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1569090

registered interest
date	20/01/2023
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Air Pollution
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the air handling units in the House of Lords have had electrostatic precipitators installed for the purposes of air filtration, particularly for viruses and bacteria.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>There are no electrostatic filters in the air handling units (AHUs) in the House of Lords areas of the parliamentary estate. There are electrostatic filters in two AHUs in other parts of the parliamentary estate. They were installed in 2014-16 to act as a general particulate arrest system and were not installed to deal with viruses and bacteria.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 26/01/2023 16:04:13 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1307722

registered interest
date	12/04/2021
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	Meat: Labelling
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) ban the "fake farm" labelling of meat, (2) bring forward legislation for consumers to be informed about the age and breed of animal meat, and (3) prevent the use of terms to market such meat as "natural", or (b) "traditional".
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL14690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>It is already against the law for the label to mislead consumers and this overriding principle, set out clearly in food information legislation, applies to each of the noble Baroness’s questions. Each label must be taken on its merits, including whether the origin declared for the food meets origin labelling rules, and if a label is found to be misleading then local enforcement authorities can issue improvement notices to the Food Business Operator to correct the misleading information.</p><p> </p><p>It is completely unrealistic to require mandatory labelling as to the breed and age of an animal on meat, however if such information is provided on a voluntary basis for marketing reasons, as with any other information provided with food, it must not be misleading to consumers. There is already an age-based distinction between lamb and mutton, beef and veal and chicken and boiling fowl.</p><p> </p><p>The use of the terms ‘natural’ and ‘traditional’ are not regulated but, again, when used, should not mislead consumers.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 26/04/2021 15:56:22 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275473

registered interest
date	11/01/2021
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	Sugar Beet: Neonicotinoids
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the process of approving the use of neonicotinoid pesticides for sugar beet seed included assessments of the (1) general human health, (2) obesity, and (3) dietary, impacts of the crop on which they were proposed to be used; and, if so, what were the conclusions of these assessments.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11958
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The process for considering emergency authorisation for a pesticide is derived from the legislation. This process was followed for the application to use the neonicotinoid seed treatment Cruiser SB on sugar beet in 2021. This included an assessment of the risks to people and to the environment that may result from use of the product. This assessment, which considers risks to people from pesticide residues associated with eating treated crops, did not identify any concerns about risks to human health. The assessment did not extend to consideration of the impacts of the crop, for example on obesity.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/01/2021 17:08:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275474

registered interest
date	11/01/2021
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	Sugar Beet: Neonicotinoids
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the decision to approve a neonicotinoid pesticide for use on sugar beet seed on (1) the population numbers and population health of bees and other pollinators, (2) soil health and loss, (3) other insects, (4) fish and other water-dwelling species, and (5) other species of animals.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11959
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The process for considering emergency authorisation for a pesticide is derived from the legislation and includes consideration of potential risks to people and to the environment. This process was followed for application to use the neonicotinoid seed treatment Cruiser SB on sugar beet in 2021.</p><p> </p><p>The assessment of risks included consideration of risks to bees, other insects, soil organisms, fish, aquatic invertebrates, birds and mammals. Risks to bees were identified arising from soil residues taken up by flowering weeds or following crops. Mitigation measures were therefore built into the requirements of the emergency authorisation. These included a reduced application rate, effective control of weeds and minimum periods set between the planting of treated sugar beet and a subsequent flowering crop. For most crops this period was set at 22 months but a longer period of 32 months was chosen for oilseed rape as it is particularly attractive to bees</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/01/2021 17:08:00 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275009

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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	Environmental Land Management Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Environmental Land Management Schemes are being established on an open data basis; and what plans they have to ensure that (1) data are available to inform local and national knowledge, and (2) rapid feedback loops are put in place so that best practice can be shared and incentivised, through such Schemes.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>The Environmental Land Management Scheme is being developed in partnership with farmers, other land managers and stakeholders from initial concept to full launch. We already have around 3000 farmers and other land managers involved in the Environmental Land Management Test and Trials and initial reports can be accessed on GOV.UK <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-tests-and-trials" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-tests-and-trials</a></p><p> </p><p>Ahead of full launch of the new Environmental Scheme in 2024 there will be a National Pilot, starting later this year, where the focus is on learning from farmers and other land managers as they apply different scheme components and begin to deliver outcomes. The focus will be on sharing their feedback with them and with scheme designers, building on the co-design work started through our Test and Trials and wider evidence reviews.</p><p> </p><p>We will use GOV.UK, open to all, to share comprehensive information about the purpose of the scheme and its components, how to apply and how best to deliver outcomes it pays for. There is already overview information published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-environmental-land-management-scheme-an-overview" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-environmental-land-management-scheme-an-overview</a>, with more information following in the coming months. Using feedback from farmers, other land managers and their advisers the National Pilot will help us refine and improve the information on GOV.UK relating to the new Environmental Scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 22/01/2021 14:42:23 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1260430

registered interest
date	10/12/2020
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	Poultry: Avian Influenza
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of avian influenza occurring at intensive poultry rearing units compared to the farming of poultry on open field sites; and whether they have identified any need to improve biosecurity measures for intensive poultry rearing units.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11340
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/12/2020 answer text <p>Defra, and the relevant departments of all administrations in the UK, have robust biosecurity measures in place to reduce the risk of spread of avian influenza and a strong track record of controlling and eliminating outbreaks.</p><p>The risk of incursion of avian influenza has been increased to very high for wild birds, medium for poultry with high biosecurity and high for poultry with poor biosecurity. In response to the risk we established an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of England from 11 November 2020 and brought additional housing measures into force from the 14 December 2020.</p><p>The AIPZ means all bird keepers (whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) are required by law to take a range of biosecurity precautions including, from the 14 December 2020, keeping their birds indoors except in very specific circumstances. Similar measures were also introduced in Scotland and Wales. I refer the Noble Lady to my statement of 8 December 2020: <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-12-08/hlws621" target="_blank">https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-12-08/hlws621</a></p><p>The decisions to implement the AIPZ and the additional housing measures followed scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice. In particular a rapid risk assessment on the relative risks of incursion of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 into housed or not-housed flocks was undertaken and is available via the following web link:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/941150/rapid-risk-assessment-H5N8-HPAI-housing-poultry-flocks-captive-birds.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/941150/rapid-risk-assessment-H5N8-HPAI-housing-poultry-flocks-captive-birds.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>Defra is clear that all operational livestock farms should implement strong biosecurity measures and report suspected disease immediately.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 23/12/2020 12:42:02 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1249815

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why they took two years to publish the reports by Professor Malcolm Bennett and Professor Chris Palgrave A study into the prevalence of bTB in found-dead badgers in the southern ‘Edge Area’ counties of England, SE3054, published June 2018; and what plans they have to respond to the report's conclusions.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10044
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2020 answer text <p>It is Defra policy to encourage research findings such as these to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. We elected to delay the publication of the final reports on our website to allow the researcher some time to do this without undermining the peer review process.</p><p> </p><p>These data are being used to inform analysis of where there is a reservoir of disease in the Edge area.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 23/11/2020 16:09:20 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1248033

registered interest
date	02/11/2020
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: Environmental Land Management Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of demands arising from Environmental Land Management schemes on Natural England; and what plans they have to increase that organisations funding.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>Like all other Defra sponsored bodies, Natural England (NE) receives an appropriate budget to carry out its duties and responsibilities in line with what is affordable and the priorities set out by the Secretary of State.</p><p> </p><p>NE is an important advisory and delivery partner in the Environmental Land Management (ELM) programme. For the current financial year, NE has been allocated approximately £3.6 million to support the development of ELM. This includes drafting ELM technical guidance, development of scheme design for the Pilot and associated policy advice.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently assessing the budgets for our arm’s length bodies as part of the Spending Review process.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/11/2020 17:17:56 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1248035

registered interest
date	02/11/2020
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	Trees: Fruit
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of traditional orchards in England that are in a favourable condition.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>Traditional orchards are listed as a habitat of principal importance for the conservation of biodiversity under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Government agri-environment grant schemes, including Countryside Stewardship (which replaced the Environmental Stewardship Scheme) provide financial support to improve the condition of traditional orchards and to establish more of them.</p><p> </p><p>In England there are 1,952 hectares of traditional orchards being managed or established under agri-environment schemes.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/11/2020 17:23:33 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1246884

registered interest
date	28/10/2020
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	Japanese Knotweed
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to advance the use of biological control of Japanese knotweed.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2020 answer text <p>We continue to work closely with the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) on researching and developing biological control methods for Japanese knotweed. Following extensive trials, we approved the release of the psyllid – <em>Aphalara itadori</em> in England to tackle Japanese Knotweed (<em>Fallopia japonica</em>).</p><p> </p><p>We are also funding research into the fungal leaf-spot <em>Mycosphaerella polygoni-cuspidatii,</em> which has potential as a mycoherbicide for Japanese Knotweed.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 11/11/2020 16:31:18 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle