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1717075

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
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	Furs: Overseas Trade
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 estimate he has made of the volume of (a) imported and (b) exported animal (i) fur and (ii) fur products in the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	25710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2024 answer text <p>i) We are continuing to build our evidence base on the fur sector, which will be used to inform any future action on the fur trade.  We have also commissioned a report from our expert Animal Welfare Committee into the issue of what constitutes responsible sourcing in the fur industry. This report will support our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.</p><p>ii) HMRC statistics for the import and export of fur and fur products over the 10-year period 2014-23 are available online and can be accessed at <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uktradeinfo.com%2Ftrade-data%2Fots-custom-table%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Cbb32ac8c707044759a8c08dc7594b7f7%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638514528801907679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=e2J9Klf1dDbRlXeluzBGfXwbfMKXzNa70Qb1xOlWAf8%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Overseas trade data table - UK Trade Info</a> using the relevant HS4 codes (4301, 4302 and 4303).</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 20/05/2024 14:47:57 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1717123

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
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	Animal and Plant Health Agency: Finance and Staff
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 (a) much funding was provided to and (b) many people were employed at the National Bee Unit of the Animal and Plant Health Agency between 2019 and 2024.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	25646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>The total funding provided to the National Bee Unit between 2019 and 2024 was £10,508,452 (this includes funding received from Devolved Administrations). The headcount has remained static over this period at between 54 and 64 per annum depending on vacant positions at any given time.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 24/05/2024 09:02:45 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1717136

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
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	Swimming
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to announce his decision on bathing water designation; and for what reason this announcement has been delayed.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	25649
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2024 answer text <p>The summary of responses and government response to the consultation on 27 proposed bathing water sites was published on GOV.UK on 13 May: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fconsultations%2Fbathing-waters-proposed-designation-of-27-new-bathing-waters-in-england&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C404196442f8d414e022208dc740b11cf%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638512838087285306%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Vr%2FBR3pGmcHwTJxF3EbcL7QGsmdU38l%2BbDKSYePi3yQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Bathing waters: proposed designation of 27 new bathing waters in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>. The newly designated sites will be added to the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fbathing-waters-list-of-designated-waters-in-england&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C404196442f8d414e022208dc740b11cf%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638512838087297379%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=F3lf7s%2FxwmaS%2FRNag6rLO44Ca0DsOqSWdKPeR50PKSU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">list of bathing waters</a> with effect from the 2024 bathing season. Defra received 10,962 responses to the consultation on designating these sites, and ensured the confirmation of designations was made before the start of the bathing season, which begins on 15 May.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 20/05/2024 10:11:39 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1716799

registered interest
date	09/05/2024
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	Natural England: Dorset Wildlife Trust
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 much Natural England paid the Dorset Wildlife Trust for land in the last three years.
tabling member constituency	West Dorset
tabling member printed	Chris Loder
uin	25583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2024 answer text <p>Natural England has not paid Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) for any land in the last three years.</p><p> </p><p>Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme (NMS) has recently purchased the rights to nutrient mitigation credits being created by DWT at Lyscombe Farm in Dorset. This £5m investment is securing mitigation for an estimated 3,700 homes, with costs to be fully recovered through the sale of these credits by the NMS to housing developers.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 20/05/2024 09:58:31 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4751 label Biography information for Chris Loder

1716800

registered interest
date	09/05/2024
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	Animal Experiments
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 is taking to end the use of LD50 testing on animals.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	25499
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2024 answer text <p>The UK supports work to develop New Approach Methodologies which can provide information on chemical hazards and risk assessment without the use of animals.</p><p>The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is the UK regulatory authority for veterinary medicines. The VMD assesses applications submitted by the veterinary pharmaceutical industry in line with national and international regulations and guidance to ensure safe and effective veterinary medicines of good quality are marketed. These requirements may therefore necessitate animal testing either to develop and register new veterinary medicines or for routine product quality control, to ensure the continued quality, safety and efficacy batch to batch. Non-animal tests are not always available. The VMD is committed to phasing out the use of animals for testing purposes where possible, in accordance with the principles of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement). Furthermore, the UK is a signatory to the European Pharmacopoeia (which sets minimum quality standards of medicines) and the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes. This commitment to the 3Rs is also enshrined in the UK’s Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 under which scientific procedures in animals are regulated.</p><p> </p><p>For veterinary medicines significant progress in non-animal testing has been made in recent years, including the possibility of replacing animals by in vitro suitable cell cultures in LD50-type testing methods, and the relevant regulatory quality standards and testing requirements have been revised accordingly for these specific medicines. Many Marketing Authorisation Holders for these specific medicines have already, and more recently, introduced these changes to their authorised medicines, which will reduce the number of animals used. Implementation of new tests for existing products can be a complicated process, requiring extensive validation and it is not always possible to replace all of the existing animal tests with in vitro non-animal replacements for each existing authorised product. The relevant UK Competent Authority for regulation of these medicines will continue to monitor the use of animals in these tests and to recommend use of non-animal tests where possible.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>The Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation (the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs, Andrew Griffith) recently announced that the Government will publish a plan to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of technologies and methods to reduce reliance on the use of animals in science, which will be published in the summer. He also requested that we double our investment in research to achieve these approaches next year to £20 million across the system in 2024/25.</p><p>LD50 testing is not required for preclinical development of novel medicines. Quality control testing of some authorised medicines relies on LD50 testing to ensure each batch meets expected quality standards<em>.</em> UK regulators follow the principles of the 3Rs. Significant progress has been made on validating alternative methods which do not use animals, including the possibility of replacing mice by in vitro suitable cell cultures in LD50-type testing methods, and the relevant regulatory quality standards and testing requirements have been revised accordingly for these specific medicines.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 16/05/2024 17:05:17 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1716848

registered interest
date	09/05/2024
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	Farming Recovery Fund: Staffordshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason Staffordshire's eligibiltiy for the Farming Recovery Fund is under review.
tabling member constituency	Tamworth
tabling member printed	Sarah Edwards
uin	25601
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>October 2023 to March 2024 was the second wettest 6-month period on record in England, recorded rainfall was nearly 60% above the average of the last decade. The impacts on farm businesses are already evident in some sectors and are likely to extend through the year.</p><p> </p><p>The launch of the Farming Recovery Fund on 9 April captured a first tranche of 9 counties affected by the flooding as a result of Storm Henk. Since then, we have listened and responded to feedback by removing the requirement for land to be within 150 metres of the main river and are committed to reviewing the eligibility to ensure that it best meets the needs for those who were most affected by the persistent wet weather over the winter.</p><p> </p><p>In recognition of the persistent wet weather over the winter, I am in discussion with farmers about what further support is needed. As part of this support, we have provided flexibility to farmers who have not been able to complete their agri-environment scheme requirements in winter or the spring – due to the prolonged wet weather impacts.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/05/2024 14:07:42 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	5001 label Biography information for Sarah Edwards

1716093

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Buildings
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 reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been found on his Department's estate.
tabling member constituency	Sunderland Central
tabling member printed	Julie Elliott
uin	24911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>After significant survey work across the estate, we have identified 4 Properties where RAAC is present. Where necessary for Health and Safety, buildings have been closed or partially closed to enable remediation.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 14/05/2024 15:04:44 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4127 label Biography information for Julie Elliott

1716159

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
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	Water: Sports
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 requested that water sports (a) training sessions, (b) activities and (c) events were (i) cancelled and (ii) postponed due to unsafe water quality in each year since 2020.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	24985
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>Defra is responsible for designating bathing waters in England. As decisions on water sports training sessions, activities and events are managed locally, Defra has not requested that any are cancelled or postponed.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/05/2024 13:55:14 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone

1716161

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
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	Water: Sports
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 water sports (a) training sessions, (b) activities and (c) events have been reported to his Department due to unsafe water quality in each year since 2020.
tabling member constituency	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
tabling member printed	Jamie Stone
uin	24986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>Defra is responsible for designating bathing waters in England but many water sports training sessions, activities and events will take place outside of these bathing waters. Information on water quality issues affecting local training sessions, activities and events is not routinely reported to Defra. Government is committed to improving water quality through more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to tackle every source of river and sea pollution.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/05/2024 13:53:26 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4612 label Biography information for Jamie Stone