Tag: Rachael Maskell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that government offices and departments procure local food.

George Eustice

The Government is committed to do all it can to ensure that UK suppliers are able to compete effectively for public sector contracts in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

In 2014 the Government introduced the Plan for the Public Procurement of Food and Catering Services and from 2017 central government will commit to buying fresh, locally sourced, seasonal food, so that all food that can be bought locally will be bought locally. This will include use of a Balanced Scorecard approach to sourcing food which recognises factors such as health and nutrition, resource efficiency, and local and cultural engagement. As contracts are renewed central Departments will adopt this approach.

These arrangements will simplify the public procurement process, and should help open up the opportunity to compete to more small and medium sized businesses and local producers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on conscientious objection for midwives asked to (a) advise on and (b) participate in abortions.

Jane Ellison

Section 4 of the Abortion Act provides that “no person shall be under any duty, whether by contract or by any statutory or other legal requirement, to participate in any treatment authorised by this Act to which he has a conscientious objection”. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that this is limited to those staff who actually take part in treatment administered in a hospital or other approved place and does not include ancillary, administrative and managerial tasks that might be associated with treatment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the breeding and selling of pet animals.

George Eustice

Defra is currently reviewing the laws on the breeding and selling of pet animals. Earlier this year we held a consultation on a number of proposals for improving the legislation in this area. Later this year we will be publishing a summary of the responses and will then work towards drafting regulations to replace the existing laws.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to review the current time limits for abortion.

Jane Ellison

The Abortion Act 1967 sets out that an abortion may be carried out after 24 weeks gestation only where:

― the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman Section 1(1)(b); or

― the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated Section 1(1)(c); or

― there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped Section 1(1)(d).

In England and Wales it is accepted Parliamentary practice that proposals for changes to the Abortion Act come from backbench members and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government has no plans to review this legislation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of price trends in the baked goods market on (a) the pay and conditions of employees in that sector, (b) public health and (c) the commercial viability of producers.

George Eustice

The Government monitors overall food prices using the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). In the year to June 2016 food prices had reduced year-on-year by 2.9% and are over 7% lower than the peak in 2014.

The Government’s new National Living Wage became law on 1st April 2016. Workers aged 25 and over, and not in the first year of an apprenticeship are legally entitled to at least £7.20 per hour, an increase of fifty pence per hour.

The Eatwell Guide sets out Government’s recommendations on eating healthily and achieving a balanced diet.

Two new Apprenticeship Trailblazer Standards, "Baker" and "Advanced Bakery", have been created by industry. The Secretary of State is attending the launch of these new Industry Approved Apprenticeship Standards at a reception at the Houses of Parliament this week.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the introduction of abortion up to birth.

Jane Ellison

The Abortion Act 1967 sets out that an abortion may be carried out after 24 weeks gestation only where:

― the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman Section 1(1)(b); or

― the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated Section 1(1)(c); or

― there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped Section 1(1)(d).

In England and Wales it is accepted Parliamentary practice that proposals for changes to the Abortion Act come from backbench members and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government has no plans to review this legislation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the culling of chicks in the poultry industry.

George Eustice

The alternatives to culling chicks at one-day old are currently being explored. Research is well underway at the University of Leipzig in Germany, who are developing a new method for in-ovo gender identification, so that eggs identified as male can be sorted and used for purposes other than hatching. I also raised this issue at the G7 in Japan in April, and gave my support to the development of this new technology. We will look carefully at the results of this work and how it can be applied.

In the UK, all four of the laying hen hatcheries use argon and CO2 gas techniques as a method of euthanising chicks and not maceration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of (a) assistance dogs that are in service and (b) people who are waiting for assistance dogs; and if he will take steps to ensure that demand for assistance dogs is met.

Justin Tomlinson

We do not hold any information on either the number of assistance dogs in service or the number of people waiting to receive an assistance dog. Assistance dogs are trained and provided to those that need them, primarily through assistance dog charities. I will shortly be hosting a round table event with assistance dog charities and users, to discuss a variety of issues they have raised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals on banning microbeads and microplastics in all personal care products, washing powders, household cleaners and industrial blast media.

George Eustice

The UK and all other EU Member States have called for the European Commission to come up with proposals to ban microbeads in cosmetics at EU level, as part of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. These proposals, which we expect to be developed as part of the 2017 Plastics Strategy, will inform the UK’s approach to introducing a ban on microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. However, we are also open to the possibility of the UK acting unilaterally if necessary.

In addition, the UK, in association with neighbouring countries in the Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic (OSPAR), has developed a Regional Action Plan (RAP) on marine litter. This RAP includes an action to evaluate all products and processes that include primary microplasti­cs (including microbeads) and act, if appropriate, to reduce their impact on the marine environment. This programme of work will help to inform the UK’s approach to other sources of microplastics, such as washing powders, household cleaners and industrial blast media.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of the outcome of the EU referendum on future levels of migrant labour from other EU countries in the farming industry.

George Eustice

Workers from other EU countries are an important and valued part of our workforce. Over the next two years whilst we negotiate a new relationship with the EU, nothing changes.

This will be one of the issues that will have to be resolved as part of our exit negotiation and future relationship with the EU.