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1121338

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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	Deer: Conservation
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 discussions he had had with his counterparts in devolved Administrations on a UK-wide deer cull to tackle damage to countryside and crops.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	244091
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>I have not had any discussions with the devolved administrations on this.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 29/04/2019 12:36:37 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1121473

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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	Water: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the price of water is affordable for older people.
tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
uin	244192
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Motherwell and Wishaw, Marion Fellows, on 23 April 2019 to PQ 244155.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 29/04/2019 12:41:27 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1121556

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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	Shipping: Noise
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 his Department has made of the effect of underwater noise emissions from commercial shipping on wildlife in UK territorial waters.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	244061
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>Under the UK Marine Strategy, the UK Government is working to ensure that underwater noise-generating human activities do not pose a significant risk to marine ecosystems.</p><p> </p><p>We currently have a limited understanding of the distribution of noise in UK seas and its impact on vulnerable species. To address this in relation to sources of continuous noise such as shipping, the UK has established a noise monitoring network, consisting of long-term monitoring stations deployed in coastal waters. The information from this monitoring network will be matched with species distributions and used to inform future policy.</p><p> </p><p>At present, it remains unclear whether changes in shipping activity have resulted in an increase in continuous noise levels. The International Maritime Organization has made recommendations to improve efficiency standards in newly built ships, which will also make them less noisy (more hydrodynamic ships are more efficient and also tend to create less noise).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 29/04/2019 15:10:57 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1121565

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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	Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in increasing the number of ports designated as points of entry for goods covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
tabling member printed	Lord Black of Brentwood
uin	HL15216
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>In the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government has recently made provision to increase the number of ports designated as points of entry for goods covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 10 to 25. The full list can be found on the Government’s website:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading-cites-listed-species-through-uk-ports-and-airports-after-brexit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading-cites-listed-species-through-uk-ports-and-airports-after-brexit</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The increase in the number of CITES designated ports is one part of the Government’s wider strategy to ensure that we are able to respond to a significant increase in demand for CITES related inspection and certification in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. It balances our commitment to delivering on our international obligations to protect endangered species with the need to ensure the smooth functioning of our ports.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 29/04/2019 13:04:25 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4171 label Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood

1121584

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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	National Parks: Wildlife
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of wildlife decline in UK national parks.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL15235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>National Parks policy is a devolved matter, so the following information relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has not to date published a specific assessment of changes in wildlife populations in National Parks, but there is national monitoring and local species survey data that can be used to determine broad trends. In general terms, we observe trends in National Parks similar to those seen in the wider countryside.</p><p> </p><p>There have been long-term declines for a number of species and some habitats are in unfavourable condition, often because of past land use. There have, however, been a number of recent conservation successes, for example, the Moors for the Future Partnership, which was set up to restore peatland in the Peak District and South Pennines, and the Two Moors Project in Dartmoor and Exmoor, which has boosted marsh fritillary butterfly abundance following years of decline.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has commissioned a Review of England’s designated landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)), which is being led by Julian Glover, supported by an experienced advisory group. Central to its remit is how to enhance the environment and biodiversity in National Parks and AONBs. We are expecting the report later this year.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 29/04/2019 13:06:50 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1121588

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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	Sheep
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to have the new system for ageing lambs to be in place.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL15239
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>At this present time, lambs presented for slaughter will continue to be subject to existing domestic legislative arrangements. This means there is no change to current systems. Sheep aged over 12 months or with 1 permanent incisor erupted in the gum will be split and Specified Risk Material (SRM) removed.</p><p> </p><p>We have been discussing an alternative process put forward by the industry. Under this process, all lambs evidenced as born the previous year and presented for slaughter would not routinely be tooth-checked. This would enable the industry to take advantage of last year’s amendment to the EU TSE Regulation that enables Member States to approve a different method for estimating whether a lamb is aged over twelve months for the purpose of removing the skull and spinal cord.</p><p> </p><p>Key steps for us to introduce such a change would be:</p><ul><li>an amendment to our domestic legislation to protect the food business operator from unwittingly acting unlawfully in breach of the requirements set out in Schedule 7 of the TSE statutory instruments;</li><li>an agreed and enforceable protocol for use at the slaughterhouse to meet the needs of our official controls; and</li><li>a public consultation to offer the opportunity for all relevant parties to comment, including consumers, retailers, food processors, slaughterhouse operators and farmers.</li></ul><p> </p><p>We have carefully and thoroughly looked at all possibilities to fast-track this work. Given legislative processes and the need to agree the protocol and carry out a public consultation, and to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are sufficiently informed and prepared for implementation, it will not be feasible to deliver the change in time for this year’s proposed cut-off date of 30 June 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Officials will work with stakeholders on introduction, bearing in mind the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 30/04/2019 12:14:20 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1121600

registered interest
date	11/04/2019
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: Rural Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of the food and drink industry to the rural economy; and what steps they intend to take to ensure that food safety standards are maintained.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL15251
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>The food and drink industry, and the wider agri-food sector, forms an integral part of the rural economy whether in primary production, manufacturing, retail, or hospitality. The Government recognises its importance and provides a range of support for the industry and the rural economy as a whole.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has world leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework. We will maintain these high standards once the UK leaves the EU.</p><p> </p><p><em>Rural Economy and Food and Drink </em></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Various figures demonstrate the importance of the food and drink industry to the rural economy. The industry employed 3 million people in 2017 in England, over 475,000 (16%) of whom lived in rural areas. 31% of all business units that produce food products or beverages are in rural areas. Food and drink manufacturing in rural areas in England (excluding animal feed and pet food) had a turnover of £11 billion in 2017. In 2016 an estimated 2% of the gross value added of predominantly rural areas came from farming, forestry and fishing.</p><p> </p><p>The Government provides a range of support for the rural economy. We are investing over £500 million in rural businesses and communities through the socioeconomic schemes within the Rural Development Programme for England. This includes over £250 million for rural business growth and broadband infrastructure through the Growth Programme; £150 million for locally identified business and community priorities through LEADER; and £140 million for improving farm performance through Countryside Productivity. Rural communities can also receive support through Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government also provides support for the agri-food sector. Defra’s work on the Industrial Strategy includes the Food and Drink Sector Council, the Food and Drink Sector Deal (currently in negotiations) and the Food and Drink LEP Network. The Government promotes increasing agricultural productivity through a range of programmes including the Transforming Food Production Fund and the Agri-Tech Strategy. The Government will publish a National Food Strategy once we leave the EU.</p><p> </p><p><em>Food Standards</em></p><p> </p><p>When we leave the EU, we will maintain our current high standards. We will keep our existing UK legislation, and the EU Withdrawal Act will convert EU law into UK law as it applies at the moment of departure.</p><p> </p><p>As noted above, the UK has world leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework. We will maintain these high standards once the UK leaves the EU.</p><p> </p><p>We are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Exiting the European Union and the devolved administrations to ensure that the UK’s world leading reputation for food safety and standards continues after we leave the EU.</p><p> </p><p>Maintaining safety and public confidence in the food we all eat is a high priority for the Government. We are committed to upholding and strengthening our high standards. Future trade agreements must support the UK’s food safety, animal welfare, and environmental standards.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State has been clear on numerous occasions that we intend to maintain our standards when pursuing any trade deals.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 29/04/2019 13:06:07 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering