The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Government plans to include Ministers of the Scottish Government in its negotiations on fisheries with the EU.
George Eustice
We will be holding discussions with all devolved administrations to determine how we will approach negotiations on fisheries with the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on the rural economy.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
The UK is still a member of the EU and we will continue to engage with EU business as normal and be engaged in EU decision-making in the usual way.
Once Article 50 is invoked, we will remain bound by EU law until the withdrawal agreement comes into force.
We now have a historic opportunity to deliver an environment for future generations to be proud of, grow our world-leading food and farming industry that continues to attract significant global investment and harness the enormous economic potential of our rural communities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will consider taking steps to ban the sale of foie gras in the UK.
George Eustice
The EU has introduced controls on the production of foie gras. These controls do not ban the sale of foie gras and while the UK is a member of the EU we are subject to EU Treaty obligations in relation to the free movement of goods. Foie gras is not produced in the UK and this Government has made its views very clear that the production of foie gras using force feeding (or ‘gavage’ as it’s known in France) gives rise to serious welfare concerns. If any production were to occur, the Animal and Plant Health Agency would be asked to investigate and advise on any contravention of UK animal welfare laws.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the manufacture, sale, possession and use of animal snares.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
The Government has no plans to ban the use of all animal snares. The Government has sought to improve the welfare of snared animals through research to improve snare deployment and design and by working with users who are producing new guidance on best practice.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 contains protection for animals under the control of man to help prevent unnecessary suffering and covers any animal held in a snare. Any suspected cases of illegal use should be reported to the Police.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to ensure that standards of animal (a) welfare and (b) traceability are maintained when the UK leaves the EU.
George Eustice
Animal welfare and traceability are a priority for this Government and and we have a manifesto commitment to include measures to improve animal welfare in future agriculture policy. We are currently considering the impacts of the decision to leave the EU, including for existing legislation and how appropriate standards are best delivered in the future.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on developing a futures market for UK dairy farmers.
George Eustice
Analysis recently completed by Defra, working with HM Treasury and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), has identified that futures markets have a role to play in tackling price risks, improving price transparency and encouraging the development of longer-term contracts across the supply chain. We are now working closely with AHDB’s Volatility Forum to see how this work can be taken forward, although it would be for the financial exchanges to come up with a specific proposition. It is encouraging that some UK dairies are already offering their farmers opportunities to trade on futures markets
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been invested in the protection of honey bees in the UK in each of the last five years.
George Eustice
Defra has spent between £1.5 million and £2 million on protecting honey bees in England in each of the last five years.
Our programme aims to protect honey bees from pests and diseases, including tackling disease outbreaks and monitoring for exotic pests such as the Asian hornet.
Defra also contributed an additional £2.5 million to the £10 million Insect Pollinator Initiative carried out between 2010 and 2015. This was a joint initiative to look at different aspects of pollinator declines. Of the nine projects funded, two were specifically about honey bees and six were aimed at benefiting both honey bees and bumble bees.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding she plans to make available to replace the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund after the UK leaves the EU.
George Eustice
The Chancellor has set out that the guarantee for European Structural and Investment Fund projects announced in August will be extended to the point at which the UK departs the EU. This guarantee includes the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and provides further certainty to those fishers, seafood businesses and other organisations seeking support. Where projects secure EMFF funding before we exit, payments will be guaranteed even after the UK has left the EU.
Defra officials will be working with the Department for Exiting the EU to look at future policies for fisheries. We will continue to work closely with relevant industry and other key stakeholders to develop these new arrangements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to bring forward legislation to amend the Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010 related to the recommendations in the post-implementation review of those regulations.
George Eustice
As set out in Defra’s Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010, we are currently considering a number of areas where the Regulations may need amending. Any such amendments can be introduced via secondary legislation made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of greyhound trainers’ kennel standards before legislation is to be brought forward to amend the Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010.
George Eustice
Defra’s Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 contained an assessment of standards at trainers’ kennels and found that more was needed to be done to safeguard welfare. As a result, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has agreed to work through the British Standards Institution and with other stakeholders, to develop a consensus standard for trainers’ kennels. The GBGB has also agreed to seek to extend its current United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation to cover the enforcement of these new standards at the kennels of GBGB licensed trainers. During the Review process no evidence was submitted to Defra on the numbers of greyhound trainers operating solely at the four remaining independent tracks in England and the conditions at any such kennels. Therefore Defra are giving further consideration as to how best to gather this evidence, this includes a possible joint research project with the Dogs Trust. Any Defra research will be published on the Gov.UK website and any useful information found will be used in an Impact Assessment that would accompany any regulations for trainers’ kennels.