Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 05 Jun 2019
Kew Gardens (Leases) (No. 3) Bill [HL]
"My Lords, as somebody who is not based near Kew but who has really appreciated my visits there, I am delighted that this very small Bill will secure Kew’s future. I understand the questions raised about Clause 1, but, having looked at the amendments in this second group, I think …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 07 May 2019
Kew Gardens (Leases) (No. 3) Bill [HL]
"My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for introducing a Bill that has been described as “modest” but that I believe is vital. I add my support to the proposals in it. I wish Leicestershire were nearer Kew and I could become a regular visitor, but sadly not. …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 25th April 2019
Asked by:
Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 1 February (HL13061), what rationale was behind the decision to set the cost to serve allowance for smaller non-household water customers at its proposed levels.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Determining the appropriate price protections for non-household water customers, including the cost to serve allowance, is a matter for Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water industry. The current price protections for non-household water customers run until March 2020.
Ofwat has collected detailed cost data from all licensed water and sewerage retailers, to provide them with the evidence about the current cost to serve allowance.
In December 2018 Ofwat published a consultation on price protections to apply from April 2020. This included questions on the cost to serve allowance. Chapter 7 of the consultation published on GOV.UK sets out the proposed approach and Ofwat’s rationale for the proposal.
The consultation closed on 15 February. Ofwat is considering the responses received and will respond in due course.
Written Question
Thursday 25th April 2019
Asked by:
Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 1 February (HL13061), what assessment they have made of whether the cost to serve allowance for non-household water retailers is sufficient to enable effective competition.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Determining the appropriate price protections for non-household water customers, including the cost to serve allowance, is a matter for Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water industry. The current price protections for non-household water customers run until March 2020.
Ofwat has collected detailed cost data from all licensed water and sewerage retailers, to provide them with the evidence about the current cost to serve allowance.
In December 2018 Ofwat published a consultation on price protections to apply from April 2020. This included questions on the cost to serve allowance. Chapter 7 of the consultation published on GOV.UK sets out the proposed approach and Ofwat’s rationale for the proposal.
The consultation closed on 15 February. Ofwat is considering the responses received and will respond in due course.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 04 Apr 2019
Upland Farming
"My Lords, will my noble friend confirm the need for the 6,500 upland farmers to continue to receive public financial support? Without that, they will not succeed. Some 70 million people visit the uplands each year and that sort of payment is essential. In addition, I note the important role …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 03 Apr 2019
Animal Health, Plant Health, Seeds and Seed Potatoes (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
"My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for introducing this statutory instrument, which is hugely important for the protection of both animal and plant health. I welcome the steps that are being taken within the statutory instrument. Most of the sections refer to transposing EU law into UK …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
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Written Question
Monday 1st April 2019
Asked by:
Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 14 March (HL14136 and HL14137), what is the number of individual farmers who are awaiting (1) Countryside, (2) Entry Level, and (3) Higher Level, stewardship payments from (a) 2016, (b) 2017, and (c) 2018.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A farm business may hold more than one agreement and make multiple claims. As of 17 March 2019:
1) All eligible Countryside Stewardship 2016 and 2017 claims have received a payment apart from exceptional cases such as those that cannot be paid for legal reasons such as probate.
There are just over 6,100 2018 claims still due an advance payment. Any claim that has not been paid a 2018 advance payment by the end of March will be issued a bridging payment in early April.
RPA are on track to complete 95% of 2018 final payments on claims by the end of July.
2) The information held on Environmental Stewardship claims does not currently separate between Entry and Higher Level agreements.
All eligible 2016 claims have received a system advance and/or final, or a bridging payment. All eligible 2017 claims received an advance or bridging payment.
RPA is on track to complete 95% of 2017 final payments by end of July. There are just over 9,500 2018 claims due their advance payment.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 26 Mar 2019
Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products Framework (Miscellaneous Amendments, etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
"My Lords, I thank my noble friend for introducing the seven sets of regulations. At this time of night, having sat here from about 3 pm, other Members will be delighted that I will not repeat everything I have written down, because he clearly introduced the regulations in the correct …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
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Speech in Grand Committee - Mon 25 Mar 2019
Plant Health (Amendment) (England) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
"My Lords, I thank my noble friend for taking these two statutory instruments together. Although they are huge, they are complementary. I am also grateful to him for his explanation. As he said, it is a matter of making sure that we have an operable legal framework when we leave …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
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Speech in Grand Committee - Mon 25 Mar 2019
Plant Health (Amendment) (England) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
"I thank my noble friend for clarifying the extra money that has been allocated. Will that money be clawed back from importers and people who are buying the products, or will the Government put the money up and make no attempt to get recompense? I thought from the conversations we …..."Baroness Byford - View Speech
View all Baroness Byford (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Plant Health (Amendment) (England) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019