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
tabling member	label

Search

1714686

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
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	Agricultural Products and Food: Import Controls
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that (1) border infrastructure is fully prepared, and (2) there are sufficient staff in place, to handle the increased controls on food and agricultural products starting from 30 April.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL4184
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government has worked with port and airport operators, traders, Port Health Authorities and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to make sure we have the right infrastructure, systems and resources in place.</p><p> </p><p>This has culminated in recent months with an extensive period of operational testing. Collaborating with several ports, Port Health Authorities, APHA and traders, we have used these tests to identify and resolve any remaining operational issues.</p><p> </p><p>We are confident that Border Control Posts infrastructure has sufficient capacity and capability to handle the volume of checks expected under the Border Target Operating Model. We are confident our systems are robust, dynamic, and effective, and we are confident inspection authorities are appropriately staffed and trained.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 09/05/2024 15:28:18 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1714688

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
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: Import Controls
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to mitigate potential supply chain disruptions, and (2) to ensure the uninterrupted flow of essential food items, when new border import controls are introduced on 30 April.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL4185
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>We do not expect food shortages. The resilience and reliability of food supply chains is a key objective of the Government as set out in last year’s Government Food Strategy. In implementing this new control regime for the first time on EU imports, we will carefully monitor the range of potential risks, including those that may impact food supply-chains.</p><p> </p><p>The three-month period from 31 January 2024 has allowed businesses time to familiarise themselves with the new requirements before full implementation on 30 April 2024. We are adopting a carefully calibrated approach to enforcement of the new controls that minimises the risk of disrupting trade flows, with an emphasis on educating and supporting businesses to comply.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 07/05/2024 14:32:31 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1714689

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
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	Agricultural Products and Food: Trade Barriers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the additional administrative burdens and costs imposed on farmers and producers due to the new import and export regulations being introduced on 30 April; and how they will ensure that international competitiveness is maintained.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL4186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2024 answer text <p>The Border Target Operating Model strikes an appropriate balance between supporting business, by avoiding unnecessary regulatory burdens in the process of moving goods into Great Britain, while focusing controls on consignments proven to cause the most significant biosecurity risk.</p><p> </p><p>The implementation of controls on EU goods reduces the risk of plant and animal pests and diseases reaching GB and potentially causing significant disruption to domestic production, as well as assuring the safety of all imported food.</p><p> </p><p>No new export controls were introduced on 30 April.</p><p> </p><p>To support British exporters, the Department for Business and Trade will continue our engagement with the 27 EU Member-States as well as the Rest-of-World to smooth trade flow and open new markets.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 16/05/2024 16:58:14 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1714691

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
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	UK Trade with EU: Trade Barriers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to enhance collaboration with EU authorities to (1) facilitate smoother import and export processes, and (2) uphold food safety standards.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL4187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>Since the publication of the draft Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) on 5 April 2023, Defra and the UK Government have been engaging with all border stakeholders to ensure that every actor is as prepared as possible for the controls outlined in the BTOM.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with officials at ports to enable us to monitor trade flow at the border and we have planning in place that will mitigate disruption or queues. These measures include approaches that reduce the chances of delays due to trader administrative errors contained in official documentation.</p><p> </p><p>The implementation of controls on EU goods does not change the safety standards of imported food. It has reduced the risk of plant and animal pests and diseases reaching GB and potentially causing significant disruption to domestic production, as well as assuring the safety of all imported food.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 21/05/2024 16:24:52 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1714692

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the introduction of import controls on 30 April does not result in significant delays or backlogs at the border.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL4188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>DEFRA will gradually increase changes in controlled stages to balance biosecurity risk and maintain trade flows whilst minimising disruption at the border.</p><p> </p><p>This will allow the level of goods inspected at the border to be operationally manageable over the introductory stages.</p><p> </p><p>Current check rates applied to rest of world consignments will be maintained, or set to agreed BTOM levels, and will not be impacted by this incremental approach.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 07/05/2024 12:26:34 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1714694

registered interest
date	29/04/2024
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: Import Controls
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the new border import controls being introduced on 30 April will impact food safety standards between the UK and EU; and if so, how.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL4189
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) introduces proportionate controls that will protect the agri-food sector and public health.</p><p> </p><p>The implementation of controls on EU goods does not change the safety standards of imported food. It has reduced the risk of plant and animal pests and diseases reaching GB and potentially causing significant disruption to domestic production, as well as assuring the safety of all imported food.</p><p> </p><p>The UK’s agri-food exports depend on our reputation for high regulatory standards, and the BTOM will provide our export markets with assurance that we are taking appropriate steps to protect our biosecurity, so that our exports will not present an increased risk to our trade partners’ biosecurity.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 09/05/2024 15:27:52 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1278443

registered interest
date	19/01/2021
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	Thames Estuary: Flood Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to manage, and (2) to mitigate, the risk of increased tidal flooding in the Thames Estuary; and what plans they have to build further flood barriers in that Estuary.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL12324
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) is working with its partners, including councils, to deliver the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan. The Plan was published in 2012 and sets out a strategy for managing increasing tidal flood risk in the estuary until the end of the century.</p><p> </p><p>The Thames Estuary is at significant risk from tidal flooding. A complex network of defences, including 8 major barriers, 330km of walls and embankments, and over 900 flood gates, outfalls and pumps, work together to protect 1.3 million people and £275 billion worth of property from tidal flooding. Climate change, population growth and ageing flood defences mean that tidal flood risk will increase over time, unless this risk is carefully managed.</p><p> </p><p>The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan (approved by the Government in 2012) is internationally recognised as a leading example of a climate change adaptation strategy. It is designed to be adaptable to different projections for climate change and sea level rise. The EA is now working on the 10-Year Review of the Plan, using the latest climate evidence and data to revise the strategy for managing tidal flood risk, ensuring we can continue to protect the Thames Estuary from rising sea levels into the future.</p><p> </p><p>The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan identifies various options for replacing or improving the Thames Barrier, when the current Barrier reaches the end of its life. Latest data indicates that a new barrier will need to be operational by 2070.</p><p> </p><p>The EA is currently holding three potential sites for a new barrier, either at the current site, in Long Reach or Tilbury. The locations are determined mainly by navigational requirements on the river. The team are working on securing land at all of these sites to ensure that they will be available if we need them.</p><p> </p><p>A decision on the location is planned for around 2040, to allow enough time for planning, approval and construction by 2070. The preferred option will depend upon how the climate changes between now and 2040, as well as future projections.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 02/02/2021 17:24:46 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1276474

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
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	Plastics: Waste
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the UK does not export plastic waste to poorer countries; and what plans they have to address ocean pollution ahead of COP26.
tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
uin	HL12126
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2021 answer text <p>Recognising the difficulties experienced by some countries in managing imports of plastic waste, the Queen’s Speech on 19 December 2019 included a commitment to ban the export of plastic waste to countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Environment Bill will enable us to deliver on this commitment and we will consult on the date by when the ban should be in place. The Bill also allows us to introduce electronic tracking of waste to help tackle waste crime here in the UK and prevent illegal waste from being shipped abroad.</p><p> </p><p>2021 is a vital year for the ocean, climate and nature. Through the UK’s COP26 and G7 Presidencies, the Government will showcase global leadership in tackling key pressures facing the ocean, using its influence to advocate for greater action and champion global collaboration. The Government intends to publish an update to the UK Marine Strategy Part 3, outlining the programmes of measures that will continue to move the UK towards Good Environmental Status in its seas, including contaminants and marine litter.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018 the Government launched the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance with our co-chair Vanuatu calling on Commonwealth countries to pledge action on plastic pollution. The Government has committed up to £70m to tackle plastic pollution, including helping developing countries prevent plastic waste entering the ocean, as well as to develop sustainable manufacturing, and has committed to start negotiations on a new global agreement on marine plastic litter and microplastics.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also committed to establish a new £500m Blue Planet Fund, to help developing countries protect the ocean from key human-generated threats, including pollution, and is a proactive Contracting Party to the London Convention (1972) and London Protocol (1996) to prevent pollution caused by dumping at sea.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 27/01/2021 17:05:21 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley