The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the environmental effects of the use of imported fox urine for the purposes of trail hunting.
Rory Stewart
The Government has no plans to make an assessment or issue guidance on the import and use of fox urine for the purpose of trail hunting.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act 1996 in each police force area in 2015.
Rory Stewart
The Government is committed to tackling wildlife crime. The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is part-funded by Defra, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities, including those relating to badger persecution and poaching, which are UK wildlife crime priorities. The Unit also provides assistance to police forces when required.
Court proceedings data for 2015, including those for the offences listed above, are planned for publication by the Ministry of Justice in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department issues on the import and use of fox urine for the purpose of trail hunting.
Rory Stewart
The Government has no plans to make an assessment or issue guidance on the import and use of fox urine for the purpose of trail hunting.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in 2015.
Rory Stewart
The Government is committed to tackling wildlife crime. The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is part-funded by Defra, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities, including those relating to badger persecution and poaching, which are UK wildlife crime priorities. The Unit also provides assistance to police forces when required.
Court proceedings data for 2015, including those for the offences listed above, are planned for publication by the Ministry of Justice in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2016 to Question 21517, whether funding for the Farming Recovery Fund has been increased since its extension to farmers affected by recent flooding in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
George Eustice
We will pay out on all eligible claims from farmers. Extending the Farming Recovery Fund to eligible farmers in Lancashire and Yorkshire impacted by Storm Eva will therefore increase the total amount that will be paid out from the fund.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether Public Health England will be responsible for drafting and publishing the obesity strategy.
Jane Ellison
The Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, is being led by the Department with input from across Government, including Public Health England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the rural productivity plan published by her Department in August 2015, when she will publish the calls for evidence on reviewing the planning and regulatory constraints facing rural businesses and the measures that can be taken to address them.
Rory Stewart
The Rural Planning Review Call for Evidence will be published jointly by Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the publication of the obesity strategy; and what role (a) Public Health England and (b) his Department is playing in the drafting of that strategy.
Jane Ellison
The Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, is being led by the Department with input from across Government, including Public Health England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-10-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether primary legislation is required to implement the proposals on the adult skills budget in the Sheffield City Region Devolution Agreement, announced on 2 October 2015.
Nick Boles
One of the conditions for full devolution of adult skills funding in relation to the Sheffield City Region is that Parliament has legislated to enable transfer of the current statutory duties on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to secure appropriate facilities for further education for adults from the relevant budget and for provision to be free in certain circumstances. Primary legislation would be needed for that purpose.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the cross-compliance inspection regime in reducing soil erosion.
George Eustice
Defra commissioned research, published in 2012, to evaluate the implementation of the Soil Protection Review (SPR). The research took the form of a telephone survey of 800 claimants, with 30 in-depth interviews across a sample of farms by region, farm type and size.
Following recommendations by the Farming Regulation Task force, a review of the SPR was conducted. In January 2015, new national standards for agricultural soils under cross compliance were introduced. These rules require farmers in receipt of payments under CAP to prevent soil erosion, to maintain soil cover and to protect the level of organic matter in their soils.
The Government will continue to monitor the implementation of the new rules.