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1180619

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Floods
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 impact of climate change on the prevalance and severity of recent flooding; and what plans they have taken to review the (1) Bellwin scheme, and (2) aid and support provided to local authorities, to ensure that communities have sufficient resilience to withstand such events.
tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
uin	HL1847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published in 2017 identifies risks to flooding and coastal change as one of the UK’s top six risks from climate change. The second National Adaptation Programme (NAP) published in 2018, sets out a plan of actions across Government to address these risks (amongst others identified in the CCRA) over the following 5 years. In addition updated UK Climate Projections – UKCP18 – are a key tool to help the Government, businesses and the public understand the future climate and enable them to make climate-resilient decisions.</p><p> </p><p>The Government acted swiftly to activate the emergency Bellwin scheme to help local authorities cope with the cost of response in the immediate aftermath of recent flooding. The Bellwin scheme was activated after Storm Ciara on 10 February and Storm Dennis on 17 February 2020. Under the scheme, local authorities dealing with the flooding can apply to have 100% of their eligible costs, above a threshold, reimbursed by the government. The operation of the Bellwin Scheme was last reviewed in 2015. There are currently no plans to review it further.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government provides funding to local government to carry out functions including managing flood and coastal erosion risk, through the local government finance settlement.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 10/03/2020 17:11:42 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

1180620

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Pesticides
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the legal requirements for local authorities to report their use of glyphosate and other chemical pesticides and herbicides; and what central record is kept of the use of such chemicals.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Pesticides, including glyphosate and other herbicides, are strictly regulated and their use is only authorised if a scientific risk assessment shows that there will be no harmful effect on human health and no unacceptable effects on the environment. There are specific risk assessments for the use of pesticides in amenity areas, which includes local authority use. There are also controls on the use of pesticides, including training of users and testing of application equipment.</p><p> </p><p>It is for local authorities to determine the need for pest and weed control in their operations and to decide how to deliver this effectively without harming people or the environment. There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the general public and a number of local authorities are exploring practices that help meet this requirement.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are not required to report their use of chemical pesticides and no central record is kept. The Government does commission and publish surveys of pesticide use. These focus mainly on the use of pesticides in farming, but surveys of amenity use have been carried out from time to time, most recently in 2016.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 10/03/2020 15:51:53 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1180630

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Food: Waste Disposal
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total annual cost of regular collections of food waste from (1) domestic households, (2) businesses, and (3) other organisations; and how such collection is funded in each case.
tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
uin	HL1858
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>In 2019 the Government published an impact assessment to support its consultation on greater consistency in household and business recycling. In that impact assessment Government estimated that an investment in the range of £180 million - £260 million would be needed to roll out weekly separate food waste collection across households in England. These costs assume that all local authorities make no other change to collection systems and are estimated over a 7 year transition period from 2023 to 2029. This was based on what would be needed to cover additional bins, vehicles and transportation of food waste to AD sites.</p><p> </p><p>Given the additional costs involved in separate food waste collection the Government has stated that it will ensure that local authorities are resourced to meet new costs arising from separate food waste collections including upfront transition costs and ongoing operational costs.</p><p> </p><p>For businesses and other organisations the total annual costs for separate food waste collections were estimated to be £189 million. This estimate is based on all businesses participating in the scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The costs of business food waste collections would be funded by businesses. In the impact assessment published in 2019 our preferred option of having all businesses collect dry recyclable materials (with glass separated) and separate food waste collection showed that business could make greater savings overall and we would expect estimated savings of £1,206 million from the measures proposed to increase recycling in the non-household municipal sector. For very small or micro firms our impact assessment indicated that these might see greater costs from measures to increase recycling and Government is considering options to reduce costs for this sector including possible exemptions from requirements to separately collect food waste.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 05/03/2020 13:52:52 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

1180633

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Horticulture: Seasonal Workers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the quantity of unpicked (1) apples, (2) cherries, (3) blueberries, (4) raspberries, (5) other fruit, (6) vegetable crops, and (7) other horticultural produce, in 2019, as a result of a shortage of seasonal labour; and what plans they have to address any issues which may arise from any shortage of labour in 2020.
tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
uin	HL1861
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p><strong>Lord Gardiner of Kimble</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The information requested on quantities of unpicked horticultural produce is not held by Defra.</p><p> </p><p>It is a priority of this Government to enable an innovative, productive and competitive food supply chain, which invests in its people and skills.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018, the Government introduced a new pilot scheme for 2019 and 2020 enabling up to 2500 non-EEA migrant workers per year to come to the UK to undertake seasonal employment in the edible Horticultural sector. The Government has now expanded the Seasonal Workers Pilot for 2020 from 2,500 to 10,000 workers.</p><p> </p><p>The pilot will continue to operate in the edible horticulture sector, to support farmers growing UK fruit and vegetables. This is the sector of agriculture which has been experiencing the most severe seasonal labour shortages, and which the pilot aims to support.</p><p> </p><p>Although the numbers are increasing for 2020, based on the success of the pilot so far, it is not designed to meet the full labour needs of the horticulture sector. This workforce boost will complement the EU workers already travelling to the UK this year to provide seasonal labour on farms during the busy harvest months.</p><p> </p><p>Business will continue to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status and there will continue to be other flexibility in the system, including youth mobility schemes and the MAC has already pointed to the estimated 170,000 recently arrived non-EU citizens currently in low-skilled occupations.</p><p> </p><p>The EU Settlement Scheme, which opened in March 2019 has already received more than 3.2 million applications from EU citizens who are be able to stay and work in the UK. EU citizens and their family members do not need to do anything immediately: there will be no change to their current rights until the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020; and the deadline for applications to the scheme for those resident here by the end of 2020 will be 30 June 2021.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 09/03/2020 14:11:08 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

1180641

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Drinking Water: Colne Valley
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure good-quality drinking water sources in the Colne Valley by 2027.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
uin	HL1869
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Government have put in place the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 which provide the framework for safe drinking water. Within these Regulations is the requirement for water companies to risk assess their supply systems and to keep those risk assessments under review. Risks identified in the risk assessment require mitigation. Any major constructions work within a water company’s area would result in a review of the risk assessment to identify any potential for impact and mitigation put in place to ensure drinking water meets the required standards and is safe for consumers.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 10/03/2020 17:10:12 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

1180642

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	High Speed 2 Line: Colne Valley
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what reasons the Environment Agency gave for allowing HS2 Ltd to drill at the Harvil Road site in the Colne Valley.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
uin	HL1870
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) has given permission to High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd to carry out drilling activities at the Harvil Road site under Schedule 33 of the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Act 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The EA reviewed the risks to groundwater quality and quantity by the HS2 Ltd construction activities at the Harvil Road site in the Colne Valley and did not identify any reasons to prohibit drilling activities at the site.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 05/03/2020 13:51:18 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

1180643

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Beef
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether beef from hormone-implanted cattle can be identified if there are higher levels of such hormones present in bull beef than beef from hormone-implanted steers.
tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
uin	HL1871
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>There are prototype analytical methods that give a good indication of whether a substance is naturally occurring. However, these need further refinement before they can be considered suitably robust and reliable for regulatory use.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the UK has transposed EU Council Directive 96/22/EC (as amended) into national law ‘Animals and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) (England and Scotland) Regulations 2015', with similar legislation for Wales and Northern Ireland. This legislation prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones in both domestic production and imported products as well as provides for the monitoring of residues of substances. This protection will continue now we have left the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/03/2020 13:50:25 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

1180644

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Beef
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether new evidence has appeared since the European Economic Community imposed a ban on sales of hormone-implanted beef in 1989 about the safety of such beef; and if so, (1) whether that evidence has changed the UK's view that the practice of hormone implantation is safe, and (2) what is the nature of that evidence.
tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
uin	HL1872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>No new evidence in relation to the use of hormones as growth promotors has been reviewed by the UK Government’s independent Veterinary Products Committee since 2007.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has transposed EU Council Directive 96/22/EC (as amended) into national law ‘Animals and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) (England and Scotland) Regulations 2015', with similar legislation for Wales and Northern Ireland. This legislation prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones in both domestic production and imported products as well as provides for the monitoring of residues of substances. This protection will continue now we have left the EU.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/03/2020 13:50:56 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

1180657

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Floods
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 30 January (HL580), whether there is a map to show the areas at (1) current, and (2) future, risk of flooding in England.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Environment Agency’s (EA’s) Flood Map for Planning (<a href="https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/</a>) shows the current likelihood of flooding in England. This map takes into account extreme weather events.</p><p> </p><p>While this map does not look at future risks, for many parts of the country the EA assesses future climate impacts on flood and coastal risk through local detailed flood and coastal erosion modelling. These models and outputs can be made available on request to assist in the resilient design of new development.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the EA is currently updating its national flood risk assessment. The new assessment will provide the information needed to guide and support flood risk management decisions and investment in a transparent and understandable way. It will give a dynamic, single story of flood risk for a location, for all sources of flooding, now and in the future, considering defence performance and regardless of scale.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 10/03/2020 17:10:47 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1180659

registered interest
date	25/02/2020
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	Tree Planting
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 28 January (HL530), what are the actual numbers involved in their policy of "encouraging new tree planting on a massive scale"; and what is the period over which this will be achieved.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1887
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2020 answer text <p>We have set out an ambition to increase tree planting across the UK in this parliament to 30,000 hectares a year by 2025. In England we will increase planting with support from our new Nature for Climate Fund and are developing a programme for this. This will include support for domestic nurseries, grants to plant private land and support for a range of public, private and community organisations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 05/03/2020 13:51:43 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten