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1702319

registered interest
date	18/04/2024
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	Food: Waste
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of high levels of pollutants in food produced near waste incinerators in Europe; and whether they have any plans to conduct similar assessments in the UK.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) has not made any assessment of reports on this subject and does not plan to conduct any such assessments in England.</p><p> </p><p>The impact on food produced in proximity to waste incinerators is considered as part of environmental permitting regulations. The EA is responsible for deciding whether new incinerators in England should get a permit to operate. For each permit application it receives, the EA uses the results of air quality modelling and a human health risk assessment (HHRA) to determine the impact of the proposed incinerator.</p><p> </p><p>The HHRA assesses impacts on the food chain. Impact assessments are very conservative and permit decisions are based on worst-case scenario impacts.</p><p> </p><p>The EA also consults the UK Health Security Agency and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on every permit application it receives and will not issue a permit if the proposed plant could cause significant pollution or harm to human health, including via the food chain.</p><p> </p><p>The FSA is responsible for the management of public health risks in relation to food. In general, the FSA considers that if incinerator facilities are correctly operated and monitored, with the appropriate level of emissions abatement, there should be no impact on the local area in terms of elevated levels of contaminants in soil and locally produced food. Measures are in place to manage the risk from chemical contaminants and keep levels as low as reasonably achievable through good practices and regulatory controls.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 26/04/2024 11:06:48 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1702336

registered interest
date	18/04/2024
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	Import Controls: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of border control posts ahead of the introduction of the common user charge on 30 April; and what assessment they have made of the likely impact of the common user charge on the UK’s environmental horticulture industry.
tabling member printed	Baroness Hayman of Ullock
uin	HL3947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>Defra is confident that existing and new BCP infrastructure will have sufficient capacity and capability to handle the volume of expected checks outlined in the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), with robust, dynamic, and effective operational measures ready to call upon if needed.</p><p> </p><p>Defra will continue to work with existing BCP operators to ensure they are prepared, and the Government has built new infrastructure at critical locations.</p><p> </p><p>Operators have not expressed concerns regarding under-capacity, we are therefore not anticipating queues but will continue working closely with operators to address any concerns they may have.</p><p> </p><p>The common user charge for BCP operating costs applies only to UK government-run BCPs. Commercial operators will independently set BCP charges for their own facilities.</p><p> </p><p>The impact of the Common User Charge (CUC) on businesses of all sizes will be kept under monthly and quarterly reviews, with rates reviewed and updated annually.</p><p> </p><p>Full details of the CUC can be found on GOV.UK.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 29/04/2024 13:12:24 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1702337

registered interest
date	18/04/2024
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	Plants and Trees: Import Controls
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the place of destination (PoD) scheme to allow inspection of horticulture imports at a registered PoD until border control posts are fully functional for the purpose of plant and tree imports.
tabling member printed	Baroness Hayman of Ullock
uin	HL3948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>Defra is confident that existing and new Border Control Posts infrastructure will have sufficient capacity and capability to handle the volume of expected checks outlined in the Border Target Operating Model, with robust, dynamic, and effective operational measures ready to call upon if needed.</p><p> </p><p>Looking ahead, we are piloting an ambitious programme of trusted trader assurance schemes for sanitary and phytosanitary goods. The pilots will explore how businesses can provide assurance through data, technology and trusted relationships and take increased responsibility for controls.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 29/04/2024 13:10:28 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1702350

registered interest
date	18/04/2024
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	Environmental Land Management Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why existing agri-environment schemes such as the Countryside Stewardship scheme are based on the claim deadline of 15 May 2023 while the Rural Payments Agency window runs up until 30 June 2024, resulting in wait times of up to 13 months for farmers and land managers to receive their payments; and whether they have any plans to change this in future.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Sandwich
uin	HL3961
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>Within the European Union, policies were set for seven years with limited opportunity to change, however, now that we have left the EU, we are rolling out our new environmental land management schemes and are adopting new approaches, including to our payment frequencies. We have already introduced more frequent payments in our new schemes, to make them work better for farm businesses. For example, SFI offers payments on a quarterly schedule, so that farmers start getting paid in the fourth month of their agreement, and every 3 months after that. Where possible, as we expand the offer, we will offer more frequent payments to more participants.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 24/04/2024 13:46:58 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	2109 label Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich

1701969

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Fishing Vessels: Electric Vehicles
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the consultation on remote electronic fishing vessels, which ran from 17 July to 9 October 2023.
tabling member printed	Baroness Hayman of Ullock
uin	HL3884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>We will be publishing responses soon and they will be available on GOV.UK.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 24/04/2024 13:44:20 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1701970

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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	Marine Animals: Fishing Catches
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many marine mammals were caught by vessels fishing in UK waters in 2023.
tabling member printed	Baroness Hayman of Ullock
uin	HL3885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>Marine mammal bycatch is required to be reported under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. According to the Marine Management Organisation six marine mammals were reported by fishing vessels as bycatch injury or mortality in 2023.</p><p>There are various sources for marine mammal bycatch data in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Bycatch Monitoring Programme provides bycatch estimates for the UK; however, these have not yet been produced for 2023.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme diagnosed 16 cases of bycaught marine mammals in 2023 (covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland and which all occurred in England).</p><p> </p><p>In Scotland, the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme reports on incidents of marine mammal bycatch in Scottish waters.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 13/05/2024 14:25:22 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1701994

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
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 Companies: Debts
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why OFWAT calculate gearing levels of water companies by using a debt-to-assets ratio as opposed to a debt-to-equity ratio.
tabling member printed	Lord Sikka
uin	HL3909
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2024 answer text <p>It is standard practice for regulated sectors to calculate gearing by reference to Regulator Capital Value (RCV). This is because there exists an RCV which represents costs incurred to date which can be recovered from customers in the future. This approach to calculating Regulatory Gearing is used by Ofgem and the Civil Aviation Authority and is recognised by the Rating Agencies.</p><p> </p><p>As the RCV represents the net stock of investment that has been contributed by debt and investors over time, it grows with net levels of investment. This provides the capacity against which companies may raise debt and equity to finance investment programmes.</p><p> </p><p>There is no equivalent to an RCV for companies operating in a competitive market. Gearing measured by reference to RCV is a more useful metric than standard accounting measure of gearing in a utility sector because future revenue streams are more certain than they would be for companies operating in a competitive market.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 26/04/2024 10:59:33 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4885 label Biography information for Lord Sikka

1701614

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	Rivers: Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to introduce statutory protection for chalk streams.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
uin	HL3845
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>We have already brought forward changes to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act to help better protect chalk streams by adding chalk streams into the definitions of ‘environmental protection’ and ‘natural environment’ in the Act. This means that chalk streams must be considered when undertaking environmental assessments in the future, thereby recognising the value of these distinctive habitats. Also, chalk streams are now defined as priority sites in the government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan with a target to improve 75% of storm overflows discharging to high priority sites by 2035.</p><p> </p><p>We are working very closely with colleagues from the Environment Agency, the Chair of the Chalk Stream Restoration Group and the Wildlife Trust on the Chalk Stream Recovery Pack. The Recovery Pack will make a number of recommendations for government to tackle to restore and protect our chalk streams.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 24/04/2024 13:44:12 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

1701620

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	Hedges and Ditches: Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, following their consultation last year, whether they plan to introduce legislation to protect hedgerows this spring and during the bird breeding season.
tabling member printed	Baroness Quin
uin	HL3851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>Following overwhelming support to our consultation last summer, which received almost 9,000 responses, on 16 April the Government laid before Parliament new regulations that will place management practices for hedgerows on agricultural land into legislation. These practices include a cutting ban between 1 March and 31 August to protect nesting birds during this period, and a 2m buffer strip around a hedge where green cover must be established and maintained to protect the health of the hedge and the wildlife that use it.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 24/04/2024 13:43:38 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	518 label Biography information for Baroness Quin

1701630

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
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	Countryside Stewardship Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish further information on the combined Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship offer.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL3861
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>We plan to roll out the new combined Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship offer during 2024, with applications opening from the summer. We will publish more information about this, and how farmers will be able to apply, ahead of applications opening. This will include setting out how farmers with existing Higher Level Stewardship, Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements will be able to access the new offer.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller grouped question UIN HL3862 HL3863 HL3864 HL3865 question first answered 29/04/2024 14:18:17 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans