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1288733

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Birds of Prey: 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, whether businesses may import birds of prey under (a) The Import of and Trade in Animals and Animal Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and (b) The Official Controls (Animals, Feed and Food, Plant Health etc.) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 until the end of March 2021.
tabling member constituency	South Northamptonshire
tabling member printed	Andrea Leadsom
uin	157098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>Businesses may import birds of prey into Great Britain under The Import of, and Trade in, Animals and Animal Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (Statutory Instrument 2020/1462).</p><p> </p><p>The Official Controls (Animals, Feed and Food, Plant Health etc.) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (Statutory Instrument 2020/1481) regulates official controls that are carried out on third country imports subject to sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, including birds of prey.</p><p> </p><p>These regulations came into force on 1 January 2021.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 01/03/2021 15:11:27 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom

1288734

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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: Manufacturing Industries
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 assessment he has made of the potential effect of (a) changes to Commission Decision 2007/275/EC and (b) Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/2235 on the operations of UK food and drink manufacturers.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	157338
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2021 answer text <p>New EU rules will apply from April that will impact on traders who export certain animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, including composites. The EU has not published all of the details, however we are not aware of any changes to the rate of physical checks that will take place at the EU border. These are set out in existing EU rules. The new rules will mean there will be an increase in the number of composite product EHCs required.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/03/2021 14:38:27 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1288735

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Export Health Certificates: Northern Ireland
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 the Animal and Plant Health Agency has made of the number of Export Health Certificates that will be required per month for movements of live animals or animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland once the grace period ends on 1 April 2021.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	157339
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2021 answer text <p>We estimate demand for Export Health Certificates (EHCs) for movements to Northern Ireland may increase by between 70,000 and 150,000 per year (taking into account the Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland (STAMNI under which authorised traders do not require EHCs). Up to 70 FTE Official Veterinarians (OVs) may be required to certify these EHCs. The actual OV requirement will depend on multiple factors, many of which we cannot quantify with certainty. The number of OVs qualified to certify exports of products of animal origin has increased from 600 in February 2019 to more than 1,700 currently.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 155075 question first answered 17/03/2021 17:05:06 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1288755

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Environment Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government’s policy statement on environmental principles published in December 2018, what plans the Government has to publish a public consultation on those principles.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	157065
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2021 answer text <p>It is our intention to launch a 12-week consultation this March on a draft policy statement on environmental principles. This will outline how to interpret and proportionately apply the five internationally recognised environmental principles, plus a new duty which will embed these principles in policy making across government. We welcome feedback on the draft statement once published.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 02/03/2021 15:10:52 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1288756

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Environment Protection
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 plans he has to implement the policy statement on environmental principles published in December 2018.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	157066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2021 answer text <p>It is our intention to share the draft policy statement on the environmental principles through public consultation this March. We will ensure awareness, and support understanding of the duty across government through workshops, training and integration within relevant guidance documents.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 02/03/2021 15:30:38 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1288780

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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 Welfare: 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 support has been made available to animal rescue and rehoming charities during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	157308
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>Animal rescue organisations do excellent work, often on a voluntary basis, protecting animals against cruelty and ensuring that unwanted and abandoned animals in the UK are offered the opportunity of a forever home. I am acutely aware that the coronavirus pandemic, and specifically the measures put in place to control the spread of the virus, continue to affect individuals, businesses and charities caring for animals. Protecting the welfare of animals remains a priority for Defra throughout the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p> </p><p>The sector has kept us regularly updated of the developing situation, sharing their surveys particularly with respect to the rescue and rehoming of companion animals, and sharing information on cruelty investigations. It has been encouraging to see the sector working collaboratively and successfully to support itself and to safeguard the welfare of equines in their care in the face of financial hardship and uncertainty.</p><p> </p><p>The latest figures from a survey by the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) show that although the animal rescue sector has seen a drop in income during the pandemic the financial sustainability in the sector appears to be improving. This suggests that rescues have adapted to the new situation either through fundraising in different ways or taking advantage of grants made available by the ADCH and other sources. More rescues are now taking in dogs and cats and more are rehoming. In Quarter 4 of 2020 there was a 24% Year on Year reduction of cat intake and a 32% reduction in dogs entering rescues. 68% of rescues have reported more people wish to foster dogs or cats and 58% wish to rehome a dog or cat.</p><p> </p><p>National equine welfare charities have also kept us closely informed of the status of the Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund established by the Pet Plan Charitable Trust together with World Horse Welfare and the National Equine Welfare Council. The current picture of equine welfare is better than feared, but we continue to keep things under review.</p><p> </p><p>We have worked closely with sector groups to update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations, and other animal charities and businesses. This has enabled them to undertake core operations as far as possible, whilst maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Throughout this period, we have ensured that rescue and rehoming organisations are permitted to stay open, that staff and volunteers can continue to work and tend to the animals in their care, and that rehoming, fostering and adoption services can continue in accordance with Covid-19 secure guidance.</p><p> </p><p>We take the concerns of the sector very seriously and are keeping a close watch on in-take levels and trends in animal relinquishments. Defra remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 157100 157101 question first answered 01/03/2021 15:27:04 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1288909

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Garden Communities
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of the creation of a UK Garden City scheme to (a) promote horticulture and (b) promote and reinvigorate green spaces that are vital to physical and mental wellbeing during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	North West Leicestershire
tabling member printed	Andrew Bridgen
uin	157109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>The merits of such a scheme were considered when responding to a select committee report on Garden Tourism in 2019. Such a scheme risks confusion with the successful City of Culture competition and other extant schemes such as Britain in Bloom. The Government did not accept the committee's recommendation.</p><p> </p><p>We do of course recognise the immense benefits of being able to access green spaces, such as parks and gardens, to mental and physical well-being. Defra is collaborating with the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group on a Growth Strategy for the sector to help ensure the ornamental horticulture sector continues to thrive. This is industry led and underlined by research identifying key areas of opportunity for growth in the sector, including the growing importance of outdoor green spaces to health.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan includes commitments to introduce stronger new standards for green infrastructure and to support local authorities to assess provision. Green infrastructure includes greenspace such as parks and woodlands and other environmental features such as street trees, hedgerows and green walls and roofs. Natural England and Public Health England have published a <a href="http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4799558023643136" target="_blank">Rapid Scoping Review of Health and Wellbeing Evidence</a> to inform the standards.</p><p> </p><p>Natural England is testing the standards in trials with local authorities and developers, and they are due to be launched in 2022. The aim is to embed the standards in national planning guidance and policy to ensure that good green infrastructure is secured for all communities through the planning system.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 03/03/2021 17:59:06 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4133 label Biography information for Andrew Bridgen

1288918

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Recreation Spaces: 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, what steps he is taking to increase access to green spaces in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire.
tabling member constituency	Stoke-on-Trent North
tabling member printed	Jonathan Gullis
uin	157322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>Defra recognises the crucial importance of having good access to green spaces for people's health and well-being. The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our comprehensive and long-term approach to protecting and enhancing our natural landscapes in England for the next generation, and to helping people improve their health and wellbeing by using green spaces.</p><p>The £12.1m Trees for Climate programme will plant over 500 hectares of trees in ten Community Forests between December 2020 and May 2021. When mature, the trees will eventually store over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, reduce flood risk, increase sustainable UK grown timber, provide more places for nature and biodiversity to thrive, and increase people's access to and enjoyment of woodland. The Forest of Mercia, which covers Staffordshire and the West Midlands, is one of the Community Forests which will carry out the planting.</p><p>There are also a wide range of initiatives within Defra which are helping to increase access to green spaces across the whole of England. These include, but are not limited to:</p><ul><li>Green Recovery Challenge Fund</li><li>Green Social Prescribing Project</li><li>Responding to the Glover Review of protected landscapes</li><li>Nature for Climate Fund</li><li>Development of environmental land management schemes</li></ul> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 03/03/2021 17:35:19 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4814 label Biography information for Jonathan Gullis

1288919

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Air Pollution: Stoke On Trent
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 he is taking to improve air quality in Stoke-on-Trent.
tabling member constituency	Stoke-on-Trent North
tabling member printed	Jonathan Gullis
uin	157323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>The Joint Air Quality Unit has provided funding and support to, and continues to work closely with, Stoke-on-Trent Council as they develop plans to tackle their nitrogen dioxide exceedances. Air Quality Ministers from both Defra and the Department for Transport have met Stoke-on-Trent councillors and hon. Members several times over the past 12 months to hear their views on how best to deal with the air quality problem in the Potteries.</p><p> </p><p>Stoke has also received funding of over £34 million from the Transforming Cities Fund to develop and improve transport across the city, some of which is earmarked for active travel schemes to help improve air quality for the city’s residents.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 03/03/2021 15:17:36 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4814 label Biography information for Jonathan Gullis

1288927

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Nature Conservation
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 deliver on commitments made as part of the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature at the United Nations General Assembly.
tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
uin	157173
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2021 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to working with partners around the world to implement the ten commitments under the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, which the UK co-created. To demonstrate our dedication to delivering on the Pledge commitments, in January 2021, the Prime Minister committed to spending at least £3 billion of the UK’s International Climate Finance over the next five years, on climate change solutions that protect and restore nature and biodiversity.</p><p> </p><p>As you will be aware, Lord Goldsmith wrote to the devolved administrations prior to the Pledge’s launch to seek their support. I am grateful for the support of the Scottish Government, as signalled in their recently published ‘Statement of Intent’ on post-2020 biodiversity, and I am also grateful to the Welsh Government for their support.</p><p> </p><p>In line with Pledge commitments, the UK Government is taking strong action on nature domestically as well as internationally. The environment is a devolved policy area and, in England, we are maintaining and extending key protections; introducing new legislation and new funding streams; we are supporting partnerships and we are working across Government to secure broad action. We have, for example, brought forward the first Environment Bill for more than 20 years which, alongside our strengthened Agriculture and Fisheries Acts, sets a new legal foundation for government action to improve the environment.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 03/03/2021 18:28:19 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron