Lead is a naturally occurring contaminant that is present in soil, water and the atmosphere including as a result of past human activities and can be present in food. Whilst there is no safe level of lead, maximum levels for certain foods including cereals and meat are in place which are set based on the \u2018as low as reasonably achievable\u2019 (ALARA) principle.<\/p>
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Food business operators are responsible for ensuring that they comply with the established maximum levels. Lead is included in the national monitoring plan for products of animal origin and where noncompliance is found this will be followed up by the relevant local authority for enforcement purposes.<\/p>
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The Food Standards Agency has previously worked with farming groups and industry on best practice advice for farmers on preventing lead poisoning of livestock which includes practical suggestions to reduce animals\u2019 intake of soil that may contain lead which is particularly important in those areas of the country with naturally high levels of lead in the soil.<\/p>
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Lead exposure from food is under constant review to ensure that advice and other measures in place remain protective for all consumers.<\/p>
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Under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, each local authority has a duty to inspect its area to identify and require remediation of contaminated land. A risk-based approach is used to define contaminated land, with regulators required to intervene in cases where the contamination is deemed to present an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.<\/p>
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Additionally, the Water and Abandoned Metal Mines (WAMM) Programme set up in 2011 between Defra, the Environment Agency and the Coal Authority, investigates and tackles the legacy of historic water pollution from abandoned metal mines in England and to develop schemes to clean up rivers polluted by abandoned metal mines.<\/p>
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The WAMM programme shows Defra is taking metal mine pollution seriously and our legal target under the 2021 Environment Act: to halve the length of rivers polluted by target metals from abandoned metal mines by 2038, against a baseline of around 1,500km (approximately 930 miles), is proportionate to the documented evidence of the problem of which we are aware.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4395", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Hayman of Ullock"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-08-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-08-06T13:32:50.77Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Contamination"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are implementing to (1) assess, and (2) mitigate the risk of, any lead contamination in the UK food chain.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1796", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Taylor of Warwick"} ], "uin" : "HL320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670138", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670138/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
NHS England has established a dedicated national programme team which is working in partnership with other national agencies and with local health systems to co-ordinate the preparations for the potential roll out of new treatments for use in the earlier stages of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. These plans assume that, if these new treatments are approved by the regulators, significant additional diagnostic capacity, including amyloid PET-CT, lumbar puncture and MRI, will be needed both to identify patients who are most able to benefit and to provide important safety monitoring for potential adverse effects during treatment.<\/p>
NHS England is also working with partner agencies to support and inform further research into other diagnostic modalities, including blood-based biomarker and digital tests, which will help improve identification and management of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4948", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Markham"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Markham"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-28T16:06:00.327Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Dementia: Diagnosis"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Alzheimer's Research UK report Tipping Point: The Future of Dementia, published in September, what steps they are taking to improve access to dementia diagnosis technologies, such as PET scans and lumbar punctures.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} ], "uin" : "HL320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1463845", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1463845/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department has noted the recommendations made in the report, values Marie Curie as a key stakeholder and welcomes our ongoing constructive engagement with them and other key end of life charities on policy development in this area.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government is committed to improving fast tracked access to benefits for people nearing the end of their life. Recent changes to Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance regulations have replaced the current 6-month rule for determining who get this fast-tracked access with a 12-month end of life approach.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill, introduced in the Queens Speech earlier this month, will make similar changes to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance (AA). Collectively, these changes, will enable thousands more people who are thought to be in the final year of their life to get fast-tracked access to the benefits they are eligible for.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4174", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Stedman-Scott"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-05-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-05-30T13:10:39.89Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-05-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "State Retirement Pensions: Terminal Illnesses"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Marie Curie report Dying in Poverty, published in May.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} ], "uin" : "HL320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1315005", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Trade"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1315005/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK\u2019s intellectual property (IP) regime achieves an effective balance between rewarding creators and innovation, and reflecting wider public interests such as ensuring access and use of IP on reasonable terms. The Government will not sign trade deals that compromise the UK\u2019s world leading IP regime.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government will publish its negotiation objectives for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, scoping assessment, and consultation response in advance of the start of accession negotiations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4876", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Grimstone of Boscobel"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Grimstone of Boscobel"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-28T11:04:08.157Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "202"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Intellectual Property"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on the intellectual property sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/186", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Smith of Finsbury"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Smith of Finsbury"} ], "uin" : "HL320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1170173", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1170173/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Integrated Security Defence and Foreign Policy Review was announced in the Queen's Speech to reassess the nation\u2019s place in the world. The review will examine how we strengthen and prioritise our alliances, diplomacy and development. It will also deliver against the government\u2019s ambition to extend our diplomatic network; reinvigorate relationships with Europe; and seek to strengthen old and new partnerships across the world.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-27T12:30:52.393Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review will incorporate Britain\u2019s role and involvement in (1) the Council of Europe, (2) the OSCE and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, (3) the Inter-Parliamentary Union, (4) the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and (5) other multilateral agencies.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"} ], "uin" : "HL320"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 5, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }