Blog

  • Richard Fuller – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Richard Fuller – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will assess the potential merits of providing legal protection to the professional title of veterinary nurse.

    George Eustice

    Only those individuals who are properly trained, qualified and registered with the regulator, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), may legally undertake veterinary nursing. The Government is aware that concerns have been raised about the legal protection of the use of the term “Veterinary Nurse” and we are in dialogue with the RCVS and others to see how these concerns might be addressed.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to improve air quality at Heathrow Airport; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra officials met with representatives from Heathrow Airport and the neighbouring Local Authorities to discuss the Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan as it was being developed. Since the Plan has been implemented regular meetings have taken place to understand the impacts of actions on local air quality.

    The Government has also recently consulted on plans to improve air quality in the UK. The plan for the Greater London Urban Area sets out actions required to meet the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 2025.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of the effect on the rural economy of the reduction in grouse shooting caused by poor weather in 2015.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government has no plans to make an estimate of the effect the weather in 2015 has had on the grouse shooting industry and the rural economy.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the owners of Heathrow Airport on ensuring that that airport meets UK and EU air quality standards; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra’s Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Heathrow Airport.

    Defra officials met with representatives from Heathrow Airport and the neighbouring Local Authorities to discuss the Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan as it was being developed. Since the Plan has been implemented regular meetings have taken place to understand the impacts of actions on local air quality.

    Defra officials have also been in contact with Heathrow regarding the preparation of the Draft Air Quality Plan which sets out actions required to meet the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the Greater London Urban Area.

  • David Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that crustaceans being sold in UK retail or wholesale premises are not still alive and sealed in plastic bags.

    George Eustice

    There are no proposals to introduce controls on the packing of live crustaceans for purposes of animal welfare. The UK Sea Fish Industry Authority advises they should be handled carefully, stored at consistent temperatures, not allowed to dry out and never dropped. Lobsters should be kept cool and if wrapped, perforated material should be used.

  • Nick Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nick Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library the report on the suspension of the digital service for the Basic Payment Scheme for farmers which was commissioned by her Department and the Rural Payments Agency in March 2015.

    George Eustice

    The digital service for the Basic Payment Scheme has not been suspended. Over 80,000 farmers and agents have registered on the Rural Payments system, and farmers cannot be paid without registering on the new system.

    Defra and the Rural Payments Agency have received a number of reports from the Major Projects Authority about progress with the Rural Payments IT System. Such reports are not made public in order to protect the effectiveness of the reviews which the Major Project Authority undertakes.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with shooting bodies on ensuring an effective trap is developed to replace the Fenn trap.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra officials have held discussions with representatives of the shooting bodies, trap manufacturers and retailers to discuss alternatives to the Fenn trap. Defra is in the process of approving a replacement trap and has funded testing on a further two traps.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the amount of £4 to £19 billion referred to in her Departmental Minute of 21 October 2015 as the total support to HPC is (a) the actual total cash amount or (b) the present value of the total cash amount of the support to be paid to EDF.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Total support to HPC through the Contracts for Difference (CfD) is expected to be in the range of £4bn to £19bn (real 2012 prices, discounted to 2012) depending on the level of future wholesale prices. The Department has presented discounted figures for these costs to consumers relating to support payments for Hinkley Point C based on guidance set out in The Green Book published by HM Treasury.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she will make a decision to proceed with the order for a Chinese-designed reactor at Bradwell.

    Andrea Leadsom

    EDF and its partner CGN have announced they intend to develop a new nuclear power station at Bradwell but have not yet confirmed a timescale for the project. It is therefore too soon to indicate a timescale for the planning and regulatory consents which such a project would need.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she expects to make a decision to proceed with an order for a European pressurised reactor at Sizewell C.

    Andrea Leadsom

    EDF have announced they intend to deploy two EPR reactors at Sizewell C but have not yet confirmed a timescale for the project. It is therefore too soon to indicate a timescale for the planning and regulatory consents which such a project would need, although the EPR has already successfully completed the Generic Design Assessment process.