The UK was influential in the drafting of the Greek Presidency\u2019s \u2018state of play\u2019 report, presented at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of Ministers meeting on 16/17 June, which was intended to guide the Commission when revising its proposals.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T15:12:43.1424098Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plants: EU Action"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what input they have had into the redrafting of the proposed European Union Plant Reproductive Material legislation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer"} ], "uin" : "HL2168"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93745", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93745/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government did not think that the European Commission\u2019s original proposals made appropriate provisions to protect the interests of UK gardeners, allotment holders and seed producers, and negotiated accordingly in the Council Working Party. However, these proposals have since been rejected by the European Parliament and we await a Commission redraft.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T15:14:01.9152355Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plants: EU Action"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they consider that the current wording of the European Union Plant Reproductive Material legislation will enable them to protect home gardeners and allotment holders as well as United Kingdom seed producers' interests and the United Kingdom's diverse seed heritage.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer"} ], "uin" : "HL2169"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93746", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93746/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing is implemented in the European Union through a directly applicable EU Regulation, which was agreed in April 2014. The EU Regulation will come into force in full 12 months after the Nagoya Protocol to allow time for the necessary implementation by the EU Member States. With the Protocol entering into force in October 2014, the UK Government is currently considering responses to its consultation on implementation and also awaiting publication by the European Commission of draft Implementing Acts to provide further detail on the EU Regulation. UK measures will be put in place to implement the EU Regulation and the Implementing Acts via Statutory Instrument (SI). Finalisation of both the EU Implementing Acts and the UK SI is expected by October 2015. The UK will be able to ratify the Nagoya Protocol once the UK SI is in place.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T17:35:32.5879052Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Convention on Biological Diversity"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they have ratified the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October 2010; and, if not, when they expect to do so.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer"} ], "uin" : "HL2170"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93693", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93693/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government considers the Living Planet Report an interesting contribution to increasing our understanding of the scale of the challenge facing species internationally but has made no formal assessment of its findings.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Internationally, we frame our work on biodiversity under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity\u2019s (CBD) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. A comprehensive assessment, the Fourth Global Biodiversity Outlook, was published at the recent 12th Conference of the Parties to the CBD. This reported significant progress towards meeting some components of the majority of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. However, in most cases, additional action will be required to meet the targets by 2020. The Parties agreed to take comprehensive and urgent measures to ensure the full implementation of the Strategic Plan, including through the development and implementation of their national biodiversity strategies and action plans.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government helps achieve these global targets internationally through elements of Overseas Development Aid (particularly forest protection through the International Climate Fund and contributions to the Global Environment Facility) and through direct and financial support for various international agreements including the CBD, the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Darwin Initiative provides up to £6 million bi-lateral funding annually for developing countries to help meet their obligations under these international agreements, improve biodiversity and natural environment management and reduce poverty; and up to £2 million annually from the Darwin Plus fund for projects in the UK\u2019s Overseas Territories.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The UK Government is also taking a leading role in global efforts to end the illegal wildlife trade. In December 2013, we announced a £10 million funding package to support efforts in developing countries to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife products. In February 2014 we hosted a high-level international conference for leaders from over 40 nations. This resulted in the London Conference Declaration, containing 25 commitments to action on enforcement and criminal justice, demand reduction and sustainable livelihoods.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Domestically, the Government set out its response to the CBD\u2019s Strategic Plan in \u201cBiodiversity 2020: A strategy for England\u2019s wildlife and ecosystem services\u201d, which aims to halt overall biodiversity loss by 2020. The strategy includes a commitment to achieve an overall improvement in the status of our wildlife and to prevent further human-induced extinctions of known threatened species.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
It will be for Parties to CITES to decide how that Convention should respond to the Living Planet Report and other information about the status of species, which may be reflected in future proposals to list endangered species under the Convention.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T16:10:22.7615421Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nature Conservation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the World Wide Fund for Nature Living Planet Report 2014<\/i>; what proposals they have to halt the destruction of species; and what they consider to be implications of the findings of that report for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/497", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Blencathra"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Blencathra"}
], "uin" : "HL2122"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93709", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93709/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Hunting Act 2004 prohibits all hunting of wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales, apart from the tightly drawn exemptions set out in the Act.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government\u2019s policy is that we will bring forward a motion with a free vote before the House of Commons on whether the Hunting Act 2004 should be repealed when Parliamentary time allows.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-27T16:35:37.3973891Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hunting"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what is their policy with regard to the hunting of wild animals with dogs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3703", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Royall of Blaisdon"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Royall of Blaisdon"} ], "uin" : "HL2138"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93716", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93716/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Local partners in Somerset are developing a plan for a new Somerset Rivers Board. The Secretary of State is in close contact with local partners about progress on the formation of the Board. The Somerset Flood Action Plan, available online, states \u201cInitial proposals [are] to be developed by [the] end [of] 2014 with new structures and funding operational from 2015/16, subject to any necessary legislative changes<\/em>\u201d.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-21T16:09:33.9385342Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Rivers: Somerset"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 26 September (HL1785), when the proposed Somerset Rivers Board will be (1) formed, and (2) functioning.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL2145"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92757", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92757/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has reviewed the status of the World Heritage Site as part of its responsibilities since the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (\u201cKew\u201d) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Sites on the World Heritage List are of outstanding universal value to humanity and for the conservation of mankind's cultural and natural heritage. Kew was included as a result of its scientific and economic exchanges throughout the world; contribution to scientific advances; outstanding examples of landscape gardens; and the edifices created by celebrated artists.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> UNESCO requires all sites to have a comprehensive Management Plan. Management Plans are generally revised every five years or so. These identify what is important in a World Heritage Site, the threats to the site, and measures to mitigate them; and set out a strategic vision for the future with time measured action plans. The Kew World Heritage Site Management Plan was last revised in 2011 and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that this met UNESCO\u2019s requirements. Kew, along with other parts of the Government, continues to keep the status of the site under review.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Government support, coupled with Kew\u2019s other income streams, enables Kew to exercise its duty of expert care over its historic assets, which are available as a resource for the nation, and for the benefit of scientific research. One of the Management Plan\u2019s priorities for 2011-2016 is the building maintenance programme with special priority to Temperate House. A major £35 million restoration of Temperate House has begun, for which Defra is underwriting £10 million.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:44:11.3084066Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Royal Botanic Gardens Kew"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what is their assessment of the role of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as a World Heritage Site.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL1993"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92758", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92758/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (\u201cKew\u201d) has a well-deserved global reputation and is widely respected for its pioneering scientific research. The National Heritage Act 1983 defines Kew\u2019s broad objectives and responsibilities, which include scientific research on plants and related subjects; providing related advice, instruction and education; and affording opportunities to the public for the purpose of gaining knowledge.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Defra commissioned an independent review of science at Kew in 2012 to assess the quality, balance, scope, and appropriateness of the programme. This recommended that Kew should develop a clear science strategy and should be very clear where its core strengths lie. Kew\u2019s Director of Science is currently developing a Science Strategy and the results of this should be publicly available in 2015.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The 2012 review noted that Kew showed a good appreciation of the importance of bringing out Kew\u2019s science role to visitors and highlighted the enormous potential for Kew to develop its public awareness and outreach activities. For example, Kew is annually visited by 100,000 children in organised school parties and runs several courses and events per year for the public. Kew is currently reviewing its future plans in relation to its offer to visitors and wider public engagement activity. The aim is to ensure that Kew attracts and engages a larger and wider audience, generates more value from those engagements, and creates a positive impact in relation to public understanding of the importance of plants to everyone\u2019s life.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Defra continues to keep Kew\u2019s performance under review against its Key Performance Indicators, which cover scientific research and visitor numbers, and these are published in Kew\u2019s Annual Report and Accounts.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:41:22.4111484Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Royal Botanic Gardens Kew"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what is their assessment of the role of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as (1) a scientific centre, and (2) an educational and outreach centre.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL1994"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92801", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92801/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The environment is a devolved matter in Wales.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-22T16:13:24.6748111Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Japanese Knotweed: Swansea"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what information they have about Japanese knotweed and other invasive weeds in old industrial areas near Swansea; whether they have received representations about spraying by contractors for the local authority; and if so, whether they will provide guidance on how to control Japanese knotweed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"}
], "uin" : "HL2037"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/91871", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/91871/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK has stated that the Russian Government ban on import on food and agriculture products is totally unjustified and has no legitimate grounds.<\/p> The European Commission, in consultation with Member States, has responded with emergency measures designed to stabilise EU markets and to alleviate the effects of the Russian import ban on producers and businesses. Initially, schemes were introduced to support the growers of peaches and nectarines, the highly perishable fruit and vegetable sectors and the dairy sector.<\/p> The initial support schemes for cheese and fruit and vegetables were withdrawn due to a surge of applications, not all of which related to products directly exported to Russia. The Commission has now implemented a revised scheme for fruit and vegetables, which, unlike its predecessor, is mainly targeted at those Member States (not the UK) with a track record of exports to Russia. In response to calls from some Member States, including the Baltics, the Commission are considering further targeted measures for the dairy sector.<\/p> On fisheries, the UK and some Baltic states are exploring the possibility of banking some of their 2014 fisheries quota for the pelagic sector to be used in 2015.<\/p> The UK has encouraged the EU Commission to focus more attention on access to alternative markets to help offset the problems for European food producers caused by Russia\u2019s recent restrictions. Small businesses can face disproportionately higher trade barriers than larger companies and we have also asked the Commission to see what could be done to cut the red tape that can prevent EU businesses from selling into alternative markets.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-13T16:41:53.2359837Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sanctions: Russia"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
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