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 question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

1518479

registered interest
date	26/09/2022
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	Poultry: Animal Welfare
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress the Animal and Plant Health Agency has made in its investigation into the deaths of millions of factory farm chickens during heatwaves in summer 2022; when the results of the investigation are expected to be published; and what plans they have to prevent future such events.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2321
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2022 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency is supporting local authorities in investigating what took place on individual poultry units. Ongoing investigations are confidential as any information released may prejudice any potential legal action in the future.</p><p>HM Government takes breaches of animal welfare legislation very seriously. Prior to and during this summer's heatwaves, we reiterated advice to livestock keepers to ensure their contingency plans took full account of the need to protect health and welfare during hot weather. We are very concerned about the significant mortalities in broiler chickens that occurred. We are discussing what happened with the poultry sector and looking carefully at what measures could be put in place in future to help prevent a recurrence of mass mortalities and improve broiler chicken welfare.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 10/10/2022 16:36:16 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1518481

registered interest
date	26/09/2022
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	Marine Environment: North of England
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 22 February (HL6071), what further information they have gathered in relation to ecological problems off the coasts of Yorkshire and North-East England; and what plans they have for further studies and actions relating to any such problems.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2022 answer text <p>We are aware there have been some localised reductions in catch rates and we are continuing to monitor shellfish populations in the area. This is a complex scientific issue, which is why we took a thorough, evidence-based approach. We will continue to work with academic researchers.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 10/10/2022 16:35:34 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1518526

registered interest
date	26/09/2022
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	Anaerobic Digestion: Drug Resistance
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 risk of anaerobic digestion facilities increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2022 answer text <p>HM Government has not conducted specific research into the risks of anaerobic digestion facilities increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance, but it does consider that anaerobic digestion is an effective method for the disposal of animal by-products as the process destroys bacteria and is considered to be the best approach for reducing spread of bacteria to the environment. Guidance on the handling of manure and slurry to reduce antibiotic resistance can be found at <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fhandling-of-manure-and-slurry-to-reduce-antibiotic-resistance&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C3f782bd990fe48fbbd4b08daaad941b3%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638010147333206588%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=uKlkVpil6hONji3GDHnIc0wwFq%2Bp4%2Bi8t9ENWmzt9wc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Handling of manure and slurry to reduce antibiotic resistance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 10/10/2022 16:36:46 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1518527

registered interest
date	26/09/2022
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	Cosmetics
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 environmental impact of production and release of (1) petrochemical, and (2) mineral UV-filters, currently approved as active ingredients in cosmetics.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL2326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2022 answer text <p>(1) The Environment Agency (EA) cannot assess the impact on the environment from petrochemical ingredients in cosmetics. Petrochemicals are used in a large range of manufacturing processes and the EA cannot, with confidence, trace petrochemicals in the environment specifically back to the widespread use of cosmetics.</p><p> </p><p>(2) The EA Chemical Assessment Unit published a review of organic UV filters in cosmetics prior to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations coming into force (<a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F291007%2Fscho1008bpay-e-e.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMatt.Womersley%40environment-agency.gov.uk%7Cb317fb6028fb482aaf1008daa0982a56%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637998873520894768%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kmZ5qJPU49MG52xtNXPJmILrAtiHN%2B8wqZmYCLn9JFE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a> and copy attached). They have a project this year to update it, which will complete by March 2023.</p><p> </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.</p><p> </p><p>The EA has considered some mineral UV-filters as part of PEWS: zinc oxide in its nanoform; and titanium dioxide in its nanoform. However, both substances have a much broader range of uses beyond cosmetics, so it is not possible to isolate the impact of release from cosmetic use alone. Both substances flagged as low risk in PEWS, but the EA stresses it has low certainty over this outcome, due to a lack of available data.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 10/10/2022 16:35:14 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name UV filters review EA.pdf title UV filters review - Environment Agency
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1489774

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
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	Avian Influenza: Disease Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase monitoring of wild bird populations in light of the influx of H5N1 avian flu infections; and what steps they are taking to protect (1) vulnerable, and (2) threatened, populations.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2022 answer text <p>Defra is working with Devolved Administrations, Arm’s Length Bodies and NGOs to monitor and respond to the effect of avian influenza on wild birds. This includes providing advice on mitigation measures that can be put in place to both protect public health and the impact on wild birds where possible. However, avian influenza is a natural transmission process in wild birds and there is limited evidence that mitigation measures are effective at reducing transmission of avian influenza between wild birds.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the existing avian influenza biosecurity stakeholder meetings that have been running since 2020 and have included ornithological NGO participation, Defra will convene a stakeholder working group to consider additional actions that can be taken to support the recovery of wild bird populations that have been significantly impacted by the disease. Defra is also engaging with OSPAR Heads of Delegation to share best practice, mitigation measures and lessons learnt from current and previous outbreaks.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) operates a robust programme of wild bird surveillance across Great Britain and engages in year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols. Between 25 October 2021 and 8 July 2022, over 3,000 wild birds have been tested. Of these, 1422 have tested positive for H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). There have been findings in 343 different locations in 61 different species in 78 different counties. A report (updated weekly) of findings of HPAI in wild birds is published on GOV.UK together with <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Favian-influenza-bird-flu-in-europe&amp;data=05%7C01%7CRichard.Pullen%40defra.gov.uk%7C481955d105ad4ae6bea208da6f110dfc%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637944416295240616%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=z%2FrMkDnNu9VQaH17PVjfy1X52a2QbrL%2BnnRFpLPgV8Q%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">outbreak and risk assessments</a>. A copy of the 18 July assessment is attached to this answer.</p><p> </p><p>Last month a new consortium was launched, led by Defra and APHA, to fund research to look into how avian influenza viruses are emerging in wild populations and help us understand the risk posed to both domestic and wild birds.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, Defra has commissioned Natural England to assess the vulnerability of seabird species in light of the pressures they are facing, including avian influenza, and propose actions to address them.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 28/07/2022 13:37:00 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Updated Outbreak Assessment #30 HPAI in the UK and Europe 18 July 2022.pdf title HPAI outbreak assessment 18 July 2022
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1487764

registered interest
date	11/07/2022
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	Food Data Transparency Partnership
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the (1) work, and (2) membership, of the Food Data Transparency Panel; and whether they will invite the Consortium for Labelling for the Environment, Animal Welfare and Regenerative Farming (CLEAR) to join that panel.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1621
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>To drive positive change through better information, transparency, and accountability, we are launching a transformational Food Data Transparency Partnership. The partnership will provide consumers with the information they need to make more sustainable, ethical, and healthier food choices and incentivise industry to produce healthier and more ethical and sustainable food.</p><p> </p><p>Improving food system data and information is a shared challenge. The partnership will provide a framework to bring together the UK government, including the Department for Health and Social Care, Defra and the Food Standards Agency, Devolved Administrations and representatives from across the whole food supply chain and civil society.</p><p> </p><p>We want to design stakeholders, including industry and civil society, into the fabric of how the programme is run and into how its outputs are developed. The governance structure and process for involvement is being developed and will be announced in the coming months.</p><p> </p><p>Initially, the partnership will develop consistent and defined metrics to measure the health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare impacts of food. By the end of 2023, in England, we will streamline reporting requirements relating to the production and sale of food and drink. We will consult on implementing mandatory public reporting against a set of health metrics and explore a similar approach to sustainability and animal welfare. We will fully consult on any mandatory measures before they are introduced.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 21/07/2022 15:24:02 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1487672

registered interest
date	08/07/2022
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	Water: Sewage
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 increased releases of raw sewage into waterways on animal farming, in light of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci being found in more than 10 per cent of supermarket pork products.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government has made improving water quality a priority. The Environment Act has placed our ambition on a statutory footing, setting a duty for water companies to achieve a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. Our Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan will be published in September and will set out the targets water companies will be required to meet to achieve this.</p><p> </p><p>Currently, no assessment has been undertaken on sewage discharges on animal farming more generally. Pharmaceuticals may enter the environment during the manufacture and disposal of pharmaceutical products, or as they pass through humans and animals into wastewater treatment networks or the wider environment.</p><p> </p><p>There is much to be done to improve our understanding of the impacts that pharmaceuticals have on the environment, but some are known to cause adverse impacts on aquatic life and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency (EA) and Defra has worked with Water UK on the Chemicals Investigation Programme to investigate the fate and travel of antimicrobial resistance through waste water treatment works, and are advocating more work via the 2024 price review.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 21/07/2022 16:14:05 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1485940

registered interest
date	04/07/2022
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	Antimicrobials: Pollution Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) monitoring, and (2) mitigation, strategies they have put in place for environmental pollution by (a) metal nanoparticles, and (b) the bacteria resistant to these antimicrobial metal nanoparticles.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1417
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>Whilst the Environment Agency (EA) does not have environmental monitoring in place specifically targeting metal nanoparticles, it is keeping a watching brief on innovative monitoring approaches and environmental effects. Although the science associated with environmental analysis for nanoparticles (and their associated effects) is in development, the EA has considered a number of nanoparticles through its Prioritisation and Early Warning System (PEWS). To date, the EA has considered titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, cerium dioxide, copper oxide and copper carbonate nanoparticles through PEWS.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 25/07/2022 09:40:55 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1485941

registered interest
date	04/07/2022
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	Biocidal Products: Pollution Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of environmental pollution from biocides in personal care products, such as (1) benzalkonium chloride in soaps, or (2) chlorhexidine in mouthwashes.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1418
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>These have not currently been identified as chemicals of concern for the Environment Agency (EA)’s monitoring. The EA operates a Prioritisation and Early Warning System for chemicals of emerging concern and will consider these substances under that system.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 21/07/2022 11:23:10 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1471556

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
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	Bread and Flour: Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government which of the issues raised by the Real Bread Campaign in their submission to DEFRA, published in September 2021, ahead of the first meeting of the Bread and Flour Technical Working Group, will be included in the forthcoming public consultation and review of the Bread and Flour Regulations.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2022 answer text <p>Defra, alongside the Department of Health and Social Care, the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland and Wales, Food Standards Scotland and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, have been conducting jointly a review of The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and The Bread and Flour (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1998 to ensure the regulations are fit for purpose and support UK industry while protecting consumers. To assist the review, Defra convened a technical working group made up of a wide range of relevant stakeholders including the Real Bread Campaign, to help identify and explore the issues around the regulations which cover the compositional requirements of bread and flour. We are now preparing to consult jointly on proposals to update the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998. The consultation is subject to a cross-government agreement process in England and ministerial agreement in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is therefore not possible to say definitively what will be included in the consultation, but we hope to be able to publish proposals shortly.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 04/07/2022 16:50:19 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle