring.</p><p> </p><p>The next UKFSR, which will be published later this year, will include analysis on the risk of flooding to food security as part of its assessment of longer-term climate-related trends.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller grouped question UIN HL3774 HL3775 question first answered 24/04/2024 13:45:13 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering