Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between (1) UK public agencies, and (2) UK industry, and the European Chemicals Agency.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We are working to ensure a smooth transition for the chemical industry as we leave the EU. As part of the exit negotiations, the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of chemicals regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. We want to secure a deep and special partnership with the EU, including in relation to the chemicals sector.
Our priority is to maintain an effective regulatory system for the management and control of chemicals to safeguard human health and the environment, respond to emerging risks, and allow trade with the EU that is as frictionless as possible.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between Ofgem and the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government will ensure that we maintain affordable, clean and secure energy supplies for households and businesses across the UK when we leave the European Union. As part of this, we are considering our future relationship with the EU on energy, including between UK and EU regulatory bodies.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between (1) UK public agencies, and (2) UK industry, and the European Food Safety Agency.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The future of the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be shaped by forthcoming UK-European Union negotiations.
UK Government Departments are currently working together to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the EU will have on the UK’s relationship with the EFSA. Government departments are considering a range of options for the future of scientific advice and risk assessment.
The Department of Health, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standard Agency's priority is to maintain the UK’s high standards of food and feed safety, and to ensure we take a risk-based, proportionate approach that prioritises the interests and protection of consumers.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between (1) UK public agencies, and (2) UK industry, and the European Aviation Safety Agency and Eurocontrol.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for continued or discontinued participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency.
The nature of the UK’s participation with the Agency as a third country will be a matter for the negotiations.
Eurocontrol is not an EU institution, so the UK will continue to be a member after our exit from the EU.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between (1) UK public agencies, and (2) UK industry, and the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
No decisions have yet been made on our future relationship with the EU's agencies and bodies after leaving the EU. We are seeking a deep and special partnership with the European Union. Our relationship with the European Union's agencies and bodies, including the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, will be evaluated on this basis upon exit.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they removed the £1 billion funding of carbon capture and storage, as announced to the London Stock Exchange on 25 November 2015; and how they plan to ensure the advance of that technology in the future.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government believes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has the potential to play an important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK.
The Department’s Annual Report & Accounts for 2015-16 will be published in June 2016 and will review the work of the Department, including the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage in 2015-16. The Budget for the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage for 2015-16 is £41.3 million.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the effect of the reduction of the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the veterinary service and research on animal disease.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Budgets for 2016/17 to 2020/21 have not yet been finalised. Defra’s internal business planning process is still underway, and it would not, therefore, be appropriate at this time to comment on how particular policy areas may be affected.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the effect of the reduction of the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on staffing, and scientific expenditure and activity, at Kew Gardens.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Budgets for 2016/17 to 2020/21 have not yet been finalised. Defra’s internal business planning process is still underway, and it would not, therefore, be appropriate at this time to comment on how particular policy areas may be affected.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the effect of the reduction of the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on activity and staffing in relation to air quality.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Budgets for 2016/17 to 2020/21 have not yet been finalised. Defra’s internal business planning process is still underway, and it would not, therefore, be appropriate at this time to comment on how particular policy areas may be affected.
Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are undertaking, both nationally and internationally, to reverse the global decline in the bee population.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is committed to supporting pollinators, including bees, through the National Pollinator Strategy for England. This is an exciting 10 year plan, with comprehensive action to protect pollinators on farmland and across towns, cities and the countryside.
In November 2015 Defra published an implementation plan highlighting significant progress in the first year of the strategy, delivered through collaboration between government and non-government partners. This includes £900 million Defra has made available for the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, launched in July 2015. For the first time ever this contains dedicated management options for pollinators as part of the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package.
We have been working to raise public awareness and engagement, holding the first Pollinator Awareness Week in July 2015. This promotes our Bees’ Needs Call to Action, setting out simple actions that any individual or business can take to provide food and shelter for pollinators.
Internationally, Defra hosted two successful events on pollinators at the Milan Expo in July 2015, and following this is working with academics to explore opportunities to build on the innovative work the UK is doing for bees. The UK is also an active member of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), with UK experts contributing to the IPBES assessment of the state of knowledge on pollinators, the reasons for their decline and the policy options to protect them. The final report of this assessment will be considered and approved by Governments at the 4th IPBES Plenary Meeting in February 2016.