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1491355

registered interest
date	21/07/2022
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	Sewers
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 progress his Department has made on (a) implementing section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and (b) assessing the potential merits of supplementary regulations to adopt (i) private wastewater pumping stations and (ii) other existing sewerage assets constructed since July 2011.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	41982
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government has reviewed the case for implementing Section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. We will consult in due course on making regulations concerning the adoption of existing private sewerage assets by sewerage companies.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 05/09/2022 16:14:39 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1327563

registered interest
date	24/05/2021
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	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
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 Answer of 7 October 2020 to Question 96849, on Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes, when he plans to (a) conclude and (b) publish the findings of the evaluation of the Seasonal Workers Pilot.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	6259
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2021 answer text <p>We intend to publish the findings from the first year of the Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme in the coming months.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 02/06/2021 14:19:32 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1308531

registered interest
date	13/04/2021
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	Equine Herpes Virus: 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, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the measures in place to protect against Equine Herpes Virus-1 outbreaks in the UK.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	180467
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government is working closely with the equine sector to ensure owners are aware of the risks and are taking the necessary precautions to keep their animals safe. Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) is not a notifiable disease and isolation of sick animals is the best protection against infection. There is no public health risk. Horse owners are advised to contact their private vet if they observe any respiratory illness, abortion or neurological signs in horses or ponies in their care or would like to discuss options for vaccination against the disease.</p><p> </p><p>All horses imported into the UK are required to be certified as being fit to travel and not to have originated from premises where disease is known to be present. Any horses imported into the UK should be placed in isolation for at least ten days before allowing them to mix with other equines.</p><p> </p><p>Comprehensive industry advice and guidance on biosecurity and vaccination is available online and the Animal and Plant Health Agency international trade team is, on behalf of Defra, writing to anyone wishing to import any equine from Europe to remind them of this guidance and strongly recommend that it is followed.</p><p> </p><p>Current biosecurity protocols and guidance are known to be effective at controlling the spread of EHV-1 and have been successful in preventing its spread into the UK during the current outbreak. We continue to work with and support the industry in containing the threat to the UK horse population.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 21/04/2021 15:29:48 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1282862

registered interest
date	02/02/2021
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	Countryside: Coronavirus
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 to promote the Countryside Code: short covid-19 version more widely.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	147819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2021 answer text <p>Natural England (NE) has a statutory duty to produce and promote the Countryside Code which provides three levels of information: short and long versions for the public plus additional information for land managers and owners for areas of open country. NE is currently undertaking a review and refresh of the Code.</p><p> </p><p>The launch of the refreshed version of the Countryside Code at Easter will be the first step in a much longer campaign both to promote the Code and begin an associated campaign running throughout 2021. This will include a broader conversation with stakeholders about what a ‘post-Covid’ Code for the 21<sup>st</sup> century would look like and how we can, as a sector, promote more positive behaviours and awareness. The aim is that it can be used flexibly across multiple platforms to reach a much greater diversity of audiences and NE will be setting out more about this work in due course.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this development work an updated video has been produced to promote the Code and respecting the countryside. This has been posted across Defra’s and Natural England’s social media channels as well as being available to stakeholders to use on their social channels with a complementary package of additional content. We also plan to publicise the video on the Government’s ‘Nextdoor’ channel and on our Instagram accounts this week.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to work on a wider communications plan and will be developing additional social media content to respond to potential upcoming issues over the coming months.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 147820 question first answered 10/02/2021 17:35:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1283141

registered interest
date	02/02/2021
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	Countryside: Coronavirus
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 he plans to update the Countryside Code after covid-19 restrictions have been lifted and The Countryside Code - short Covid-19 online version, last updated on 2 July 2020, has been stood down.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	147820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2021 answer text <p>Natural England (NE) has a statutory duty to produce and promote the Countryside Code which provides three levels of information: short and long versions for the public plus additional information for land managers and owners for areas of open country. NE is currently undertaking a review and refresh of the Code.</p><p> </p><p>The launch of the refreshed version of the Countryside Code at Easter will be the first step in a much longer campaign both to promote the Code and begin an associated campaign running throughout 2021. This will include a broader conversation with stakeholders about what a ‘post-Covid’ Code for the 21<sup>st</sup> century would look like and how we can, as a sector, promote more positive behaviours and awareness. The aim is that it can be used flexibly across multiple platforms to reach a much greater diversity of audiences and NE will be setting out more about this work in due course.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this development work an updated video has been produced to promote the Code and respecting the countryside. This has been posted across Defra’s and Natural England’s social media channels as well as being available to stakeholders to use on their social channels with a complementary package of additional content. We also plan to publicise the video on the Government’s ‘Nextdoor’ channel and on our Instagram accounts this week.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to work on a wider communications plan and will be developing additional social media content to respond to potential upcoming issues over the coming months.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 147819 question first answered 10/02/2021 17:35:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1283142

registered interest
date	02/02/2021
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	Livestock Worrying
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 protect sheep from attacks and harassment by dogs.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	147821
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2021 answer text <p>My department takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications.</p><p> </p><p>All reported crimes should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences.</p><p> </p><p>The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 provides a specific offence of allowing a dog to worry livestock with a maximum fine of £1,000. In addition, the police can and do take action under the Dogs Act 1871 where there are dogs that are out of control and dangerous to other animals. Section 2 of the 1871 Act allows a complaint to be made to a Magistrate’s court by any individual, the police or local authorities, where a dog is “dangerous and not kept under proper control”. The court may make any Order it considers appropriate to require the owner to keep the dog under proper control, or if necessary, that it be destroyed. The court may specify measures to be taken for keeping the dog under proper control, such as muzzling and remaining on a lead when in public.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance is available to educate owners about handling their dogs responsibly in the vicinity of livestock, in order to prevent the occurrence of attacks or chasing.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs provides owners with information on how to provide for their dog’s natural needs as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Code of Practice clearly sets out that all dogs need to be trained to behave well, ideally from a very young age and should be introduced gradually and positively to different environments, people and animals. If owners become aware of changes in behaviour, or their dog is fearful of, or aggressive, towards other dogs and people, they should avoid the situations which lead to this and seek veterinary advice. The Code asks owners to ensure that they prevent their dogs from chasing or attacking any other animals, including livestock and horses; for example, through use of a lead or avoidance of such situations.</p><p> </p><p>Recent reports on livestock worrying, including by the National Chiefs’ Police Council, have recommended reforming the 1953 Act to address current enforcement challenges and ensure it remains fit for purpose. We are currently engaging closely with key stakeholders to improve our understanding of the scale of the issue and the views of both livestock keepers and dog owners.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 10/02/2021 16:05:21 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1244974

registered interest
date	20/10/2020
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	Incinerators
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 oral contribution of the former Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of 9 May 2019, Official Report, column 643, whether it remains his Department’s assessment that additional residual waste energy capacity above that already planned to 2020 should not be needed.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	106315
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2020 answer text <p>In developing our Resources and Waste Strategy (RWS), my department considered the amount of residual waste treatment capacity that will be required for England to avoid any negative impact on future recycling ambitions and the major waste reforms we are implementing. The assessment concluded that significant additional residual waste energy recovery capacity such as incineration or advanced conversion technologies – above that already operating or planned to 2020 – would not necessarily be needed to meet an ambition of no more than 10% municipal waste to landfill by 2035, if a 65% municipal recycling rate is achieved by that same year. This assumed refuse derived fuel exports remain at 2018 levels. However, if energy recovery continues to provide a better environmental alternative to landfill, more investment to reduce tonnages of municipal waste to landfill further would deliver environmental benefits.</p><p> </p><p>In accordance with the commitment given in the RWS we continue to monitor residual waste infrastructure and will publish an updated assessment in the coming months.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 28/10/2020 14:57:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1241402

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Oilseed Rape
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 recent assessment he has made of trends in (a) acreage of oilseed rape, (b) imports of oilseed rape and (c) imports of oilseed rape substitutes in the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	100347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>The Oilseed rape area increased from 269 thousand hectares in 1984, reaching a peak of 756 thousand hectares in 2012. Since then the area has decreased each year (apart from 2018 when an increase to 583 thousand hectares was seen). The provisional figure for 2020 shows a further decrease to 388 thousand hectares.</p><p> </p><p>Total area planted for Oilseed rape in hectares for the last ten years</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>2020</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thousand hectares</p></td><td><p>705</p></td><td><p>756</p></td><td><p>715</p></td><td><p>675</p></td><td><p>652</p></td><td><p>579</p></td><td><p>562</p></td><td><p>583</p></td><td><p>530</p></td><td><p>388*</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*2020 figure is current estimate based on Defra survey</p><p> </p><p>Total Oilseed rape imports over the same period are shown below</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>2020</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thousand tonnes</p></td><td><p>64</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>177</p></td><td><p>87</p></td><td><p>87</p></td><td><p>63</p></td><td><p>345</p></td><td><p>206</p></td><td><p>354</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Total other Oilseed (excl Rape but including Soya, Nut, Sunflower, Linseed) imports over the same period are shown below</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>2020</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thousand tonnes</p></td><td><p>1,016</p></td><td><p>991</p></td><td><p>842</p></td><td><p>1,013</p></td><td><p>998</p></td><td><p>903</p></td><td><p>954</p></td><td><p>1,012</p></td><td><p>851</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 16/10/2020 12:31:43 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1241406

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Bees and Honey
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 recent assessment he has made of trends in the levels of (a) honey production, (b) the total bee population and (c) the wild bee population in the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	100348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>UK honey production has recovered over the past few years to around 6,500 tonnes in 2019, following a significant drop earlier in the decade. A range of factors affect production, predominantly weather, levels of pests and disease and numbers of large-scale commercial bee farmers. No formal assessment is made of honey production trends but the National Bee Unit has a key role in supporting the sector by ensuring that levels of pests and disease are kept to a minimum. This is achieved through delivery of our apiary inspection programme and the provision of education and training for beekeepers.</p><p> </p><p>Honey bee numbers are dependent upon the numbers of colonies managed by beekeepers and bee farmers. In the last ten years, numbers of colonies recorded on the National Bee Unit’s BeeBase website have doubled from around 110,000 to around 220,000. It should be recognised, however, that this increase is due in part to new registrations of existing beekeepers, and not entirely to additional colonies or beekeepers.</p><p> </p><p>Each year, the Government publishes an indicator of trends in populations of wild bees and other pollinators in the UK, measuring changes in the distribution of almost 400 pollinating insect species since 1980, including 137 species of bees. The indicator shows an overall decline since 1980. However, there are encouraging, but not yet definitive signs of improvement for some species. For example, from 2013 onwards, there is evidence of an overall increase in the distribution of the 137 wild bee species, although other insect pollinators have continued to decline. The annual update of the indicator was published on 15 October 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Defra works with a range of partners to implement a National Pollinator Strategy to address declines in wild pollinators and concerns about bee health, alongside more specific action to support honey bees and beekeeping in the Healthy Bees Plan. This has included establishing a UK-wide pollinator monitoring and research partnership in collaboration with research institutes and volunteer organisations to gather further data on the status of UK pollinators.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 16/10/2020 11:29:58 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds

1241410

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Neonicotinoids
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 impact assessment he has undertaken on the introduction of the ban on neonicotinoids.
tabling member constituency	East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Damian Hinds
uin	100349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2020 answer text <p>Restrictions prohibiting the outdoor use of three neonicotinoids were put in place from late 2018. The Government supported these restrictions because, based on the scientific evidence, we were not prepared to put our pollinator populations at risk. The evidence on the toxicity of these chemicals to bees and their persistence in the environment means that the clear advice of scientific advisers is that these restrictions are justified.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that the loss of neonicotinoids has made it harder for farmers to control certain pests in emerging crops. Some growers of crops including oilseed rape and sugar beet aphids have faced significant yield losses because of these difficulties.</p><p> </p><p>The Government considered these impacts in deciding its approach, but did not carry out a formal impact assessment. This was because neither the benefits nor the costs of restrictions on neonicotinoids are amenable to precise quantification.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 19/10/2020 15:36:40 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds