Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the impact of the UK's exit from the EU on the cost of exporting food to the EU.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides businesses tariff and quota free access to the EU market, provided that these goods meet ‘Rules of Origin’ requirements.
UK businesses must comply with customs procedures when exporting food. These procedures include Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) border controls as well as technical regulations, standards and conformity assessments. For some food businesses, there may be costs associated with compliance to these procedures. Before the UK left the EU, assessments were made of these costs reflecting a variety of potential trading arrangements with the EU. Work is ongoing to assess these costs now the new trading arrangements under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are being implemented.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to provide a substantive response to the correspondence of 5 November 2022 from the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, reference MC2022/24200.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A reply will be sent to the hon. Member in due course.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle food insecurity in the context of increases in the cost of living.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a high degree of food security. Last year, we published the Food Security Report which includes a section on food security at a household level. The latest statistics point to an increase in household food security between 2019 and 2020. There are undoubtedly going to be pressures on food prices as a result of increased input costs – including gas, fuel and fertiliser. That will have to be passed through the system, but the Government is providing an additional £500 million to help provide targeted cost of living support for households most in need.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What funding his Department is providing for the maintenance of flood defences.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of maintaining flood defence assets. Investment in Environment Agency asset management in England will be £178 million in 2021-22, an increase on the previous year. The Government will continue to review the future requirements for flood defence maintenance investment as part of future Spending Reviews.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to renew its funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit after March 2016.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Government has committed to providing funding to help secure the National Wildlife Crime Unit until at least the end of March next year. Decisions on funding beyond March will be made as part of the current Spending Review process.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the objectives of the National Wildlife Crime Unit are beyond March 2016.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The day to day work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit is determined by the UK Wildlife Crime Tasking and Coordinating Group (led by senior government and enforcement officials). Work focuses on the UK wildlife crime priorities.
The Government has committed to providing funding to help secure the National Wildlife Crime Unit until at least the end of March next year. Decisions on funding beyond March will be made as part of the current Spending Review process.