Tag: Kerry McCarthy

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, if her Department or the Animal and Plant Health Agency will collect data on (a) the number of and (b) the reasons for on-farm prosecutions.

George Eustice

Data on (a) the number of and (b) the reasons for on-farm prosecutions is already collected by Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and a statutory return is required to be made and laid before Parliament in accordance with Section 80 of the Animal Health Act 1981.

The report covers prosecutions taken under the Animal Health Act 1981 and other animal health and welfare legislation. It also includes data on the incidences of disease in animals.

A report is compiled by Defra for data relating to England and Wales. Scotland compiles a separate report. These reports are published and available to the public on www.Gov.UK and www.Gov.Scot.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-80-report-for-2015-under-the-animal-health-act-1981

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/Diseases/Enforcement

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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, how much has been paid in subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy for land which is used for driven bird shooting in each of the last five years.

George Eustice

We do not routinely collect this information with regard to payments. Potentially, driven bird shooting could take place on all farmland and moorland. However, some land is not suitable because there are no game birds, or because the terrain is inappropriate for shooting, or because of the risks to others. There are also circumstances where individuals decide not to implement their right to shoot on their land and other occasions when these rights are reserved by the landlord and not used.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was of maintaining her Department’s properties in (a) London and (b) nationally in 2014-15.

George Eustice

Defra is the controlling holder of 133 properties on behalf of the civil estate. These include offices, laboratories, farms, foot and mouth burial site and contaminated land.

Increasingly space in these properties is shared with Executive Agencies and NDPBs within the Defra network, as well as other government departments, their Executive Agencies and NDPBs, and commercial tenants.

Information regarding the Department’s Expenditure in relation to Estates Management can be found in the Annual Report and Accounts at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449323/defra-annual-report-2014-2015-web.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2016 to Question 21765, on birds: census, when she plans to publish her Department’s internal allocations.

Rory Stewart

Defra’s Business Planning process is still underway. At this time it would not be appropriate to comment on how this translates into internal allocations for both the core Department and its Network Bodies.

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 27250, what assessment has she made of the reasons for the 34 per cent increase in the number of TB restricted herds in Somerset in the year to November 2015.

George Eustice

It is not possible to be precise about the reasons for changes in the number of TB restricted herds in any county of England. This will be due to a multitude of factors, including increases in the amount and sensitivity of TB testing. Short term changes should be considered in the context of long term trends.

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, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of crop fed anaerobic digestion on food production and land rents.

George Eustice

Defra has procured research to assess the impact of crops grown for anaerobic digestion on land rental prices in England. Although concerns have been expressed by stakeholders over potential impacts on land rental prices, statistical analysis of available data did not detect significant price impacts. The development of the anaerobic digestion industry in the UK is still at a relatively early stage, so it may be that it is too early to detect impacts at present.

The relevant report can be found at:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Completed=2&ProjectID=19655

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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, what support her Department plans to make available to local authorities to take action on climate change after the closure of the Climate Local programme.

Rory Stewart

Climate Local is a Local Government Association initiative which was in part supported by the Environment Agency’s Climate Ready Support Service. The Climate Ready Support Service was initiated as a time-limited programme and came to an end in March this year. It is for the Local Government Association and the members of Climate Local to determine its further activities. 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 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is reviewing (a) the number of air quality zones expected to comply with nitrogen dioxide limits by 2020 and (b) her Department’s Air Quality Plan to take account of the results of the Government’s diesel emissions testing programme.

Rory Stewart

Our air quality plan is based on the best available data and our modelling uses the latest COPERT (Computer Programme to Calculate Emissions from Road Transport) factors to calculate emissions from diesel cars. These derive from a mixture of laboratory and on-road tests and are used by many other Member States across Europe. The ERMES (European Research Group on Mobile Emission Sources) network collates the emission measurement data which are used to update the emissions factors in the COPERT model.

Tackling air quality is a priority for this Government, which is why in May we will share the results of the testing programme with ERMES. This research will be used to inform their next update, due at the end of the year, ensuring EU-wide emission factors continue to focus on the latest data updated on the basis of real world testing.

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.