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1671979

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2023
	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	Deposit Return Schemes
	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 progress has been made on developing the interoperability criteria for deposit return schemes in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	2862
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2023 answer text <p>In May 2023, the Government published a position statement setting out that deposit return schemes across the UK should be interoperable to reduce complexity for businesses and consumers, and to avoid unnecessary barriers to trade. Defra is working closely with devolved administrations at pace on the next steps to deliver interoperable schemes across the UK. We will be providing updates on this as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 29/11/2023 15:48:54 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1671430

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2023
	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	Seeds: Databases
	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 objectives there are for the OrganicXseeds database; how long the database has been in operation; and how much his Department spent on (a) maintaining the database and (b) producing an annual report of non-organic seed authorisations in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	2577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2023 answer text <p>The UK is legally required to maintain a database listing the varieties of available organic seed or seed potatoes. The regulation detailing that requirement notes that the database should help operators to find organic seed and seed potatoes. The UK database has been in operation since 2004, with a separate database for Northern Ireland going live in 2021 following EU-exit. Since its inception in 2004, Defra has delegated the operation and maintenance of the database, and production of the annual non-organic seed authorisation reports, to the Soil Association. In 2022-23, Defra paid the Soil Association £23,086 + VAT for carrying out those responsibilities.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/11/2023 16:00:54 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1671431

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2023
	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	Agriculture: Seeds
	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 emergency authorisations were granted to certified organic producers to use non-organic seed in each of the last five years; and if he will make an assessment of the reasons for the trend in the number of emergency authorisations granted in that period.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	2578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2023 answer text <p>It is possible for non-organic seed (as part of a mix or entirely non-organic) to be used on certified organic farmland, but only under prescribed circumstances, and with prior authorisation in accordance with regulations. The annual non-organic seed authorisation reports produced by the Soil Association on behalf of Defra details the total number of authorisations in each of the past 5 years as follows:</p><p> </p><ul><li>2022 – 17,314</li><li>2021 – 16,598</li><li>2020 – 13,106</li><li>2019 – 15,783</li><li>2018 – 15,828</li></ul><p> </p><p>In cases where, due to limited availability, a producer cannot source the required seeds in sufficient quantities, the organic regulation allows producers to use non-organic seeds. This is because it is recognised that sometimes, insufficient stocks may be available. Authorisations to use non-organic seed are granted only under specific circumstances and must be obtained in advance of their use. It is also worth highlighting that these authorisations cover all crop species and varieties used by organic farmers within the UK, each with unique variables as to availability of supply. Defra’s engagement with seed suppliers has not highlighted any systemic or structural issues with the supply of organic seed beyond those associated with the well-documented supply chain issues caused by the Covid pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/11/2023 15:58:07 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy