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1491051

registered interest
date	20/07/2022
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	Fish Farming: Animal Welfare
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 reduce the suffering of farmed fish at the time of killing.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	40832
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>Legislation on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we are currently considering improvements that could be made to the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing. To inform this work, we have asked the Animal Welfare Committee for advice and this is expected in the autumn.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 05/09/2022 07:04:30 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1439399

registered interest
date	09/03/2022
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: Tagging
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 data published by Natural England on 15 December 2021 on the number of satellite tags on hen harriers that have stopped transmitting since November 2021.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	137352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2022 answer text <p>For many years Natural England (NE) has been involved with monitoring, tagging and satellite tracking hen harriers. When a bird goes missing, it may be due to natural causes, an issue with the device, or there is a possibility that it could have been illegally killed. In the first instance, NE staff communicate with the police and will attempt to retrieve the bird to establish the cause of death. If there is evidence of illegal killing, police will investigate, assisted by NE.</p><p>As of the end of the last breeding season, NE was tracking 29 hen harriers: 17 newly-fledged juveniles and 12 adults. Of the 17 juveniles hatched and tagged in 2021, in 10 cases the tags have ceased transmitting, with the birds believed to have died. Of those, three have been found, of which two appear to have died due to natural causes, and one is pending further investigation. The other seven were not found, with no police investigations due to the absence of any information about cause of death. Of the 12 adults being tracked, one tag has ceased transmitting, with the bird believed to have died, and has not been found. NE is therefore still tracking seven juveniles and 11 adults. Natural mortality of juvenile hen harriers is much higher than adults, and it would not be surprising for at least 50 per cent to die naturally in their first year, even in the absence of persecution. There is currently an ongoing police investigation into t he death of an adult bird that went missing last year before the end of the breeding season.</p><p>The Government takes wildlife crime seriously, with most wildlife crimes carrying an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence. To address concerns about the illegal killing of birds of prey, senior Government and enforcement officers have identified raptor persecution as a national wildlife crime priority. NE and Defra continue to be fully involved with the police-led Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group and NE continues to work closely with Wildlife Crime Officers. Additionally, since 2016, Defra and the Home Office have contributed approximately £300,000 annually to the National Wildlife Crime Unit, which monitors and gathers intelligence on wildlife crime, including raptor persecution, and aids police forces in their investigations when required.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 18/03/2022 14:06:30 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1387299

registered interest
date	13/12/2021
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	Reindeer: Animal Welfare
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 help ensure the welfare of reindeer being used at seasonal events during winter 2021-22.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	91998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2021 answer text <p>Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 require that anyone in the business of keeping or training animals for exhibition needs a valid licence from their local authority. Licences must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences. The 2018 Regulations are accompanied by statutory guidance notes developed to help local authorities enforce the licensing regime: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-activities-licensing-guidance-for-local-authorities" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-activities-licensing-guidance-for-local-authorities</a></p><p> </p><p>The 2018 Regulations are due to be reviewed five years after they came into force (2023) and so this will be an appropriate time to re-examine the minimum standards, the associated guidance and consider any major changes.</p><p> </p><p>If anyone has any concerns about the welfare of any animal that is being temporarily exhibited at a seasonal event, they should report the matter to the relevant local authority who have powers to investigate.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 21/12/2021 13:15:36 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1342349

registered interest
date	30/06/2021
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Directors
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 declaration of interests has been made by his Department’s non-executive directors; and when that declaration will be published.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	25035
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2021 answer text <p>Non-executive directors comply with the provisions of the Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.</p><p> </p><p>In Defra, board members are required to submit any declarable interests twice a year; this information forms part of the independent National Audit Office review ahead of the publication of Departmental annual report and accounts. Information on any relevant interests will be published shortly on gov.uk and this will be referenced in the Department’s annual report and accounts.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/07/2021 13:18:58 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1341717

registered interest
date	29/06/2021
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Directors
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 financial payments his Department makes to its non-executive directors; how many times his departmental Board will meet in 2021-22; and what work do non-executive directors undertake.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	24236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2021 answer text <p>This information is published in the department’s annual report and accounts, available on gov.uk at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/defras-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The department’s report and accounts for 2021-22 will be published in due course, in the usual way.</p><p> </p><p>Departmental boards provide strategic leadership for each central Government department, as well as advising on/challenging how the department is performing. Each board is chaired by the Secretary of State and includes junior ministers, the permanent secretary and non-executive board members. Non-executives are appointed to Government departments from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Their role is to provide advice and bring an external perspective.</p><p> </p><p>A summary of the work of non-executive directors across Government can be found in the Government Lead Non-Executive's annual report, available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-lead-non-executives-annual-report-2019-to-2020" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-lead-non-executives-annual-report-2019-to-2020</a>. The Non-Executive Directors’ Report in the annual report and accounts provides more information on the work of Defra’s non-executive directors (link above).</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 14/07/2021 13:07:19 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1341421

registered interest
date	28/06/2021
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	Marine Protected Areas: Fishing Vessels
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 plan to introduce management measures in 40 English offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPA) over the next three years, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential benefits to mobile fish stocks of banning supertrawlers from the offshore MPA network.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	23235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2021 answer text <p>Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>We will manage fishing within existing, sustainable use MPAs to ensure recovery of the features to a good, healthy condition, and will designate Highly Protected Marine Areas to allow full recovery. We are developing ambitious plans to protect our existing MPAs from any fishing activity that could prevent them achieving their conservation objectives, such as trawling on the seabed. 98 MPAs in inshore waters have management measures in place to protect sensitive features from bottom towed fishing gears. All existing MPAs in our offshore waters will be protected from fishing as required through a three-year programme being undertaken by the Marine Management Organisation.</p><p> </p><p>Supertrawlers generally target pelagic species of fish within the water column and are unlikely to damage the seabed habitats for which most MPAs are designated. We are currently reviewing our policy on these vessels and working to develop more robust management of non-quota stocks which these vessels are targeting, as well as quota stocks.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 05/07/2021 12:56:03 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1339885

registered interest
date	24/06/2021
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Freedom of Information
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 requests for advice on handling freedom of information requests the central Cabinet Office Clearing House has received in each year since 2016.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	21937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>Defra has referred requests to the Cabinet Office Clearing House where appropriate and in line with the published criteria which are available on gov.uk here - <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information</a>.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/06/2021 15:01:03 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1337619

registered interest
date	17/06/2021
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	Flood Control: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What funding his Department is providing for the maintenance of flood defences.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	901413
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of maintaining flood defence assets. Investment in Environment Agency asset management in England will be £178 million in 2021-22, an increase on the previous year. The Government will continue to review the future requirements for flood defence maintenance investment as part of future Spending Reviews.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 17/06/2021 11:41:09 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1279010

registered interest
date	21/01/2021
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	Fisheries: Quotas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	Whether he has plans to reallocate (a) new and (b) existing UK fishing quota to small boat fishers.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	911179
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>We recently consulted on how to apportion additional quota between the UK administrations. We also consulted on how we allocate England’s share. We will publish the Government’s response and our English allocation policy after annual negotiations conclude. It is for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their share.</p><p> </p><p>We have been clear since the 2018 White Paper that we would allocate our existing quota using the current method.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 21/01/2021 15:38:08 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1216052

registered interest
date	22/06/2020
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	Marine Protected Areas
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 ensure the effectiveness of the UK’s offshore marine protected areas.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	62497
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>Marine protection is a devolved matter and the information provided relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>One of Defra’s biggest challenges in seeking to ensure effective management of offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has been the need to secure the agreement of other countries through the Common Fisheries Policy process. This requirement will end when the Transition Period has finished.</p><p> </p><p>The Fisheries Bill proposes a new power enabling the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to implement fisheries management measures for conservation purposes both within our MPAs and more widely across English waters. The MMO will be able to use this power after the expiry of the Transition Period.</p><p> </p><p>Activities within MPAs that require planning or licensing consent are assessed by the relevant regulator, including the MMO, to prevent damage to these designated areas.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 30/06/2020 13:43:05 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith