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1687741

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written Questions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to Questions (a) 11320 on Import Controls: Disease Control tabled by the hon. Member for Walthamstow on 24 January for answer of 29 January 2024, and (b) 12300 on Export Health Certificates tabled by the hon. Member for Walthamstow on 31 January for Answer of 5 February 2024; and for what reason his Department was unable to answer the Questions within the usual time period.
tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
uin	13268
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>The answer to Question 11320 was published on 9 February 2024.</p><p> </p><p>An answer to Question 12300 is being prepared and will be provided as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p>I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay. On this occasion, it was not possible to answer these questions within the usual time frame.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/03/2024 13:13:29 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1687745

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Plastics: Pollution
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 tackle pre-production plastic pellet, nurdle, pollution in the marine environment.
tabling member constituency	Isle of Wight
tabling member printed	Bob Seely
uin	13334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2024 answer text <p>Tackling marine plastic pollution in all its forms is a priority for the UK Government, and we’re taking action domestically, regionally and internationally to address this issue.</p><p> </p><p>Our statutory UK Marine Strategy sets out a vision for UK waters to achieve clean, safe, healthy biologically diverse and productive seas, which are used sustainably. The UK Marine Strategy Part One set out our aim for the amount of litter on coastlines and in the marine environment to be declining over time and for levels to not pose a significant risk to the coastal and marine environment.</p><p> </p><p>In 2019, the British Irish Council Ministers recognised the need to address the loss of plastic pellets and supported the development of a Publicly Available Specification developed by the British Standards Institution. This Specification sets out requirements for the handling and management of plastic pellets, flakes and powders throughout the supply chain to prevent spills, leaks and loss to the environment, and was the first of its kind when published in July 2021. Details can be found on the BSI website: <a href="https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/plastic-pellets-flakes-and-powders-handling-and-management-throughout-the-supply-chain-to-prevent-their-leakage-to-the-environment-specification?version=standard" target="_blank">PAS 510:2021 | 31 Jul 2021 | BSI Knowledge (bsigroup.com).</a></p><p> </p><p>As a Contracting Party to the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, the UK develops and implements actions under the OSPAR Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter and has led an action on preventing plastic pellet loss in the supply chain. The action has resulted in the adoption of a Recommendation on minimum requirements for pellet loss certification schemes, to promote coherence in national approaches and drive improved standards throughout the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is a leading voice in the negotiation of a new international treaty on plastic pollution and has called for binding provisions to reduce and prevent microplastic pollution from all sources. In particular, the UK has called for specific provisions to prevent and eliminate emissions and releases of plastic pellets, flakes and powders across the whole supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, the UK is contributing to discussions at the International Maritime Organisation regarding requirements for the shipping of plastic pellets. Recommendations on the carriage of plastic pellets by sea in freight containers are under development and are expected to be approved this year. The UK is pushing for action to be taken as soon as possible to reduce the incidence of plastic pellet spills at sea.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 20/02/2024 09:45:05 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4681 label Biography information for Bob Seely

1687765

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	River Mersey: Pollution
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 24 January 2024 to Question 9694 on River Mersey: Pollution, how many of the 56 pollution discharges in the River Mersey resulted in action being taken in line with the Environment Agency’s Enforcement and Sanctions policy.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	13347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>Following the 56 pollution discharges into the River Mersey, in line with its enforcement and sanctions policy, the Environment Agency has taken action 24 times. Five pollution occurrences resulted in warning letters, 17 resulted in site warnings and two instances resulted in advice and guidance being issued.</p><p> </p><p>After initial enquiries, the Environment Agency took no further action in 12 instances where no offence was deemed to have been committed, in eight instances that had no impact on water quality and in two instances where, following its enforcement and sanctions policy, further action was deemed not to be in the public interest.</p><p> </p><p>There were 10 instances where a polluter could not be identified, so further action could not be taken.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 19/02/2024 08:21:53 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1687797

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Food Supply
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 his Department is taking to help ensure an adequate supply of labour in the food supply chain.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	13234
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>Defra is aware of the impact that labour shortages are having on the food supply chain and we continue to speak regularly with the sector and other government departments to understand labour supply and demand, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements.</p><p> </p><p>To inform future decisions on labour across the sector, Defra commissioned John Shropshire to carry out an Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain throughout 2022 and 2023, considering how automation, domestic labour and migrant labour could contribute to tackling labour shortages in our sectors. This report was published on 30 June 2023 and the government response – which will also be informed by the Review of Automation in Horticulture – is expected to be published in early 2024.</p><p> </p><p>At the same time as the response, the government will set out how it will support the sector to access the labour it needs alongside actions to reduce the sector’s reliance on migrant labour including via our work on automation and promoting domestic labour procurement and training.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this, the Government announced last May that there would be 45,000 Seasonal Worker visas for the horticulture sector in 2024, with a further 2000 for seasonal poultry workers, ensuring these sectors can plan their workforce needs for the year ahead with confidence.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 19/02/2024 08:17:08 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1687859

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Import Controls: Disease Control
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 introduction of the Border Target Operating Model, what estimate his Department has made of the cost per consignment of acquiring health certificates for sanitary and phyto-sanitary controls.
tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
uin	13303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>We will publish the Economic Impact Assessment of the legislative measures required to enable the Border Target Operating Model<del class="ministerial"> (BTOM)</del> in due course and no later than the Statutory Instruments<del class="ministerial"> (Sis)</del> are laid. This will contain summary data tables and they will include the requested information.</p><p><del class="ministerial">Under the new BTOM, consignments can undergo various types of checks depending on the type of product and the level of risk presented. Low risk consignments will not undergo documentary, ID or physical checks. All medium risk products of animal origin (POAO) will undergo documentary checks with an estimated cost to business of £10-£25 per check. 1% of medium risk consignments of POAO will undergo physical and ID checks, with an estimated cost to business of £250-£750 per check. The check rates on high risk consignments of POAO are unchanged. For plant and plant products, the cost of documentary checks is expected to be around £5 per check for high and medium risk goods and the cost of risk-based inspections is expected to be £20-£80 per check. Low risk plant and plant products are not charged for checks. Plans to amend fees for documentary checks will occur under future SIs for the BTOM.</del></p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/03/2024 14:06:51 question first ministerially corrected 19/03/2024 13:36:28 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer previous answer version 22905 answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1687861

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Import Controls
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 she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse for the direct administration of each consignment checked through the Border Target Operating Model.
tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
uin	13305
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>We will publish the Economic Impact Assessment of the legislative measures required to enable the Border Target Operating Model<del class="ministerial"> (BTOM)</del> in due course and no later than the Statutory Instruments<del class="ministerial"> (Sis)</del> are laid. This will contain summary data tables and they will include the requested information.</p><p><del class="ministerial">Under the new BTOM, consignments can undergo various types of checks depending on the type of product and the level of risk presented. Low risk consignments will not undergo documentary, ID or physical checks. All medium risk products of animal origin (POAO) will undergo documentary checks with an estimated cost to business of £10-£25 per check. 1% of medium risk consignments of POAO will undergo physical and ID checks, with an estimated cost to business of £250-£750 per check. The check rates on high risk consignments of POAO are unchanged. For plant and plant products, the cost of documentary checks is expected to be around £5 per check for high and medium risk goods and the cost of risk-based inspections is expected to be £20-£80 per check. Low risk plant and plant products are not charged for checks. Plans to amend fees for documentary checks will occur under future SIs for the BTOM.</del></p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/03/2024 14:06:51 question first ministerially corrected 19/03/2024 13:36:08 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer previous answer version 22906 answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1687870

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Primates: Pets
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what evidential basis the decision not pursue a ban on the keeping of primates was made.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	13309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government opted to prioritise primate welfare by using secondary legislation. This approach means that these regulations will be in place earlier than would have been possible under primary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Over 98% of respondents to our 2020 consultation and 97% of respondents to our 2023 consultation expressed support for the introduction of a new prohibition on keeping primates privately in England without a relevant licence.</p><p> </p><p>The regulations ban the keeping of primates without a relevant licence, ensuring that only those keeping primates to the highest welfare standards can do so.</p><p> </p><p>We have thoroughly considered our 2019 call for evidence, consultations and wider stakeholder engagement to ensure the introduction of robust and proportionate measures. This includes activities on breeding, where primate keepers will be required to meet minimum welfare and licencing standards and subject to veterinary control and oversight.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer grouped question UIN 13310 13432 question first answered 16/02/2024 08:35:45 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1687871

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Primates: Pets
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason he plans to restrict the keeping of primates as pets through the draft Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023 rather than through primary legislation.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	13310
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government opted to prioritise primate welfare by using secondary legislation. This approach means that these regulations will be in place earlier than would have been possible under primary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Over 98% of respondents to our 2020 consultation and 97% of respondents to our 2023 consultation expressed support for the introduction of a new prohibition on keeping primates privately in England without a relevant licence.</p><p> </p><p>The regulations ban the keeping of primates without a relevant licence, ensuring that only those keeping primates to the highest welfare standards can do so.</p><p> </p><p>We have thoroughly considered our 2019 call for evidence, consultations and wider stakeholder engagement to ensure the introduction of robust and proportionate measures. This includes activities on breeding, where primate keepers will be required to meet minimum welfare and licencing standards and subject to veterinary control and oversight.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer grouped question UIN 13309 13432 question first answered 16/02/2024 08:35:45 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1687873

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Primates: Pets
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 assessment of the potential impact of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023 on primates kept by owners who are unable to meet licensing requirements under the new regulations.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	13381
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2024 answer text <p>The Regulations include a two-year implementation period to provide sufficient time for existing keepers to make necessary changes to comply with the new regulations or to find a suitable alternative home for their primate.</p><p> </p><p>These measures do not meet the threshold for a formal impact assessment and no significant costs on the public sector or businesses have been identified. We will be working with local authorities and the sectors to identify suitable rehoming facilities for primates and determine how they can be supported effectively to meet potential future demand for their services.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer grouped question UIN 13311 13382 question first answered 16/02/2024 08:31:06 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1687879

registered interest
date	06/02/2024
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	Coastal Erosion and Flood Control
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 findings of the Environment Agency’s research report entitled Measuring resilience to flooding and coastal change, updated on 14 November 2022, when he plans to introduce a national set of resilience indicators.
tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
tabling member printed	Dame Siobhain McDonagh
uin	13212
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government has committed to develop a national set of indicators to monitor trends over time in tackling flood and coastal erosion risk in England. To inform the development of long-term indicators an Environment Agency led research project <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fflood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-research-reports%2Fmeasuring-resilience-to-flooding-and-coastal-change&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C490fe49735544ec6618a08dc27f58abf%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638429182739683952%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=%2FwQOw09%2BI9i8WlCHxg2ZenggzejCBOTzcjG8pMXYN1Q%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Measuring resilience to flooding and coastal change</a> was published in November 2022. Further research is now exploring data collection and development of potential indicators through the £200 million flood and coastal resilience innovation programme. The Government will provide a further update on progress to develop a national set of indicators in due course.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 14/02/2024 14:20:30 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh