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 question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1104816

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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	Polar Bears
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 banning the import of polar bear trophies into the UK.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	236523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government takes the conservation of species seriously.</p><p> </p><p>Polar bears are one of the six species that are protected by stricter import controls at EU level. An import permit will only be issued if no detrimental impact on the survival of the species is demonstrated and the item has been obtained from a legal and sustainable hunting operation. Internationally, we are working hard to make sure hunting does not jeopardise the survival of the species.</p><p> </p><p>We are looking carefully at the issue and have previously commissioned research by Professor McDonald on trophy hunting in relation to lion conservation. Lessons from that research can be applied to other species, including polar bears. We also plan to hold a roundtable discussion with organisations from all sides of the debate in order to gain a better understanding of the issues as well as consider further scientific advice.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/04/2019 16:12:05 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1105031

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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
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 Department's 24 September 2018 press release, and to the establishment of the marine protected area around Ascension Island, what further steps he is taking to ensure that 30 per cent of the world's oceans are protected by 2030.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	236352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>At the United Nations General Assembly last September, the UK Government called for 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected within Marine Protected Areas by 2030. We are working both domestically and internationally to achieve this goal.</p><p> </p><p>At home, we already have 314 marine protected sites, covering 24% of UK waters. In addition, we have consulted on a further 41 Marine Conservation Zones. Sites to be designated will be in place by 7 June. Around the UK Overseas Territories, including Ascension Island, we are on track to deliver over 4 million km2 of protected ocean by 2020. Overall more than 50% of all UK waters are set to be in Marine Protected Areas.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2019 Spring Statement, the UK Government announced that it is backing an Ascension Island bid to protect 100% of its offshore waters. Ascension Island plans to designate over 445,00km<sup>2</sup> of its waters as a fully protected no-take Marine Protected Area.</p><p> </p><p>Internationally, the UK is working together with key stakeholders and other countries to secure agreement to a new global 30by30 target to be included as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 agenda for agreement at the Convention of Parties in China in 2020. Agreement of the new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction is crucial for this target to be achieved. The UK is pushing hard for the new agreement to be completed in 2020.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/04/2019 16:10:02 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1105040

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2019 to Question 232542 on Animal Welfare: Sentencing, whether bringing forward legislative proposals is a priority for his Department; and what the timeframe is for the introduction of those legislative proposals.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	236361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and the Government has announced that it will increase the custodial maximum penalty for animal cruelty from 6 months’ to 5 years’ imprisonment as soon as Parliamentary time allows.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 28/03/2019 17:07:34 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1104856

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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 plans his Department has for changes to sheep ageing methods to control transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	236539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>We are currently considering whether there are options for implementing a change to the method for ageing sheep in relation to control of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.</p><p> </p><p>However, under EU rules, legal advice is that alternative methods to the accepted method of ageing by dentition may not be available to the UK as a third country if we leave the EU without a deal and wish to continue to export sheep meat to the EU.</p><p> </p><p>We are aware of the concerns from the sheep sector about this and will keep the sector updated on our plans, taking account of developments with regard to our departure from the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 01/04/2019 08:41:15 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1104857

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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
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 new entrants to the (a) farming and (b) crofting sectors.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	236540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/03/2019 answer text <p>It is a key priority of this Government to enable an innovative, productive and competitive agricultural and horticultural sector.</p><p>Attracting young talent into agricultural and horticultural careers and having a skilled workforce in place is vital for the future of UK food and farming.</p><p>The Government is working with industry bodies, such as the Food and Drink Sector Council, to raise awareness of agriculture as an exciting and attractive career path and to improve access to the talent and skills required by the industry.</p><p>The Government is reforming post-16 technical education to provide clear routes to skilled employment in agriculture and other sectors. A key part of this is the introduction of new T levels programmes, which alongside apprenticeships, will sit within 15 routes, including an Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care route.</p><p>We are also exploring how to help Local Authorities with council farm estates and other organisations and landowners who want to invest in providing more opportunities for new farmers to start a foundation business and gain the experience they need to progress onto a larger unit.</p><p>As agriculture is a devolved matter the question on crofting will need to be asked of the Scottish Government.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 29/03/2019 12:07:49 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1104861

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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: Trade Agreements
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 will take to ensure that standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection are not lowered in future trade deals.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	236541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/03/2019 answer text <p>The current regulatory framework for food and feed safety is well established and designed to protect the public’s health. Any future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK. We will maintain our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals. The Withdrawal Act will transfer onto the UK statute book all EU food safety and animal welfare standards. Our current high standards, including import requirements, will apply when we leave the EU. We will remain global leaders in environmental protection and animal welfare standards, maintaining our high quality produce for British consumers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 29/03/2019 12:14:08 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley

1104802

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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	Poultry: China
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 the Government is taking to progress trade opportunities with China in poultry meat and breeding stock.
tabling member constituency	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
tabling member printed	Angus Brendan MacNeil
uin	236416
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2019 answer text <p>China is a priority market for UK food and drink exports and Defra has been working closely with the UK poultry industry and the Department for International Trade, including with colleagues in Beijing, to identify and develop trade opportunities in the poultry sector.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently unable to export poultry to China due to a ban which China imposed following outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that occurred in the UK in poultry from 2014-2017. We have achieved a number of positive steps towards lifting the ban, including the UK being recognised as officially free from HPAI by the World Organisation for Animal Health (the OIE) since September 2017. The UK also successfully hosted a Chinese inspection visit of Avian Influenza controls in the UK during September 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst the ban remains in place, the Chinese inspection report was positive with regards to the strength of our HPAI controls. We will continue to work across Government and with industry to enable the ban to be lifted.</p><p> </p><p>Once the ban is lifted, we can progress to resuming live exports of poultry, which was an open export market prior to the implementation of the ban.</p><p> </p><p>Following re-opening of pre-existing trade, we can then undertake the longer process of opening a brand new market for the poultry sector, namely poultry meat exports. We will look to build on the successful visit in September 2018 of the UK AI controls to aid in providing the reassurance to China to open this new market, which would extend the range of poultry products available for UK industry to export to China.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 28/03/2019 14:39:53 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	1546 label Biography information for Angus Brendan MacNeil

1104804

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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	Poultry: USA
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 ensure that standards of poultry welfare are maintained in a potential future trade agreement with the US.
tabling member constituency	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
tabling member printed	Angus Brendan MacNeil
uin	236418
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government is proud of the high food safety and animal welfare standards that underpin our high-quality Great British produce. The UK will maintain its high standards as part of any future free trade agreements.</p><p> </p><p>The Withdrawal Act transfers onto the UK statute book all EU food safety and animal welfare standards including the ban on production and importation of chlorinated chicken. Our current high standards, including import requirements, will apply when we leave the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 01/04/2019 08:39:13 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	1546 label Biography information for Angus Brendan MacNeil

1104914

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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	African Swine Fever
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 made an estimate of the economic effect of an outbreak of African swine flu in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	236258
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department has estimated that the economic effect of a reasonable worst case scenario outbreak of African swine fever could cost the UK up to £90m at 2018 prices. This total estimate includes costs to industry from lost and culled livestock, costs to Government from control activities and lost value of trade.</p><p> </p><p>While this estimate represents an informed assessment of the potential impact of an outbreak, exact costs would be determined by a large number of factors including geographic location, the husbandry system, epidemiology of the outbreak and whether wildlife were involved.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 01/04/2019 08:44:33 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1104839

registered interest
date	25/03/2019
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	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 recent estimate he has made of the amount of surplus food produced in the UK; what the (a) sources and (b) destinations were of those surplus stocks; and how that estimate was calculated.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	236317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2019 answer text <p>The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that 43,000 tonnes of surplus food was redistributed in 2017. Retail (41%) and manufacturing (54%) provided the bulk of the surplus food redistributed with the remainder mainly from the hospitality and food service sector.</p><p> </p><p>Charitable organisations redistributed 21,000 tonnes while commercial operators dealt with around 22,000 tonnes.</p><p> </p><p>Data was collected by WRAP in an annual survey of major organisations whose primary business is redistribution of surplus food.</p><p> </p><p>In October 2018, the Secretary of State announced a £15m pilot fund for 2019/20 to support the further redistribution of surplus food and reduce food waste.</p><p> </p><p>We are looking to make announcements on the successful applicants to the first tranche of funding shortly and announce new opportunities for funding in the next few months.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 28/03/2019 14:56:09 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead