The government believes in improving transparency for the consumer where practical. Within the EU, the UK argued for the extension of Country of Origin Labelling on fresh meats to include pork, poultry, lamb and goat meat which has applied since April 2015. There has been a requirement for Country of Origin labelling on beef since 2000. The UK has also supported Country of Origin Labelling for lightly processed dairy products such as butter and cheese and for lightly processed meat products such as bacon where this does not place unnecessary costs on businesses. We have also supported comprehensive voluntarily schemes, complementing the mandatory rules, covering many processed meat and dairy products. However, leaving the EU gives us an opportunity to consider the scope for further changes to the law in this area.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-21T13:14:55.483Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Origin Marking"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to extend country of origin labelling and related geographical origin protections to dairy and processed meat products after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martyn Day"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Linlithgow and East Falkirk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martyn Day"} ], "uin" : "9812"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/759470", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/759470/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Plan for Public Procurement: Food and Catering Services<\/em> which was published in 2014 already provides UK food businesses with greater access to central government and wider public sector contracts.<\/p> The Plan aims to simplify the public procurement process and open up the market to more SMEs and local producers. It provides a level playing field on which UK producers can compete for the opportunity to supply more of the produce currently supplied from other countries. It includes tools such as the balanced scorecard, to help contracting parties to balance a range of criteria beneficial to the consumer, the environment, and to producers. These criteria include embedding UK production standards, encouraging seasonality of fresh produce and calling for menus which celebrate the provenance of the food. This approach is a UK-led initiative which is not affected by leaving the EU.<\/p> The balanced scorecard approach is mandated for central government departments as existing contracts come up for renewal and it is also strongly encouraged for other public sector bodies. Defra is working closely with buyers and with the industry to ensure they are well prepared to maximise the opportunities.<\/p> The UK\u2019s departure from the EU allows us to re-examine procurement rules to ensure they work in the best interests of UK businesses.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-09-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-09-15T14:59:06.673Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Procurement"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to change regulations to enable local authorities or central government to stipulate that food and drink that is procured centrally must be of local country or UK origin after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martyn Day"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Linlithgow and East Falkirk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martyn Day"}
], "uin" : "9924"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747692", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747692/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Digital Transformation Programme is targeting the redevelopment and improvement of key Defra services to make them easier for customers to interact with the department, and to make cost efficiencies through the use of more modern and flexible technology that is better able to support Defra's services through changing requirements. Different areas of work within the Programme are looking at different services provided by Defra, most of which are already online. However, there are a number of projects and work streams which will deliver reductions of the amount of manual processing on paper. These include:<\/p> <\/p> - Farm Services Management: through the roll-out of a new scheduling and data capture tool which, in conjunction with new mobile devices, will reduce the amount of paper-recording by APHA inspectors.<\/p> - Animal Disease Testing Service: which provides a digital alternative to written requests from Vets for disease tests for animals.<\/p> - Fishing Rod Licenses: by providing an easier digital application process, so reducing the proportions of requests through telephone or over-the-counter channels.<\/p> <\/p> These are important benefits of the Digital Transformation Programme. But the main focus of the Programme is to replace old systems with newer ones that are more cost effective and easier for customers to use.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-11T11:50:09.453Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: ICT"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the amount of manual processing on paper that it carries out and to make such processing digital.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martyn Day"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Linlithgow and East Falkirk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martyn Day"}
], "uin" : "2594"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731292", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731292/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is working with food businesses through a voluntary approach to reduce food waste, including through redistribution when surplus food cannot be avoided. Business signatories to the Courtauld 2025 Commitment are aiming to double the amount of food surplus they send for redistribution between 2015 and 2020. We do not have plans to legislate.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-06-30T12:03:02.523Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Charitable Donations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that more surplus food is redistributed by retailers to charities supporting those experiencing hunger and food poverty.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martyn Day"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Linlithgow and East Falkirk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martyn Day"}
], "uin" : "63"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/693251", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/693251/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Defra will continue to provide technical and policy guidance to local authorities to assist them in meeting their air quality management responsibilities, including air quality monitoring. This guidance is kept under review and was last updated last year.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "908921"}
, {"_value" : "908929"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-02-27T11:58:35.517Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-02-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Air Pollution: Monitoring"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to issue new guidance to local authority air quality monitoring units after the UK exits the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martyn Day"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Linlithgow and East Falkirk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martyn Day"}
], "uin" : "908925"}
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}