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1700726

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Belfast Agreement
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the informal implementation group for the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement set up with Sinn Féin is still in existence; and when it last met.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hoey
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3747
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The group to which the Noble Baroness refers no longer exists.</p><p>Relevant documents relating to this issue are freely accessible in the National Archives at Kew, to which the Noble Baroness might wish to refer. The Government takes seriously its obligations under the Public Records Act 1958.</p> answering member printed Lord Caine question first answered 24/04/2024 13:46:36 answering member 4581 label Biography information for Lord Caine
	tabling member	210 label Biography information for Baroness Hoey

1700737

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	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
	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 impact of flooding on farmland on the likelihood of food shortages and loss of farm income.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3773
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market with the value of commodities established by those in the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>The recent prolonged period of wet weather has impacted the UK arable and livestock sectors in several ways. These include late/limited planting opportunities for arable and horticulture crops; delayed turn out of grazing animals and the associated risk of diseases in keeping animals housed indoors for longer periods than usual, concerns about the potential scarcity and cost of straw; a build-up of stored slurry and reduced application opportunities; and wider concerns about the impact on mental health of farmers. Yields and productivity will also vary depending on individual farmer decisions, region, area and in the case of the arable sector, crop and soil type amongst other factors.</p><p> </p><p>A number of individual farms have clearly been affected by the wet weather. While the current market assessment is that there may be implications over the coming months for certain commodities, particularly in the expected yield and quality of several arable crops this summer/autumn, it is still too early to predict the full impact on domestic food production, especially if the weather improves in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to monitor the on-going situation, working closely with the industry and through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG). The UK AMMG held an interim meeting on 16 April to specifically consider the impacts of the weather on each commodity sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Farming Recovery Fund has been opened to provide farmers support to recover from uninsurable damage with grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return their land to the condition it was before exceptional flooding of Storm Henk. The fund was initially opened in nine English local authority areas where the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated to help farms which have experienced the highest levels of flooding. Eligibility for the Fund is actively under review.</p><p> </p><p>This forms part of a package of support available to farmers through the Flood Recovery Framework, including a grant of up to £2,500 through the Business Recovery Grant Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) sets out an analysis of statistical data relating to food security, fulfilling the duty in the Agriculture Act 2020 to present a report on food security to Parliament at least once every three years. It examines trends relevant to food security to present the best available understanding. The report was last published in December 2021 and will next be published by December 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Starting this year, we are strengthening our food security monitoring by producing the Annual Food Security Index. This will complement the UKFSR with a shorter and more regular report. The first version will be published at the Farm to Fork Summit in the Spring.</p><p> </p><p>The next UKFSR, which will be published later this year, will include analysis on the risk of flooding to food security as part of its assessment of longer-term climate-related trends.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller grouped question UIN HL3774 HL3775 question first answered 24/04/2024 13:45:13 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1700738

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	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	Agriculture: Floods
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to help farmers deal with unrecoverable losses from flooding on farmland, and the loss of crops and livestock.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3774
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market with the value of commodities established by those in the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>The recent prolonged period of wet weather has impacted the UK arable and livestock sectors in several ways. These include late/limited planting opportunities for arable and horticulture crops; delayed turn out of grazing animals and the associated risk of diseases in keeping animals housed indoors for longer periods than usual, concerns about the potential scarcity and cost of straw; a build-up of stored slurry and reduced application opportunities; and wider concerns about the impact on mental health of farmers. Yields and productivity will also vary depending on individual farmer decisions, region, area and in the case of the arable sector, crop and soil type amongst other factors.</p><p> </p><p>A number of individual farms have clearly been affected by the wet weather. While the current market assessment is that there may be implications over the coming months for certain commodities, particularly in the expected yield and quality of several arable crops this summer/autumn, it is still too early to predict the full impact on domestic food production, especially if the weather improves in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to monitor the on-going situation, working closely with the industry and through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG). The UK AMMG held an interim meeting on 16 April to specifically consider the impacts of the weather on each commodity sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Farming Recovery Fund has been opened to provide farmers support to recover from uninsurable damage with grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return their land to the condition it was before exceptional flooding of Storm Henk. The fund was initially opened in nine English local authority areas where the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated to help farms which have experienced the highest levels of flooding. Eligibility for the Fund is actively under review.</p><p> </p><p>This forms part of a package of support available to farmers through the Flood Recovery Framework, including a grant of up to £2,500 through the Business Recovery Grant Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) sets out an analysis of statistical data relating to food security, fulfilling the duty in the Agriculture Act 2020 to present a report on food security to Parliament at least once every three years. It examines trends relevant to food security to present the best available understanding. The report was last published in December 2021 and will next be published by December 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Starting this year, we are strengthening our food security monitoring by producing the Annual Food Security Index. This will complement the UKFSR with a shorter and more regular report. The first version will be published at the Farm to Fork Summit in the Spring.</p><p> </p><p>The next UKFSR, which will be published later this year, will include analysis on the risk of flooding to food security as part of its assessment of longer-term climate-related trends.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller grouped question UIN HL3773 HL3775 question first answered 24/04/2024 13:45:13 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1700739

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	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	Agriculture: Floods
	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 threat to food security and farm productivity of the ongoing flooding on farmland across large parts of the country, and steps they intend to take to secure a steady supply of affordable vegetables and meat from UK sources.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3775
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market with the value of commodities established by those in the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>The recent prolonged period of wet weather has impacted the UK arable and livestock sectors in several ways. These include late/limited planting opportunities for arable and horticulture crops; delayed turn out of grazing animals and the associated risk of diseases in keeping animals housed indoors for longer periods than usual, concerns about the potential scarcity and cost of straw; a build-up of stored slurry and reduced application opportunities; and wider concerns about the impact on mental health of farmers. Yields and productivity will also vary depending on individual farmer decisions, region, area and in the case of the arable sector, crop and soil type amongst other factors.</p><p> </p><p>A number of individual farms have clearly been affected by the wet weather. While the current market assessment is that there may be implications over the coming months for certain commodities, particularly in the expected yield and quality of several arable crops this summer/autumn, it is still too early to predict the full impact on domestic food production, especially if the weather improves in the coming weeks.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to monitor the on-going situation, working closely with the industry and through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG). The UK AMMG held an interim meeting on 16 April to specifically consider the impacts of the weather on each commodity sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Farming Recovery Fund has been opened to provide farmers support to recover from uninsurable damage with grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return their land to the condition it was before exceptional flooding of Storm Henk. The fund was initially opened in nine English local authority areas where the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated to help farms which have experienced the highest levels of flooding. Eligibility for the Fund is actively under review.</p><p> </p><p>This forms part of a package of support available to farmers through the Flood Recovery Framework, including a grant of up to £2,500 through the Business Recovery Grant Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) sets out an analysis of statistical data relating to food security, fulfilling the duty in the Agriculture Act 2020 to present a report on food security to Parliament at least once every three years. It examines trends relevant to food security to present the best available understanding. The report was last published in December 2021 and will next be published by December 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Starting this year, we are strengthening our food security monitoring by producing the Annual Food Security Index. This will complement the UKFSR with a shorter and more regular report. The first version will be published at the Farm to Fork Summit in the Spring.</p><p> </p><p>The next UKFSR, which will be published later this year, will include analysis on the risk of flooding to food security as part of its assessment of longer-term climate-related trends.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller grouped question UIN HL3773 HL3774 question first answered 24/04/2024 13:45:13 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1700741

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	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	Floods: Somerset
	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 Somerset Levels' resilience to flooding during the winter of 2023–24.
	tabling member printed	Lord Patten
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3780
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>Catchments like the Brue on the Somerset Levels &amp; Moors have seen record breaking conditions. Hundreds of properties have been flooded across Somerset and the Lead Local Flood Authority (Somerset Council) is planning to publish 11 Section 19 flooding reports.</p><p>Protecting some communities on the Somerset Levels and Moors from flooding is reliant on careful management of water levels, the storage and pumping of water from the moors, mobilisation of enhanced pumping capacity as well as targeted water injection dredging and the delivery of further flood/drought risk management interventions. Continued operation and maintenance of flood risk structures and equipment is essential to manage the risk. Future investment needs to factor in climatic change and help reach net zero.</p><p>Led by the Environment Agency, tens of millions are being invested in flood storage reservoirs to ensure they are safe and the Bridgwater tidal barrier will reduce tidal flood risk to 11,300 homes and 1,500 businesses. The detailed design is complete and enabling works are underway.</p><p>The natural geography of the Somerset Levels and Moors, in combination with climate change, indicates communities and businesses must remain prepared for flooding. The Somerset Rivers Authority Partnership, which has recently consulted on and published a new 10-year strategy, is helping Flood risk management authorities to work together so the Levels and Moors become a more climate resilient place.</p><p>The Government’s drive to tackle climate change, alongside exiting the EU is delivering an evolution of environmental, flood risk and farming policy. This change is presenting tangible economic and environmental opportunities for the communities living and working on the Levels and Moors in this pump drained landscape.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 24/04/2024 13:45:51 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
	tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1700746

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	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 Catches: Conservation
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies prohibits fuel subsidies for fleets and vessels catching depleted fish stocks in UK waters.
	tabling member printed	Lord Randall of Uxbridge
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3786
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies prohibits specific subsidies, including specific fuel subsidies, for fishing or fishing related activities regarding an overfished stock. The UK does not provide specific fuel subsidies to the UK fishing fleet.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 24/04/2024 13:46:10 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
	tabling member	209 label Biography information for Lord Randall of Uxbridge

1701603

	registered interest
	date	16/04/2024
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Bank of England: Forecasts
	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 review of Bank of England forecasting led by Ben Bernanke.
	tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3834
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The Bank of England has operational independence from the government to carry out its statutory responsibilities for monetary policy and financial stability. The government’s commitment to this independence remains absolute.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 24/04/2024 11:40:35 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
	tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

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
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	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
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	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

1701621

	registered interest
	date	16/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Nuclear Power Stations
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the sites currently listed in the current nuclear National Policy Statement EN-6, will be included in the forthcoming EN-7.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ravensdale
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL3852
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2024 answer text <p>The Department recently consulted on a proposed policy for siting new nuclear power stations after 2025, which set out a criteria based approach. While EN-7 will be the primary basis for development consent decisions on nuclear power stations after 2025, we recognise that the sites listed in EN-6 are likely to retain many inherent advantages. EN-6 will not be withdrawn, and we expect it to remain an important and relevant consideration in any planning decision for projects at any of the sites listed in EN-6.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 24/04/2024 11:45:41 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
	tabling member	4715 label Biography information for Lord Ravensdale