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  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the online sale of puppies; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Defra is currently consulting on proposals to modernise the licensing of animal related activities including the regulation of pet shops. The consultation includes a proposal to clarify that those trading pets commercially on-line should be licensed.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2015 to Question 14627, what estimate her Department has made of the total funding available to the Waste and Resources Action Programme in each of the next five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    No final decisions on budget allocations have been reached and Defra’s Business Planning process is due to conclude at the end of February. Until this time it would not be appropriate to comment on planning assumptions, including total funding for the Waste and Resources Action Programme.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) economic contribution of pollinator activity across the UK and (b) potential last economic value if pollinator populations continue to decline at present rates; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Bees and other pollinators play an essential role in our £100 billion food industry. In 2014, Defra published an independent review of the evidence on the status and value of pollinators[1]. The review estimated the total value of all pollinators through the value of insect-pollinated crops in the UK as approximately £600 million, updating estimates of around £400 million in previous Defra-funded research. It also concluded that there was insufficient data to calculate the ‘lost economic value’ of ongoing or likely future changes in pollinator populations.

    [1] http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=18916

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  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate her Department has made of the square mileage of the UK which has (a) permanent wind farms installed, (b) has been granted planning permission for wind farm installation and (c) is being considered for wind farm installation; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The renewable electricity planning database (REPD – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract) extracts data on planning from authorities across the country but it does not collate information on the square mileage of projects

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  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the two emergency authorisations covering the use of two neonicotinoid pesticides on a small proportion of the UK oilseed rape crop to expire; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Both emergency authorisations expired on 20 November 2015.

  • Richard Benyon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Richard Benyon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Benyon on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to incentivise small-scale on-farm anaerobic digestion systems.

    George Eustice

    Defra and DECC officials are working together on a review of the support for renewable energy schemes through both Feed in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive. This includes the support for farm-scale anaerobic digestion. Consultations on the schemes will be published in the coming months.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has estimated the cost to the agricultural and horticultural industry in West Lancashire of flooding in December 2015.

    George Eustice

    In 2014 the value of agricultural and horticultural output for the north-west of England was £1.96 billion and gross value added (contribution to economy) was £0.82 billion. In 2013, there were 12,198 commercial agricultural holdings in the north west region. The total farmed area on these holdings was approximately 909,000 hectares and the agricultural labour force was made up of almost 32,000 people, 0.94% of the workforce in the region.

    Within West Lancashire in 2013 there were 406 commercial agricultural holdings. The total farmed area on these holdings was approximately 23,000 hectares and the agricultural labour force was made up of almost 2,300 people.

    Although farmers in West Lancashire are still uncovering the full extent of the damage caused by the recent flooding, we understand some arable producers have been badly affected. Under the Farm Recovery Fund these farmers will be able to receive funding towards the cost of restoring their agricultural land to the state it was in before it was flooded. Applications for this funding should be submitted by 1 April 2016.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the value of the agricultural and horticultural industries to West Lancashire; and how many people were employed directly and through the supply chain in that industry in that area.

    George Eustice

    In 2014 the value of agricultural and horticultural output for the north-west of England was £1.96 billion and gross value added (contribution to economy) was £0.82 billion. In 2013, there were 12,198 commercial agricultural holdings in the north west region. The total farmed area on these holdings was approximately 909,000 hectares and the agricultural labour force was made up of almost 32,000 people, 0.94% of the workforce in the region.

    Within West Lancashire in 2013 there were 406 commercial agricultural holdings. The total farmed area on these holdings was approximately 23,000 hectares and the agricultural labour force was made up of almost 2,300 people.

    Although farmers in West Lancashire are still uncovering the full extent of the damage caused by the recent flooding, we understand some arable producers have been badly affected. Under the Farm Recovery Fund these farmers will be able to receive funding towards the cost of restoring their agricultural land to the state it was in before it was flooded. Applications for this funding should be submitted by 1 April 2016.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of the ban on fishing for bass on the North Devon fishing industry.

    George Eustice

    The overall estimated reductions of the EU bass measures for the main gear groups in the commercial sector are set out in the following table; at this stage calculated for the UK fleet. This is an estimate which takes into account the effects of the initial 6 month moratorium, related derogations, and the subsequent monthly vessel catch limits.

    Those parts of the industry that use hook and line and fixed gillnets will benefit from derogations in the form of higher monthly catch limits and a moratorium of 2 rather than 6 months.

    More in depth analysis also taking into account additional factors such as the effects of last year’s increase of the minimum conservation reference size for bass and reduced availability of bass will be undertaken.

    Gear type

    Previous average tonnage 2011-13

    Estimated tonnage catch potential in 2016

    Estimated % reduction from 2011-13 average

    Bottom Trawl

    131

    37

    72%

    Nets

    378

    224

    41%

    Hook and line

    171

    167

    2%

    Purse seine

    56

    21

    63%

    pelagic trawl

    77

    11

    86%

    Totals

    813

    460

    43%
  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase quota levels for the under-10 metres fishing fleet.

    George Eustice

    Defra is in the final stages of a permanent quota realignment exercise which will represent a14% uplift in the amount of quota the inshore fleet currently receives.

    For species subject to the discard ban from January 2016, we have announced that the non-sector pools, which includes fishing vessels under 10 metres, will receive the first 100 tonnes of any quota uplift received and 10% of any remaining uplift. For 2016 this represents more than 1,000 tonnes of uplift to support the non-sector in their adaptation to the landing obligation.

    The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is currently determining the 2016 monthly catch limits for the inshore fleet in light of the December 2015 Fisheries Council agreement. This quota will be used to maximise the income that can be achieved, while minimising discards for the non-sector fleet. The MMO welcomes views on quota management and utilisation of quota uplift for the non–sector via the MMO coastal quota advisory meetings and monthly quota consultations.