In September 2023, the Farming and Countryside Programme (FCP) published an annual report for financial year 2022 to 2023. This set out that the FCP spent a total of £2.230 billion on our existing, and new farming schemes.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4055", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sherwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Mark Spencer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-03T10:26:24.177Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Subsidies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of his Department's spending on agricultural payment schemes in the financial year 2022-2023.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1591", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tim Farron"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Westmorland and Lonsdale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tim Farron"} ], "uin" : "24213"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714849", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714849/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
There are no current plans to introduce a legal definition of the term \u2018vegetarianism\u2019, but the use of this and indeed any term on food, whether retailed from a shop or on a menu for out-of-home sale, must not be misleading to consumers.<\/p>
<\/p>
The term \u2018suitable for vegetarians\u2019 is used voluntarily by the food industry. There is no legal requirement to describe a product as either suitable or unsuitable for vegetarians.<\/p>
<\/p>
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. These rules mean that manufacturers, retailers and caterers should be able to demonstrate that where foods are presented as 'vegetarian' reasonable steps have been taken to avoid cross-contamination with non-vegetarian foods during storage, preparation, cooking or display.<\/p>
Defra and the FSA will continue to work with businesses and consumers to ensure everyone can make safe and informed choices when purchasing items labelled as \u2018vegetarian\u2019.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4055", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sherwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Mark Spencer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-03T10:38:16.23Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Vegetarianism"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a legal definition of vegetarianism.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Hunt"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Loughborough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jane Hunt"} ], "uin" : "24339"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714850", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714850/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The terms \u2018Vegetarian\u2019 and \u2018Vegan\u2019 do not currently have legal definitions in the UK, but the use of these and indeed any term on food, whether retailed from a shop or on a menu for out-of-home sale, must not be misleading to consumers.<\/p>
<\/p>
The term \u2018suitable for Vegetarians\u2019, is used voluntarily by the food industry. There is no legal requirement to describe a product as either suitable or unsuitable for vegetarians.<\/p>
<\/p>
There are no current plans to produce guidance specifically for food business operators on the definition of vegetarianism.<\/p>
<\/p>
However, Defra and the FSA will continue to work with businesses and consumers to ensure everyone can make safe and informed choices when purchasing items labelled as vegan or vegetarian.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4055", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sherwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Mark Spencer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-03T10:36:56.753Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Vegetarianism"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing guidance for (a) food manufacturers and (b) hospitality venues serving food on the definition of vegetarianism.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Hunt"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Loughborough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jane Hunt"} ], "uin" : "24340"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714851", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714851/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The terms \u2018Vegetarian\u2019 and \u2018Vegan\u2019 do not currently have legal definitions in the UK, but the use of these and indeed any term on food, whether retailed from a shop or on a menu for out-of-home sale, must not be misleading to consumers.
In order not to mislead, manufacturers, retailers and caterers should be able to demonstrate that where foods are presented as 'vegetarian' reasonable steps have been taken to avoid cross-contamination with non-vegetarian foods during storage, preparation, cooking or display. Food law provides a robust framework that protects public health and consumer interests and requires food businesses that produce, process, and distribute food to apply food safety controls that ensure food they place on the market is safe and is what it says it is. This includes avoiding cross contamination of foods including ensuring that work areas, surfaces and equipment used for raw and ready-to-eat food are adequately separated.<\/p>
While it may not be possible to avoid cross-contamination in a busy kitchen, it is incumbent on a food business to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to avoid cross-contamination and where appropriate, to inform customers where there is a risk<\/p>
Trading standards officers attached to the Local Authority are responsible for checking compliance with the food information requirements.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4055", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sherwood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Mark Spencer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-03T10:29:57.223Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Vegetarianism"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department defines vegetarian food; and whether restaurants using the same gloves to prepare food for (a) vegetarians and (b) non-vegetarians are defined as vegetarian.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Hunt"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Loughborough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jane Hunt"}
], "uin" : "24341"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714852", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1714852/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Developing a vaccine against TB in cattle is one of the Government\u2019s top priorities. Defra aims to have a deployable cattle TB vaccine (\u2018CattleBCG\u2019) and a new companion DIVA skin test (to detect infected among vaccinated animals) in the next few years. Field trials of the CattleBCG vaccine and the DIVA skin test started in 2021 and are ongoing.<\/p>
<\/p>
Final deployment will rely on the success of the ongoing field trials, achieving UK Marketing Authorisations from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) (for both CattleBCG and the companion DIVA skin test), gaining international recognition through the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) and our trading partners for both products, an IT system to record and trace vaccinated cattle, and acceptance of vaccination from stakeholders across the supply chain.<\/p>
<\/p>