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1689263

registered interest
date	16/02/2024
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	Agriculture: Government Assistance
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 has taken to support the agriculture sector in the context of changing immigration rules.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	14186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2024 answer text <p>Defra continues to speak regularly with the agriculture sector and other Government departments to understand labour supply and demand, including both seasonal and permanent workforce requirements.</p><p> </p><p>To reduce the risk of seasonal labour shortages in horticulture and the poultry sector, the Government announced last May that there would be 45,000 Seasonal Worker visas for the horticulture sector in 2024, with a further 2,000 for seasonal poultry workers in the autumn, ensuring these sectors can plan their workforce needs for the year ahead with confidence. This provides sufficient visas for growers to access all the workers they need, and if more visas are necessary within the year an additional 10,000 could be released.</p><p> </p><p>The Skilled Worker route remains open to all nationals who wish to come to the UK for a skilled job they have been offered. We have broadened the skill and salary thresholds to include medium skilled jobs and the route now covers 60% of jobs in the economy. This strikes an appropriate balance between allowing employers access to the skills our economy needs and encouraging investment in the resident workforce. In addition, the agricultural sector can continue to draw on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status, and EU nationals who have settled status can continue to travel to the UK to work in the agriculture sector.</p><p> </p><p>To help inform future decisions on labour, Defra commissioned John Shropshire to carry out an Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain, considering how automation, domestic labour and migrant labour could contribute to tackling labour shortages in our sectors. This report was published on 30 June 2023 and the Government response is expected to be published shortly.</p><p> </p><p>At the same time as the response, the Government will set out how it will support the sector to access the labour it needs alongside actions to reduce the sector’s reliance on migrant labour including via our work on automation and promoting domestic labour procurement and training.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/02/2024 13:29:28 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1689264

registered interest
date	16/02/2024
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	Agriculture: Energy and Inflation
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 with Cabinet colleagues to provide additional support for (a) energy and (b) inflationary costs for the agriculture sector.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	14187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>The Energy Bills Discount Scheme provides all eligible businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a baseline discount on high energy bills for 12 months from April 2023 until 31 March 2024. A higher level of support is provided to some Energy and Trade Intensive Industries that are particularly exposed to energy cost increases due to their energy and trade intensity and are therefore less able to pass these costs through to their customers due to international competition.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Tackling inflation is one of this Government’s priorities. While inflation has more than halved, it remains a challenge, which is why we continue to monitor all key agricultural commodities and work with the food industry to address the challenges they face. The UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade, and recent developments.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is supporting farmers through a range of measures. In recognition of the challenges faced with inflation and rising input costs, we are updating prices in our environmental land management schemes with an average 10% uplift. We are making the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) simpler, with more choice about what farmers can do and more actions made available, to better reflect the full spectrum of farming interests. What is more, 50 new actions are being added to our environmental land management schemes, many of which support food production, making it easier for the Government’s support to fit into farmers’ business plans. Specific actions in the SFI, such as different cropping systems, better plant management methods and other Nutrient Management and Integrated Pest Management actions, will support farmers in improving soil health, reducing their reliance on costly inputs.</p><p> </p><p>We are also keen to support farmers through technology to help them lower their costs. More grants will be launched this year to help farmers grow more, sell more and make their businesses more sustainable and resilient for the future. We will also look at ways to make grants and schemes even easier to access, including the potential to streamline the application process for schemes. Farmers can now apply for SFI and the Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier through one single application, meaning they will have the same actions and get the same support with less paperwork.</p><p> </p><p>Full expensing, which was made permanent at Autumn Statement 2023, allows companies to claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments (for example, high tech agricultural equipment) in the year the expenditure is incurred. The Government announced at Spring Budget 2024 that we will seek to extend full expensing to assets for leasing when fiscal conditions allow and will publish draft legislation shortly.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to keep this all under review to make sure it works for and rewards all farms in all parts of the country.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/03/2024 13:30:32 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1689265

registered interest
date	16/02/2024
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	Agriculture: Subsidies
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 future multi-annual farming support funding is given in seven-year blocks.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	14188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2024 answer text <p>The farming budget is set through UK government funding settlements which typically cover 3-5 year period.</p><p> </p><p>Environmental land management agreements are funded over different time periods, retaining flexibility for farmers within our offers, with options for longer agreements where farmers want or need those.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/02/2024 13:25:50 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1689266

registered interest
date	16/02/2024
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	Agriculture: Subsidies
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 guarantee funding for farming subsidies after 2025.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	14189
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2024 answer text <p>Defra has guaranteed the annual budget for the farming sector for the life of this Parliament. Future budgets will be decided by future governments.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/02/2024 13:22:45 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1688586

registered interest
date	08/02/2024
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	Electronic Cigarettes
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 has taken to develop a detailed timeline for the roll-out of a ban on disposable vapes.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	13826
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>Defra is currently developing the timeline for the ban on the sale and supply of disposable vapes and is engaging with devolved administrations across the UK as well as relevant enforcement agencies to ensure successful rollout. Any legislation taken forward will allow for an implementation period of at least six months, which takes into consideration concerns that industry will require time to adapt.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 19/02/2024 10:10:50 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1688587

registered interest
date	08/02/2024
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	Electronic Cigarettes: 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, whether his Department has made an assessment of the scale of the environmental impact of disposable vapes.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	13827
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>When littered, disposable vapes can introduce plastic, nicotine salts, heavy metals, lead, mercury, and flammable lithium-ion batteries into the natural environment. These items and substances contaminate waterways and soil, posing a risk to the environment and animal health. Defra commissioned external research to further understand the environmental harms of disposable vapes, which is published <a href="https://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/ProjectDetails?ProjectId=21447" target="_blank">online</a>. The objectives of this report included understanding the UK single-use vape market, disposal methods, environmental impacts and other international approaches to regulating vapes.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 19/02/2024 09:52:16 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1688588

registered interest
date	08/02/2024
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	Electronic Cigarettes
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 discussions he has had with the (a) Scottish and (b) Welsh governments on ensuring the interoperability of a ban on disposable vapes.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	13828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>Following the consultation on creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping, the recently published government response confirmed that the UK Government intends to bring forward legislation as soon as possible to ban the supply and ban of disposable vapes in England. Scotland and Wales also confirmed they intend to bring forward similar legislation and Northern Ireland is considering next steps following the consultation. We are in regular discussions with the devolved administrations on these proposals.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore grouped question UIN 13324 question first answered 19/02/2024 09:55:07 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1671790

registered interest
date	21/11/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Palestinians
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a resettlement scheme for Palestinian refugees.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	2982
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2023 answer text <p>Since 2015, over half a million people were offered safe and legal routes into the UK. This includes over 28.600 individuals resettled to the UK under our global resettlement schemes. We continue to provide the most vulnerable refugees in need of protection a route to safety directly from regions of conflict and instability through these schemes, which include the UK Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement scheme. This represents one of the most generous resettlement offers in the UK's history. However, the U.K. only has finite capacity. We cannot provide a safe and legal route for every conflict in the world.</p><p>There are no plans to introduce bespoke arrangements for people arriving from the region, and we are not considering establishing a separate route for Palestinians to come to the UK. Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK and do not have a current UK visa, can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. The UK's efforts are focussed on ensuring aid reaches those who need in most. The Prime Minister announced on Monday 23 October that the UK will provide a further £20 million of humanitarian aid for civilians. This latest funding is in addition to the £10 million of aid announced by the Prime Minister last week.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 29/11/2023 17:31:44 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1668493

registered interest
date	08/11/2023
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: Women
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 proportion of SCS2 civil servants on full-time equivalent contracts in her Department are women.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	933
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2023 answer text <p>In 2022/23 more than half of new entrants to the Civil Service were women (54.1%). In 2021/22 51.6% of new entrants and 53.9% of promotions to the Senior Civil Service were women.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of Senior Civil Servants graded as SCS 2 in the department as of 30 September 2023, excluding arm’s length bodies, is 50%. The proportion was calculated by the number of female staff at Payband 2 (Director) and working full-time divided by the total number of staff at the department at Payband 2 (where sex is known).</p><p> </p><p>Monitoring of annual diversity statistics and recruitment data takes place to understand and evaluate progress in improving recruitment outcomes for protected characteristics.</p><p> </p><p>During recruitment, the department uses the Civil Service Success Profiles methodology which assesses candidates across several elements, allowing candidates to demonstrate their skills and experience. Some roles, given their nature, do still require a formal qualification. Sifting is anonymised and we use recruitment panels, to mitigate against bias.</p><p> </p><p>The department supports the Care Leaver programme as part of our career entry offer. This programme brings in young people who have been in Care and helps them gain experience of work, with a view to securing employment.</p><p> </p><p>There are a range of cross-Government leadership development opportunities available for women in the department, including but not limited to conferences, talent pipeline schemes and talent programmes. Participation in these development opportunities is actively encouraged throughout the department.</p><p> </p><p>The department also supports diverse working patterns and work life balance through a range of HR policies, including but not limited to policies on flexible working, special leave, parental leave, menopause and menstruation, pregnancy loss, and parental bereavement.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 22/11/2023 09:57:30 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar

1663723

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
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: Women
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 proportion of SCS2 civil servants on full-time equivalent contracts in her Department are women.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Steven Bonnar
uin	201576
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 26/10/2023 11:09:30 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4748 label Biography information for Steven Bonnar