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969137

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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: Vacancies
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 estimate of the level of labour shortages in the farming sector.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	171414
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>Defra continue to monitor the latest data and work closely with industry to understand trends in labour demand and supply.</p><p> </p><p>The Office for National Statistics estimates that around 29,000 people make up the permanent agricultural workforce, with Defra estimating a further 67,000 seasonal workers. Industry sets this figure at 80,000 - the majority of which are EU migrant workers.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s best estimate of seasonal labour shortages, using both Defra’s June agricultural survey and the National Farming Union’s survey of labour providers, is that in June 2016 there was a shortfall of 3,231 seasonal workers, and in June 2017; a shortfall of 7,676.</p><p> </p><p>A new pilot scheme in 2019 will enable non-EEA migrant workers to come to the UK to undertake seasonal employment in the horticultural sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 11/09/2018 12:00:38 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

969324

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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	Bees
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the health of the bee population in the UK.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL10154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>The National Bee Unit has an extensive programme of monitoring and advisory visits to beekeepers to check for the presence of notifiable pests and diseases of honey bees and provide advice on biosecurity within the hive. They carry out around 5,000 visits per year. Levels of endemic notifiable diseases (European and American foulbrood) remain at low levels. The Government has well-tested plans to tackle incursions of exotic pests, such as the Asian hornet, which have been successfully used to find and destroy nests. The number of beekeepers registered on the BeeBase system (the National Bee Unit’s biosecurity system which underpins the bee health actions of the Government’s inspectorate) has increased significantly over the last 10 years from 12 thousand to over 40 thousand today.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In terms of wild bees, the UK’s ‘Status of Pollinating Insects’ indicator summarises trends for almost 400 pollinating insect species and was last published on the 19th July 2018. It measures how widespread each species is in each year since 1980 and shows that the overall status of pollinating insects has declined, but has stabilised in recent years. The Government is keeping this under review as an encouraging but not yet definitive sign of progress and is determined to continue working to see positive results across the full range of activities under the National Pollinator Strategy to improve the health of our bees.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 11/09/2018 15:42:37 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

969325

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
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	Pollinators: Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether assessment they have made of the success of the National Pollinator Strategy.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL10155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>In 2017, the UK Government published the first progress report for the National Pollinator Strategy. It highlights positive progress with the Strategy’s 34 actions, undertaken in partnership with voluntary groups, farmers, growers and within the government estate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>For example, in 2015, we introduced a Pollinator and Wildlife Package to our Countryside Stewardship Scheme to provide a suite of habitats on farmland. Since 2011, through this package and other actions, we have established management on approximately 130,000 hectares of land to create new wildlife-rich habitat in the wider countryside.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have established a dedicated UK pollinator monitoring and research partnership, and developed an indicator of trends in the status of pollinating insects. The indicator was last published on 19 July 2018. It shows that the overall status of pollinating insects has declined since 1980, but has stabilised in recent years. We are keeping this under review as an encouraging but not yet definitive sign of progress.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We will review and refresh the Strategy’s aims by 2019 to strengthen our response based on an improved understanding of the baselines, the impact of pressures and the role of pollinators. We are determined to continue working to see positive results across the full range of the Strategy’s outcomes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 11/09/2018 15:43:28 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

968017

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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 Feed: Republic of 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 assessment he has made of the effect of the Irish Government’s fodder transport scheme on the (a) price and (b) supply of fodder in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Canterbury
tabling member printed	Rosie Duffield
uin	170556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>Farmers in the UK, Ireland and across northern Europe, have experienced a difficult time this year with the hot, dry weather. The impacts are likely to be most severely felt by grazing livestock due to the shortage of grass, but the full effect may not be realised until later in the year. We have prioritised practical solutions to help farmers increase access to fodder and bedding both now and in the coming months. These actions will help farmers to limit the impact of extra feed costs by allocating land to forage growth and grazing, but we will keep the situation under review.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Particular measures the Government has taken to help farmers are:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>We have clarified that English farmers, unlike farmers in other EU countries where derogations have been sought, have been able to use fallow land for grazing since 1 July. That is because our legislation reflects what we consider to be the minimum EU requirement.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>We were the first Member State to raise a concern with the Commission to establish Ecological Focus Area (EFA) catch crops by 20 August: Other Member States agreed with us and the Commission agreed that “force majeure” would apply in these circumstances, so we could waive penalties for farmers in this situation.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>We are seeking a derogation from the requirement to sow only certain seed types which are unpalatable to livestock in EFA areas as catch crop. The derogation we expect to secure shortly will allow for grass and herbaceous forage to be grown in those areas, and for those areas to be grazed.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>On Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and forestry legacy agreements farmers are able to ask Natural England to agree a temporary variation to the agreement conditions, either as an Environmental Stewardship Derogation (to date, over 130 have been granted) or a Countryside Stewardship Minor and Temporary Adjustment (over 30 have so far been granted). We will allow farmers to derogate temporarily from specific prescriptions to provide bedding, fodder and grazing for livestock without materially affecting the environmental benefits of their agreement.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I will monitor whether the fodder import scheme that has been introduced in Ireland has an appreciable effect on supplies of fodder and bedding within the UK. We have also made the point to the European Commission that whilst the UK is committed to working to identify appropriate responses to this year’s weather impacts, these should not interfere with the normal functioning of the market or obscure the focus of farmers in mitigating weather impacts.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Opportunities such as the ones described above were discussed with a wide range of stakeholders at the National Farmers’ Union “Dry Weather Summit” on 1 August 2018 and we have received some further representations in writing from farming industry organisations. Further discussions took place at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Industry Partnership Group meeting in Reading on 20 August 2018. Additionally, a small number of individual farmers have made representations through the RPA’s Helpline. All representations received have been considered in the round and informed the approach we are taking to offering all available support to alleviate the impacts of the recent extreme weather conditions for farmers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 170410 170411 170417 170418 170864 question first answered 10/09/2018 12:18:32 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4616 label Biography information for Rosie Duffield

968117

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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	Chemicals: EU Law
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State's evidence to the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee on 18 July 2018, whether it is the policy of the Government to remain a member of the European Chemicals Agency and subject to REACH after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Workington
tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
uin	170775
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>As set out in the Government’s White Paper <em>‘The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union’</em> published on 12 July 2018, the Government’s vision is for an economic partnership that includes participation by the UK in those EU agencies that have a central role in facilitating regulations for those highly regulated goods sectors including the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This would mean accepting the rules of the ECHA including REACH and making an appropriate financial contribution.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 170352 question first answered 10/09/2018 10:47:13 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

968156

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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 and Plants: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2018 to Question 163122, what steps he is taking to ensure the continuation of food and plant import data recorded and shared using the EU TRACES system in the event of (a) a UK-EU trade deal and (b) the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Workington
tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
uin	170808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>The future relationship between the UK and EU is subject to negotiation. This includes UK access to EU systems and databases as part of the Future Economic Partnership. The UK is seeking a close relationship with the EU. This includes facilitating the continued free flow of data to support business activity. We remain confident we will agree a mutually advantageous deal with the EU. It is however the duty of a responsible Government to continue to prepare for a range of potential outcomes. This would include delivering a UK control system for the management of agri-food imports and exports in the event of a no deal scenario.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 10/09/2018 11:57:11 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

968160

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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: Trade
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 for regulations concerning the EU TRACES data recording and sharing system to form part of the common rule book envisaged in the White Paper, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published in July 2018, Cm 9593.
tabling member constituency	Workington
tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
uin	170809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>The future relationship between the UK and EU is subject to negotiation. This includes the scope of the Common Rulebook and UK access to EU systems and databases as part of the Future Economic Partnership. The UK’s proposal for a Common Rulebook on agri-food encompasses rules on goods that must be checked at the border. This would remove the need to undertake additional regulatory checks at the border. In order to support future trade, the UK will need a control system for the management of agri-food imports and exports.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 10/09/2018 12:38:52 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

968162

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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: Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 24 July 2018 to Questions 166203 and 166207, when he plans to publish the terms of reference, chair, membership and timetable for the comprehensive review of the services provided by the Defra group.
tabling member constituency	Workington
tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
uin	170810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2018 answer text <p>The comprehensive review to which my answers of Questions 166203 and 166207 on 24 July refer, relates to ongoing work underway across Defra to ensure robust plans are in place for the delivery of our preparations for leaving the EU. This is supported by internal work to review the role of Defra and the resources and mechanisms required to deliver on our objectives, following our withdrawal from the EU.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 10/09/2018 12:36:07 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

968212

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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	Coastal Erosion
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 effectiveness of the Coastal Protection Act 1949 on reducing the level of coastal erosion.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	170844
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>Coastal erosion is a natural process that always has and will shape our coastline. The 1949 Act granted powers to coastal protection authorities to help them manage these changes. It has been regularly updated since its inception to reflect changes in complementary legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>District councils, acting as Coastal Protection Authorities under this act, have since 1996 collaborated locally with a range of other interested parties, to develop 22 Shoreline Management Plans covering the coast of England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency has strategic oversight for the production and quality control of Shoreline management plans. Over the next three years it will be funding a refresh of the plans by coastal authorities<strong>.</strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 12/09/2018 10:09:44 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

968216

registered interest
date	05/09/2018
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: Greater London
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 his Department has estimated the number of trees in the (a) Hendon constituency and (b) Greater London area.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	170848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>The 2015 London i-Tree Eco Project, supported by the Forestry Commission, estimated that in 2014 there were 8.4 million trees in Greater London. This information was not broken down by parliamentary constituency.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 12/09/2018 10:06:52 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord