Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - 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 effectiveness of policies designed to reduce the use of plastic bags by retailers and consumers; and what further policies they envisage in that area.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Since the introduction of the 5 pence carrier bag charge in October 2015, retailer reporting shows a dramatic drop in the consumption of single use plastic carrier bags, with the seven major retailers distributing around nine billion fewer single use plastic bags (a reduction of around 83%) compared to typical pre-charge levels.
The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of this order before 5 October 2020.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the food welfare standards for hens and sows reared in Brazil, Thailand, Canada and the United States; and (2) whether future tariffs on imported poultry and pork products from those countries could be linked to higher animal welfare standards.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Brazil, Canada, Thailand and the US all have laws designed to protect farm animals, and in the case of the United States they vary from state to state. Defra is not aware of any detailed comparative analysis of these countries’ welfare standards.
All produce imported into the EU must comply with EU rules and these standards will apply to imports into the UK and domestic production when we leave the EU. As we move towards a new relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, we are determined to maintain our high standards and improve them where appropriate.
Any future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK. We will not water down our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what measures they have taken in relation to any EU member states that are not in compliance with the sow stall ban contained in EU Directive 2008/120/EC; (2) which states have been subject to such measures; and (3) whether pork imports into the UK from non-compliant countries continue to be allowed.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In 2013 the Commission launched infraction proceedings against six member states. These were Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece and Slovenia.
A Report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council in September 2016 states that the Commission’s actions to encourage all Member States to enforce the 2013 partial ban on the keeping of sows in sow stalls proved effective.
There are no EU marketing rules to prevent imports of pig meat from non-compliant production systems.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) which EU states have not complied with the sow stall ban under EU Directive 2008/120/EC, (2) what steps they have taken in relation to any non-compliance, and (3) whether the UK allows pork to be imported from non-compliant countries.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A Report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council in September 2016 states that the Commission’s actions to encourage all Member States to enforce the 2012 ban on the keeping of laying hens in conventional (‘battery’) cages, and the 2013 partial ban on the keeping of sows in sow stalls proved effective.
According to information available to the Commission, all Member States are now compliant with the cage ban. In terms of the sow stall ban, the Commission is checking the documentation of the last three Member States to see if they are now fully compliant.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) which EU states have not complied with the conventional cage ban for hens, (2) what steps they have taken in relation to any non-compliance, and (3) whether the UK still allows eggs to be imported from non-compliant countries.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A Report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council in September 2016 states that the Commission’s actions to encourage all Member States to enforce the 2012 ban on the keeping of laying hens in conventional (‘battery’) cages, and the 2013 partial ban on the keeping of sows in sow stalls proved effective.
According to information available to the Commission, all Member States are now compliant with the cage ban. In terms of the sow stall ban, the Commission is checking the documentation of the last three Member States to see if they are now fully compliant.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to reduce the amount of fly tipping in the UK; and when any such proposals will be introduced.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Fly-tipping is unacceptable whether it occurs on public or private land. Not only does it blight the areas in which it occurs but may also pose a risk to the environment and human health.
In May 2016 we gave local councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 for small-scale fly-tipping as an alternative to more costly prosecutions. This built on other action to tackle fly-tipping, including: working with the sentencing Council on its sentencing guideline for environmental offences; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; continuing to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice for tackling fly-tipping; strengthening the waste Duty of Care by publishing a revised Code of Practice and supporting the industry-led Right Waste Right Place campaign to promote Duty of Care to small businesses.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - 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 De Mauley on 9 December 2013 (WA 80), whether Italy and Greece remain non-compliant with the European Union's 2012 conventional hen cage ban; what the result was of the referral of those countries to the European Court of Justice; when formal hearings on the matter were held; and whether they have sought further meetings with the relevant European Union Commissioner to discuss the issue.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
No further information has been provided by the Commission in terms of progress towards compliance in these two Member States. As a first step in the infraction process, both Italy and Greece were taken to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for failing to comply with the cage ban. The Court found Italy (in May 14) and Greece (in September 14) guilty and ordered them to pay court costs. If Italy and Greece do not provide evidence of full compliance after a ‘reasonable time’ (determined on a case by case basis), the Commission can take them both back to the ECJ where penalties could be imposed.
The Commission does not disclose detailed information relating to on-going infringement cases.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - 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 De Mauley on 9 December 2013 (WA 80), what is their current assessment of the compliance of the Republic of Ireland and Denmark with the sow stall ban under European Union Directive 2008/120/EC; which other European Union countries remain non-compliant with the ban; whether any infringement proceedings have commenced, and if so, what conclusions have been reached; and whether they will now negotiate a ban on the import of pig meat from European Union countries which are in breach of this Directive.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
In 2013, the European Commission launched infringement cases against six countries which failed to comply with the partial sow stall ban which came into force on 1 January 2013. The Commission has not publically released any further information on Member State’s levels of compliance, nor disclosed any detailed information relating to the on-going infringement cases. There are no marketing rules to prevent imports from non-compliant systems, nor can Member States impose unilateral trade restrictions for welfare reasons.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - 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 De Mauley on 9 December 2013 (WA 80), what was the value of import of shell eggs or egg products from Italy and Greece in the last two years; and what recent results there have been from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency risk-based surveillance on batches of shell egg from those countries.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
The value of imports of shell eggs and egg products from Italy and Greece in the last two years is presented in the table below. Please note that 2013 data is still subject to amendments.
£000s | |||
Country of dispatch | Type | 2012 | 2013 |
Greece | Shell eggs | - | - |
| Egg Products | 32 | 195 |
Italy | Shell eggs | 50 | 19 |
| Egg Products | 6,734 | 8,786 |
Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency have found no batches of Italian or Greek shell eggs which have raised any issues concerning their method of production since 2012.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - 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 De Mauley on 9 December 2013 (WA 80), which European Union Member States are not compliant with the sow stall ban under EU Directive 2008/120/EC; whether Denmark and the Republic of Ireland are amongst those non-compliant Member States informally reporting over 95 per cent compliance levels; and when Member States were required by the Directive to become compliant.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
The European Commission has not publically released any further details. However, it is working proactively to ensure compliance as soon as possible and has begun infringement proceedings against six Member States which failed to fully comply with the partial sow stall ban that came into force on 1 January 2013. This list does not include Denmark and Ireland.