Tag: Kerry McCarthy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Attorney General, how many people were (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of offences under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act 1996 in 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Buckland

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of people who have been charged with, and prosecuted for, offences brought by way of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Although it is not possible to identify the number of people charged with particular offences, records are held showing the overall number of offences in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ courts. The table below shows the number of offences, rather than defendants, charged by way of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 during 2015. A single defendant may be charged with more than one offence.

2015
Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996	1
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the level of funding for the (a) Food Crime Unit and (b) Food Standards Agency.

Jane Ellison

As part of the Spending Review process, discussions are ongoing between officials from the Food Standards Agency and the Health Spending Team at HM Treasury on funding for the Food Crime Unit and Food Standards Agency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in her Department work on air quality.

George Eustice

As at 18 January 2016 there were 37 staff working on air quality in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Additional staff are available to work on this policy area as and when needed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26611, whether the Clean Growth Committee has met to discuss air quality.

Rory Stewart

The inter-Ministerial group on Clean Growth considers issues relating to air quality and decarbonisation where these have a cross-Departmental aspect. To protect the integrity of the policy making process, we do not comment on what was discussed at a specific meeting.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the economic, ecological and public health effects on the UK of aquatic invasive species introduced by shipping discharging ballast water.

George Eustice

Defra has commissioned or undertaken a number of assessments that inform our understanding of the impacts of aquatic invasive species. These include, but are not limited to:

• Risk assessments for non-native species to understand the risk of arrival, establishment, spread and impact of such species.

• A study in 2010, ‘Economic Cost of Invasive Non-native Species to the British Economy’, which looked at the costs associated with aquatic invasive species, though it did not separately identify the cost of those introduced in ballast water;

• Work in 2012, modelling the risk of introduction and spread of non-native species in the UK and Ireland. This project identified areas, such as ports, which present greatest risk for the introduction, establishment and spread of such species, through pathways including ballast water; and

• A study in 2013 identifying those invasive non-native species most likely to arrive, establish and pose a threat to native biodiversity in Great Britain within the next 10 years.

Defra also supports a database, the Great Britain Non-native Species Information Portal. This provides information on more than 3,700 non-native species including where they are present and the likely means by which they have arrived in this country.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the Environment Agency’s Climate Ready Support Service has ended; and when the decision to end that service was made.

Rory Stewart

The Environment Agency’s Climate Ready Support Service was originally envisaged as a three year programme that was extended to a fourth year in March 2015. This enabled completion of the majority of National Adaptation Programme actions to which the service was contributing. The remaining ongoing actions are continuing without the need for the designated service. Adaptation is integrated throughout the work of all Government departments who continue to deliver, alongside local Government and many other organisations, their commitments set out in the National Adaptation Programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34699, when her Department expects to (a) receive advice from the UK Export Committee on Pesticides about the two applications for emergency authorisation for the use of neonicotinoids and (b) make a decision on whether to grant such authorisation.

George Eustice

The UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) considered these applications at its meeting on 4 May. I expect to receive its advice shortly.

The decision on whether or not to grant the authorisations will be made once the ECP and other experts have concluded their examination of the applications and the Government has received and considered their findings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the additional costs incurred by a family raising a child with cystic fibrosis.

Jane Ellison

The Department has made no such assessment. The families of children with cystic fibrosis may be eligible for social care support, continuing care in the home, and Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments, based on the level of the child or young person’s needs.

The number of children under the age of 18 with cystic fibrosis is not collected centrally. It is estimated that one in every 2,500 babies born in England has cystic fibrosis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the outcome of the EU referendum on the management and regulation of the UK’s Marine Protected Areas and on Government plans to complete a coherent network of Marine Conservation Zones.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The Government remains committed to putting in place a well-managed Blue Belt to protect precious marine habitats and species. We are aiming for the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones to be comprehensive and complete our contribution to the ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas in the North East Atlantic. This network plays an important part in helping stem the decline of marine habitats and species and in aiding their recovery. Marine Conservation Zones are provided for through domestic legislation.

We will be exploring options over the coming months for how best to protect the species and habitats that are found in our European Marine Sites set up under the Habitats and Birds Directives.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Attorney General, how many people were (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of offences under the Badgers Act 1991 in 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Buckland

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of people who have been charged with, and prosecuted for, offences brought by way of the Protection of Badgers Act 1991. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Although it is not possible to identify the number of people charged with particular offences, records are held showing the overall number of offences in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ courts. The table below shows the number of offences, rather than defendants, charged by way of the Protection of Badgers Act 1991 during 2015. A single defendant may be charged with more than one offence.

2015
Protection of Badgers Act 1992	12
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System

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