Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed attachment file name title question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1585996

registered interest
date	09/02/2023
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	Beavers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to facilitate and plan for releases of beavers into the wild in England; and what consideration they have given to the optimal population and distribution of beavers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL5585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2023 answer text <p>Taking into account the range of responses and feedback from the consultation on our approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England, Defra will continue to work with Natural England to develop our approach.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 16/02/2023 13:32:08 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1580453

registered interest
date	24/01/2023
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 His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in trialling alternatives to thiamethoxam on sugar beet.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL5012
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2023 answer text <p>British Sugar are progressing with their plan for the development of alternative, sustainable approaches to protect crops from the Yellows Virus Complex (YV), without the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments. This includes the development of resistant plant varieties, measures to improve seed germination and new integrated pest management (IPM) practices for growers.</p><p>Further details of this work are available on the British Beet Research Organisation’s (BBRO) website, and specific questions on the timeline for deployable alternatives should be directed to industry.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 30/01/2023 14:50:48 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1568845

registered interest
date	19/01/2023
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	Waste: Buildings
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress in reducing waste from sites of new buildings and building refurbishment; and what plans they have further to reduce such waste, including through the introduction of new (1) laws, or (2) regulatory provisions.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2023 answer text <p>The Government co-chairs the Construction Leadership Council with the construction sector. As part of this, The Green Construction Board's focus is to advise the construction industry on the regulatory, policy and technical framework required to deliver a zero carbon, zero waste built environment.</p><p><br> Government has supported the Green Construction Board to produce a Routemap to Zero Avoidable Waste, published in July 2021, and will continue to promote the adoption of resource efficient practices across the sector through close collaboration with the Green Construction Board, and wider industry engagement.</p><p><br> As well as the Green Construction Board, the Construction Leadership Council has developed Construct Zero, a framework to set priorities and provide the Construction Leadership Council with a sector level dashboard on progress towards Net Zero.</p><p><br> Government is also supporting the National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research programme (NICER), set up under the Strategic Priorities Fund, which was developed to match academic research to government strategic need.</p><p><br> With the support of Defra, a total of £30 million for research funding has now been allocated for NICER to establish five circular economy research centres, including one responsible for mineral-based construction materials. The construction materials centre will, amongst other deliverables, focus on innovation to reduce the use and impacts of virgin materials.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 27/01/2023 11:46:48 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1568367

registered interest
date	18/01/2023
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	Pharmacy: Pollution
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 report in the Lancet First, do no harm: time for a systems approach to address the problem of health-care-derived pharmaceutical pollution, published in December 2022; and what steps, if any, they plan to take regarding its recommendations.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2023 answer text <p>Defra and its agencies, including the Environment Agency, have not yet considered the report in full detail but will do so in due course. We will consider the recommendations in conjunction with officials in the Department for Health and Social Care. Defra has already noted that some of the suggested interventions in the Lancet paper may be relevant to veterinary medicines. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate within Defra is actively considering issues around pharmaceuticals in the environment, and conducts environmental risk assessments for all new veterinary medicines.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 01/02/2023 15:05:43 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1566986

registered interest
date	16/01/2023
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	Landfill: Coastal Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to respond to the issues raised by the Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group’s Coastal Landfill Survey Report, published on 30 November 2022, which found that in 26 councils coastal landfill sites are spilling waste into the sea.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>I very much welcome the work that this group has and continues to do. The findings from the Local Government Association coastal special interest group survey will help to inform our planned evidence-based national assessment on the issues regarding these historic coastal landfill sites, which are varied and complex. This, together with a full review of previous and other current activity in this space, will enable us to consolidate and provide a true and accurate picture of the issue, and assist those local authorities who have the responsibility for managing these sites to identify the most effective and cost beneficial way forward.</p><p><br> My officials will continue to work closely with our LGA colleagues as this work progresses, and we value their continued insight and support.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 26/01/2023 17:43:58 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1566590

registered interest
date	12/01/2023
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	Poisoning: Nature Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) proactive, and (2) reactive, steps they are taking to (a) prevent, and (b) end, the sale of (i) poison, and (ii) other products, being promoted for the killing of protected animals in the UK.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>The Government strongly condemns the use of any poisons targeted at our protected species. Those found guilty of such illegal activities can expect to face the full force of the law, including potentially severe fines and custodial sentences.</p><p>All vertebrate wildlife is subject to general welfare protection under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Methods of killing or taking not involving poisons are also regulated by legislation; for example, the Pests Act 1954 prohibits the approval of any type of leghold trap or the use of unapproved spring traps.</p><p>There are strict regulations in place in Great Britain (GB) to ensure that when chemical products for pest control are used properly, they do not harm people, pets or the wider environment, including protected species. Products must be authorised before they can be made available on the market and must be used in accordance with the conditions of that authorisation</p><p><br>It is a criminal offence to fail to comply with the laws that regulate the supply of chemicals in GB, or to use chemicals in a way which harms people, pets, protected species or the wider environment, with penalties that may lead to unlimited fines or imprisonment.</p><p>There are robust, multi-agency arrangements in place for enforcing the illegal supply and use of chemicals which include the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency, the police and local authorities, with the illegal poisoning of protected species investigated by a dedicated Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 26/01/2023 12:55:02 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1566181

registered interest
date	11/01/2023
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	Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to monitor concentrations of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals and personal care product residues in terms of driving the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in the environment, and (2) to fund more research into the risks they may pose to human health.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4650
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2023 answer text <p>(1) Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) have been working with the water industry to research the occurrence and transport of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics through wastewater treatment works as part of the industry-funded Chemical Investigations Programme. Investigations have been carried out at ten sites across the country to understand how the different treatment processes and the presence of chemicals including a range of pharmaceuticals affect the presence and prevalence of particular organisms and resistance genes. The results are due to be published by UK Water Industry Research in early 2023.</p><p>The EA has also been working with water companies on chemicals investigations which have included a range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products residues discharged from treated sewage effluent which might contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).</p><p>The EA has developed a Prioritisation and Early Warning System (PEWS) for chemicals of emerging concern to ensure consideration of the potential risks of emerging chemicals including to surface waters (both freshwater and saline waters), groundwater and soils. The system allows the EA to sift and to screen any chemical substance nominated using, where available, hazard data and environmental monitoring data to prioritise whether a substance may be a possible chemical of concern in England. The EA has included a number of pharmaceuticals and personal care products as part of PEWS including, for example, diclofenac, ibuprofen and Benzophenone-3 (UV filter). These three substances flagged as high risk in PEWS.</p><p>The EA also monitors for a wide range of pharmaceuticals and substances used in personal care products in the water environment using a semi-quantitative screening methodology. All the substances mentioned above are included on this screening.</p><p>(2) The UK AMR National Action Plan (NAP) (2019-24) commits to “support research to reduce evidence gaps and improve our understanding of hazards and risks from AMR in the environment”. The Government is not currently supporting research on the potential risks of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals and personal care product residues in terms of driving the evolution of AMR in the environment and the risks they may pose to human health, but is exploring options with funders on how best to undertake a One-Health approach to research into the drivers of AMR in the environment and environmental transmission risks to human health. This work will be built upon as an area of focus for research in the next five-year NAP (2024-29).</p><p>The Government is funding a wide array of research into AMR, including through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). As of September 2022, the NIHR was supporting 65 active research projects funded by NIHR programmes on AMR, with a combined value of approximately £97 million. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including risk factors for AMR.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 25/01/2023 12:03:40 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1566182

registered interest
date	11/01/2023
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	Sewage: Pollution
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor, measure, or mitigate the impacts of microbial pollution as a result of sewage pollution, in respect of the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4651
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2023 answer text <p>The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency (EA) have been working with the water industry to research the occurrence and transport of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics through wastewater treatment works as part of the industry-funded Chemical Investigations Programme. Investigations have been carried out at 10 sites across the country to understand how the different treatment processes affect the presence and prevalence of particular organisms and resistance genes. The results are due to be published by UK Water Industry Research in early 2023. In addition, the EA has completed a study to look at the amounts of antifungal substances that remain in biosolids as one of the final products of these wastewater treatments. These results will also be published in early 2023. <br> <br>The EA has also been working with water companies on chemicals investigations which have included a range of pharmaceuticals and veterinary medicines discharged from treated sewage effluent which might contribute to AMR. This work allows the EA to sift and screen any chemical substance nominated using, where available, hazard data and environmental monitoring data to prioritise whether a substance may be a possible chemical of concern in England. Many pharmaceuticals are included on this list. Monitoring also takes place for a wide range of pharmaceuticals within the water environment using a semi-quantitative screening methodology.</p><p>A cross-departmental project, Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and the Environment (PATH-SAFE), was established in 2021 to understand how pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) are spread in the environment and the agri-food system. It brings together DEFRA, the EA, the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the UK Health Security Agency. PATH-SAFE contains a workstream focused on AMR prevalence in three river catchments to strengthen our understanding of AMR in the environment, including the relative importance of different sources and potential transmission routes; this includes wastewater and septic discharges as important likely sources. This work is due to complete in 2023. Two documents are attached which provide background (Antimicrobial resistance surveillance pilot site selection and database extension and Framework for understanding environmental antimicrobial resistance in England).</p><p>The actions being taken to reduce sewage pollution more generally will have a direct positive impact on the emergence and spread of resistant microbials. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction plan announced in August of this year sets strict new targets on water companies to reduce sewage discharges. In addition, we have increased monitoring and transparency of water companies by increasing the number of storm overflows monitored from 5% in 2016 to almost 90% now monitored, and we will reach 100% cover by end of 2023. This action has supported the regulators to launch the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company sewage discharges ever, at over 2200 treatment works, following new data coming to light as a result of increased monitoring. We are also bringing forward proposals to increase the maximum fine that water companies face for breaches of environmental laws.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Framework_for_understanding_environmental_antimicrobial_resistance_in_England_-_report.pdf title Framework - 2 file name Antimicrobial_resistance_surveillance_pilot_site_selection_and_database_extension_-_report.pdf title Report question first answered 25/01/2023 12:00:51 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565299

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
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	Bread and Flour: Additives
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill will not result in people in the UK being exposed to azodicarbonimide, potassium bromate, or any other flour bleaching agents or industrial bread additives banned across the EU.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2023 answer text <p>Through the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill, the Government is considering which retained European Union legislation should be repealed, reformed or preserved. The Government will continue to work with a range of organisations and stakeholders to ensure we maintain our world leading standards of food safety and quality.</p><p>Our national Bread and Flour Regulations 1998, which are not in scope of the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill, do not allow the use of flour bleaching agents in the preparation of any flour or bread.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 24/01/2023 14:58:29 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1565300

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
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	Game: Birds
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 avian flu risk presented by the carcasses of shot game birds being dumped in the environment, as occurred in the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on or about 25 December 2022.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>The events that led to the dead pheasants being found in the river in the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are unknown. However, pheasants which are killed during a game shoot, where the birds are shot with the intention of using them for human consumption and which are then collected would be classified as animal by products. Disposal of animal by products is regulated and dumping such game carcases would be an offence. Anyone concerned about the appropriate disposal of dead animals or non-compliance with avian influenza controls, should contact their local Trading Standards office in the first instance.</p><p><br> Once game birds have been released, they are considered to be wild birds under avian influenza rules. The risk of incursion of highly pathogenic (HPAI) avian influenza H5 in wild birds in Great Britain is currently assessed as very high (i.e. event occurs almost certainly). The risk of wildfowling, driven game shooting and pigeon shooting activities are not considered to significantly increase the risk for long distance dispersal beyond that of routine movement of infected wild birds. Further details on the evidence which supports this risk level can be found in the Animal and Plant Health Agency Rapid Risk Assessment for spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 from wild birds to poultry from the shooting of wild waterfowl and wild game (including formerly captive) birds.</p><p><br> Members of the public should use either the online reporting system to report findings of dead wild birds or call the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77). Reports to the Defra Helpline of found dead wild birds are triaged and not all birds will be collected.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 26/01/2023 12:57:57 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle