Asked by: Baroness Fookes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much peat has been extracted from peatlands in England for horticultural purposes over the last five years for which statistics are available.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Peat is extracted in England for, primarily, horticultural purposes. Commercial extraction in England is licensed on approximately 664 hectares of peatland, across 29 sites. Whilst this represents less than 1% of England’s peatlands, extraction is a major source of carbon emissions, causes biodiversity loss and destroys habitats.
Industry data tells us that in 2020 alone, 2.2 million cubic metres of peat were sold in the UK, 70% of which was imported.
Recent years have seen the development of a number of high-quality peat-free alternatives that are as effective as current peat-based options, many of which are much less damaging to the environment than using peat.
We are therefore continuing to focus on reducing demand for peat in horticulture in England, to protect peatlands at home and abroad. We have published a full consultation on ending the use of peat, with our preferred option being to ban the sale of peat and peat containing products in the amateur sector by the end of this Parliament. We are also turbo-charging current levels of peatland restoration through the Nature for Climate Fund, which will aim to provide funding for the restoration of approximately 35,000ha of peatland by 2025. This represents a tripling of historical average annual restoration levels.
More information about our actions to protect and restore our vulnerable peatlands is available at these links to the consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ending-the-retail-sale-of-peat-in-horticulture-in-england-and-wales) and the England Peat Action Plan (England Peat Action Plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Relevant documents are also attached to this answer.
Asked by: Baroness Fookes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total acreage of peatland in England; and how many acres are used for the production of peat for horticultural purposes.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Peat is extracted in England for, primarily, horticultural purposes. Commercial extraction in England is licensed on approximately 664 hectares of peatland, across 29 sites. Whilst this represents less than 1% of England’s peatlands, extraction is a major source of carbon emissions, causes biodiversity loss and destroys habitats.
Industry data tells us that in 2020 alone, 2.2 million cubic metres of peat were sold in the UK, 70% of which was imported.
Recent years have seen the development of a number of high-quality peat-free alternatives that are as effective as current peat-based options, many of which are much less damaging to the environment than using peat.
We are therefore continuing to focus on reducing demand for peat in horticulture in England, to protect peatlands at home and abroad. We have published a full consultation on ending the use of peat, with our preferred option being to ban the sale of peat and peat containing products in the amateur sector by the end of this Parliament. We are also turbo-charging current levels of peatland restoration through the Nature for Climate Fund, which will aim to provide funding for the restoration of approximately 35,000ha of peatland by 2025. This represents a tripling of historical average annual restoration levels.
More information about our actions to protect and restore our vulnerable peatlands is available at these links to the consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ending-the-retail-sale-of-peat-in-horticulture-in-england-and-wales) and the England Peat Action Plan (England Peat Action Plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Relevant documents are also attached to this answer.
Asked by: Baroness Fookes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the horticulture sector to ensure that the delayed introduction of the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) for plant import pre-notification is suitable for the industry’s requirements.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We have regular engagement with key stakeholders and membership groups representing the horticulture sector to understand and manage implications of the introduction of the new Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) service. Officials have held a number of IPAFFS briefings and walkthrough sessions during May and June 2021 which received positive and valuable feedback.
The purpose of these sessions has been to introduce the IPAFFS service to trade who may not have had the benefit of seeing it in advance. Further training sessions are planned and will be communicated with trade. Business readiness teams have developed guidance materials and videos to support trade with their transition to the new service, as well as working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to answer all of the questions and queries trade have raised about the service.
Asked by: Baroness Fookes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of delays to the introduction of the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed system (IPAFFS) for plant import pre-notification on the horticultural sector.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The IT systems used to facilitate the prenotification of imports of plants and plant products will be changing, moving from the current PEACH system to a new Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed system (IPAFFS). We are managing the impact on trade by phasing in the introduction of the new IT system in stages. From 1 January 2022, traders who are prenotifying plants and plant products for the first time will be required to do so on the new IPAFFS service. Importers who are using and registered for PEACH should continue to use that system until instructed to move over to IPAFFS.
All existing and new IT services have undergone intense scrutiny and stress testing to ensure they can cope with the increased volumes of plant imports and exports transactions since the end of the transition period. Businesses trading in ‘high-priority’ plants (those regulated since 1 January 2021) from the EU have joined thousands of other businesses who have successfully used PEACH and eDomero for nearly two decades to trade with non-EU countries.
The Early Adopter phase of the plant health IT service (IPAFFS) started in August 2021. Nominated traders were invited as some of our initial users in this first phase. The wider transition of trade will continue during the rest of 2021. PEACH will continue to be accessible and live throughout this period of transition, as previously agreed with traders.
Officials held a number of IPAFFS briefings and walkthrough sessions throughout May and June 2021 which received positive and valuable feedback. The purpose of these sessions has been to introduce the IPAFFS service to trade who may not have had the benefit of seeing it in advance. Further training sessions are planned and will be communicated with trade. Business readiness teams have developed guidance materials and videos to support trade with their transition to the new service, as well as working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to answer all of the questions and queries trade have raised about the service.