The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-06-28.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster continues to chair the National Flood Resilience Review following his appointment to lead the EU Unit.
Mr Oliver Letwin
I continue to chair the National Flood Resilience Review Group. The review’s report is currently being finalised and is due to be published this summer.
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 recent assessment her Department has made of whether the Walshaw Moor Estate’s management of its blanket bog habitats is in compliance with the Habitats Directive; and when she intends to answer the letter of 29 April 2016 from the European Commission giving formal notice on that matter.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
We do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received on violations of the law protecting birds of prey.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
Defra Ministers have received a number of representations, including from Members of this House on behalf of their constituents, highlighting their concerns about illegal persecution of birds of prey such as the hen harrier and wildlife crime more generally.
The Government takes wildlife crime very seriously. All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with strong penalties for committing offences against birds of prey and other wildlife. All incidents of wildlife crime should be reported to the police.
Raptor persecution is a UK wildlife crime priority and has a taskforce led by a senior police officer to develop a plan to prevent crime, gather intelligence on offences and enforce against it. It focuses on the golden eagle, goshawk, hen harrier, peregrine, red kite and white tailed eagle.
The National Wildlife Crime Unit, which Defra funds jointly with the Home Office, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities affecting birds of prey and provides assistance to police forces when required.
It is a matter for the prosecuting authorities to ensure those who commit such offences receive the appropriate penalties as set out in law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 2.153 of Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what legal flexibilities the Government plans to give to National Parks.
Rory Stewart
Responding to requests from the national park authorities, on 30 November the Government tabled an amendment to the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill to give national park authorities a Function Specific General Power of Competence. The Government believe that this will further enable national park authorities to be a vital part of devolution deals and support growth across our rural economy. The government has committed in addition to protect the funding of the National Parks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what aspects of policy on (a) farming and (b) other issues within her remit are under discussion in the UK’s negotiations with other EU member states on the terms of UK membership of the EU; and what her role has been in those negotiations.
George Eustice
The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the UK – so we get a better deal for the UK and secure our future. The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation; it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU.
Separately, the UK continues to make the case for improvement to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) so that it is simpler and more effective. Reducing the administrative burden of the CAP on farmers is a necessary part of increasing the competitiveness of our food and farming industries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2016 to Question 27251, what estimate she has made of the cost of testing badgers in cull areas; and when she expects to make a decision on testing to assess the impact of the Government’s policy.
George Eustice
Costed options for cost effective surveillance for TB in badgers are being prepared
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons waste reduction, improved resource efficiency and increasing recycling rates were not included in her Department’s Single Department Plan: 2015 to 2020, published on 19 January 2016.
Rory Stewart
Waste and resource management are important priorities for the Government. That is why reducing waste is one of the key aims in our departmental strategy that was published last month. Furthermore, our 25 Year Environment Plan will consider waste and resource management alongside other issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice she has received from the Science Advisory Council on (a) causes of bovine TB, (b) methods of controlling bovine TB, (c) risks associated with badger culls and (d) the updated licensing criteria for badger culls; and if she will review the scientific evidence on badger culls before licensing any further such culls.
George Eustice
The Science Advisory Council (SAC) has a high-level strategic role and does not normally advise on detailed scientific aspects of policies. Therefore advice has not been sought recently from the SAC on the causes of, or methods of controlling, bovine TB, including badger control. The Guidance to Natural England on licences to control the risk of bovine TB from badgers was published in December 2015 after a public consultation. The Guidance reflects the advice of the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer and Defra’s Chief Scientific Advisor.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether future grants awarded by her Department to (a) universities and (b) charities will be exempt from the anti-lobbying clause in government grant agreements.
George Eustice
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will continue to follow the guidance set by Cabinet Office in all respects of the anti-lobbying clause.
The current guidance to departments is provided on the Government’s website at the following location:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to stop the illegal export of electronic and other hazardous waste from the UK to Africa.
Rory Stewart
The UK is a Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal, which sets controls on the shipments of waste from developed to developing countries. This is implemented through the Waste Shipment Regulations and the UK Plan (on import and export of waste) which bans the export of waste for disposal to non-OECD countries.
The UK environment agencies enforce the Regulations in the UK. They have adopted an intelligence-led approach to identify and disrupt the movement of waste intended for illegal export.