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1140943

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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	Dutch Elm Disease: 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 steps the Government is taking to (a) support local authorities managing and tackling elm disease and (b) ensure that Brighton and Hove City Council has adequate support to protect the National Elm Collection in the city.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	280285
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Landowners are responsible for managing the trees on their land. All Local Authorities, including Brighton and Hove, have been provided with the legislative powers necessary to safeguard the nation’s elm population and prevent the spread of elm disease. These powers are set out in the Dutch Elm Disease (Local Authorities) Order 1984. They allow officers (appointed by the Local Authority) who suspect the presence of this disease to enter any land to inspect trees and take samples, and where disease is present, to take action to eradicate it. Government has a strong risk-based biosecurity response to reduce the pest and disease risk to trees involving comprehensive international and domestic surveillance, stringent border biosecurity, robust contingency plans and world leading research. Government invests over £30million per year on our plant health service.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Richmond Park answering member printed Zac Goldsmith question first answered 09/09/2019 13:32:17 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1141407

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2019
	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 Supply
	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 legal responsibility of local authorities to provide food in a time of crisis extends to (a) children, (b) people on a low income, (c) elderly people, (d) disabled people and (e) housebound people.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	281010
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2019 answer text <p>Food is a critical national infrastructure sector and Defra has lead Government department oversight of responsibility for food supply in England. The policy is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the constitutional settlement.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is not responsible for the supply of food and drink to the population in an emergency, and the expertise, capability and levers to plan for and respond to food supply disruption lie within the industry. However, we have well established relationships with the food and drink sectors, and we work collaboratively with the food industry and across Government to support coherent and robust industry contingency planning and response in the event of an incident situation. The food industry is experienced in dealing with scenarios that can affect food supply.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities do not have a general duty to provide food but have duties to provide food to particular groups in particular circumstances, including schools and care settings. Public sector food provision for specific sectors is led by the relevant Government departments. Defra works with lead Departments (including DfE, DHSC and MoJ) to support their contingency planning for food supply to public services. Defra’s role involves providing advice and support to these departments who in turn work with their public services to ensure that supply is resilient.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to a strong safety net for those who need it, which is why this Government continues to spend over £90 billion a year on welfare benefits.</p> answering member constituency Richmond Park answering member printed Zac Goldsmith question first answered 06/09/2019 14:02:23 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1151433

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2019
	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	Horse Racing: Animal Welfare
	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 comparative assessment she has made of the number of racehorse fatalities (a) in the first nine months of 2019 and (b) in the same period in 2018; what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the British Horseracing Authority in reducing annual levels of racehorse fatalities; and with reference to the Answer of 16 April 2019 to Question 242198 on Horse Racing: Animal Welfare, what recent discussions officials in her Department have had with the British Horseracing Authority.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	3670
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2019 answer text <p>The official annual statistics on fatality rates are published on the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) website, in an approach endorsed by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. We would expect the fatality rates for 2019 to be published by BHA in the New Year. Officials regularly meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including the BHA.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Richmond Park answering member printed Zac Goldsmith question first answered 30/10/2019 14:08:57 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1151434

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2019
	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	Horse Racing: Animal Welfare
	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 she will make it her policy to set up new independent welfare body to protect race horses from abuse.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	3671
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2019 answer text <p>The Horse Welfare Board (HWB) was formed in March 2019 and is currently developing a comprehensive equine welfare strategy, covering the whole life of the racehorse, which will be published in the coming months. The Government will stay in regular contact with the industry and the new HWB. We will continue to press them for improvements in racehorse welfare and a reduction in the number of fatalities.</p> answering member constituency Richmond Park answering member printed Zac Goldsmith question first answered 30/10/2019 14:05:41 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1176843

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2020
	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	Trees: Imports
	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 procedures are in place to ensure that invasive tree pests and diseases are not imported on trees for plantation; whether additional steps will be taken to improve biosecurity after the transition period; and what biosecurity standards to prevent the import of invasive tree pests and diseases will be applied to new free trade deals that the UK agrees with (a) the US and (b) other countries.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	13453
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2020 answer text <p>The UK has robust controls in place to protect against tree pest and disease threats. These include being the most prolific user of the EU Protected Zone system, comprehensive official inspections and surveillance, and a statutory notification scheme for certain tree species imported from the EU. The UK operates under WTO obligations and will apply the EU Plant Health Regulation (which came into force in December 2019) until the end of the Transition Period. This risk-based regime prohibits or controls the import of high risk plants and planting material from third countries. The UK frequently uses national measures to enhance these biosecurity provisions. Horizon scanning for any new and emerging threats associated with tree imports is carried out continuously and the results are considered monthly by all UK Plant Health Authorities, facilitated by the Defra chaired UK Plant Health Risk Group. The UK Plant Health Risk Register (UKPHRR) is the principal screening tool used for this purpose and all outputs are published. The UKPHRR now has over 1000 entries (300 of which can impact trees), informing decision making and prioritisation in relation to tree health threats. UK legislation is updated on a frequent basis to protect against new and revised threats.</p><p> </p><p>After the Transition Period, the UK will continue with our risk based approach to maintain strong biosecurity protections. We will maintain our own autonomous sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regime to protect plant health and the environment, reflecting our existing high standards. The UK will introduce import controls on EU goods at the border and will continue to have controls on other third country goods. This will allow the UK to keep our borders safe and bio-secure.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is proud of its world-leading biosecurity standards. We will not lower our standards nor put the UK’s biosecurity at risk as we negotiate new trade deals. We are already considering what additional measures it might now be appropriate to introduce against key threats such as <em>Xylella fastidiosa</em> and the Emerald ash borer. In planning for all scenarios, we have always had three key objectives: to maintain current high levels of UK plant health biosecurity; to maintain the flow of goods at the border; and to minimise impacts on businesses.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 18/02/2020 14:31:42 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1183064

	registered interest
	date	05/03/2020
	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	Natural England: Public Appointments
	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 the timetable is for the appointment of a permanent chief executive at Natural England.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	25644
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>The Cabinet office advertisement for the vacancy of Natural England Chief Executive closed on Friday 6 March. Sifting and candidate assessments are expected through March and Natural England plan to complete interviews early April 2020. A decision will be made shortly afterwards and the permanent Chief Executive should be in post as soon as possible, dependent on contractual arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 09/03/2020 16:35:34 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1185529

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2020
	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	Trade Agreements: Standards
	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's policy that trade negotiations will not compromise environmental and food standards includes no weakening of current UK pesticides standards relating to (a) maximum residue levels for currently approved pesticide active substances, (b) bans on food being imported into the UK which contains detectable residues of currently unauthorised active substances, (c) authorisation of new active substances and (d) maintaining existing bans on active substances including the ban on the three neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	29962
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2020 answer text <p>The UK is proud of its world-leading food, health and animal welfare standards. We will not compromise on our standards nor put the UK’s biosecurity at risk as we negotiate new trade deals. Any trade agreements must respect the regulatory autonomy of both parties. Now that we have left the EU, the UK will operate an autonomous Sanitary and Phytosanitary regime, which covers the regulation of pesticides, to uphold our existing high standards.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government and devolved administrations have assured stakeholders that we will maintain current standards of environmental and health protection. Our EU exit legislation has carried across unchanged all of the statutory requirements of the EU regime relating to standards of protection, maximum residue level and approval of active substances. We will continue to ensure that decisions on the use of pesticides are based on careful scientific assessment of the risks, with the aim of achieving a high level of protection for people and the environment.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to draw on the considerable scientific and technical expertise of the Health and Safety Executive which will continue to operate as our expert national regulator on behalf of the UK Government and the devolved administrations. This puts the UK in a strong position in terms of having the necessary capacity and expertise to be able to take its own independent decisions after the transition period. There is a comprehensive Government programme of monitoring of pesticide residues in food, including imports, to determine whether food available to UK consumers complies with the statutory residue levels and is safe. The results of this monitoring are published following consideration by the Defra Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food. We will not compromise on these standards in our trade negotiations.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 24/03/2020 15:33:50 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1185530

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2020
	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	Pesticides
	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 a significant reduction in pesticide use will be required to meet the Government’s targets set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	29963
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p>The Government is clear that it is right to minimise the use of pesticides and is committed to putting Integrated Pest Management at the heart of its approach, to make the greatest possible use of alternative pest and disease control methods in support of sustainable farming and land management. This will support the goals and targets of our 25 Year Environment Plan.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 23/03/2020 13:39:22 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1188286

	registered interest
	date	20/04/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	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 Government advice on Public Health England’s healthy eating EATWELL plate informs (a) food purchasing during the covid-19 outbreak (b) food supply chains.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	37563
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>In the United Kingdom, the national food model, the Eatwell Guide (EG), provides a visual representation of Government recommendations on a healthy balanced diet.</p><p> </p><p>The EG and associated messaging is promoted through a range of existing channels including: the NHS.UK website, the GOV.UK website, and the Government’s national social marketing campaigns Change4Life and OneYou. The principles of the guide also underpin Government guidance and tools including the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services and Public Health England’s catering guidance.</p><p> </p><p>The food industry has been working hard to keep food including fresh produce flowing into stores and people’s houses. The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. We have regular engagement with industry who are continuing to monitor the situation closely, taking the necessary steps to address issues where they arise. Following a significant spike in consumer demand, we have now seen stock levels in supermarkets improve. To support the food sector, the Government temporarily relaxed competition law and regulations relating to driver hours and delivery times so that the sector could work together to keep putting food on the shelves.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 28/04/2020 14:55:39 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1188288

	registered interest
	date	20/04/2020
	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: Coronavirus
	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 representatives of (a) civil society organisations, (b) consumer groups, (c) public health organisations and (d) local authorities on ensuring people on low incomes have adequate access to nutritionally healthy food during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	37564
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>Defra officials are working closely with a) frontline food charities such as the Trussell Trust and FareShare; charities supporting the vulnerable such as Age UK and disabled charities; b) Citizen’s Advice Bureau; c) NHS England, Alzheimer’s Society and Kidney Care UK and d) Local Authorities and the Local Government Association; Local Resilience Forums made up of representatives from local public services, including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, and the Environment Agency. We are also engaging with supermarkets and with distribution companies such as Brakes and Bidfoods.</p><p> </p><p>We are remaining in regular contact with our stakeholders to identify the issues faced by people on low incomes in accessing nutritionally healthy food during the COVID-19 crisis, and to build intelligence in order to better inform the design of the scheme. Our regular stakeholder Forum totals 111 individuals from 62 voluntary and community sector organisations, universities and local authorities, plus representatives from DCMS, Defra, DfE, DHSC, DWP, MHCLG and the NHS.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State and Minister Victoria Prentis have personally engaged with the Trussell Trust. In addition, Minister Prentis has met with FareShare.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 28/04/2020 16:47:08 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas