Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the letter of 23 March 2020 to his Department from British Marine, Broads Authority and Canal & River Trust and subsequent correspondence, what steps he is taking to allocate £20 million covid-19 funding to support waterway businesses; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has provided wide-ranging financial support across the whole economy, particularly focusing on small and medium-sized businesses. These include several loan schemes, such as: the 100% Government-guaranteed Bounce Back Loan; support for self-employed people; the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund to accommodate small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funds scheme; and most recently a £10 million tourism ‘kick-start’ package to help small businesses in our tourist destinations.
At this stage there is no specific sector support for the waterways, although we are keeping all decisions under review. Further significant easing of Covid-19 restrictions from 4 July should allow many waterways businesses to reopen to take advantage of coming summer demand.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the potential merits of legislation overseas to close wet animal markets and butcheries; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to protect the interests of animals throughout the world.
The Government, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, also raises concerns about the health and welfare of animals with other governments and international authorities at every suitable opportunity.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take in relation to proposal 16 of The Landscapes Review, published in September 2019 on expanding open access rights in national landscapes.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government welcomes the Landscapes Review and is now carefully considering its proposals, including those concerning open access. The Government will set out its response in due course.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Landscapes Review, published in September 2019, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of open access on water in national landscapes.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government welcomes the Landscapes Review and is now carefully considering its proposals, including those concerning open access. The Government will set out its response in due course.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What plans she has to increase the number of trees planted each year; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We are on track to plant 11 million trees and a further one million trees in urban areas. We have also modified our main grant schemes, to make them more accessible. We have announced additional funding for tree planting including £10 million for urban trees; £50 million for the Woodland Carbon Guarantee; and £5.7 million to kick-start the Northern Forest and the Woodland Carbon Fund is now open until 2022. Most recently we launched the Northumberland Forest of up to one million trees to be planted by 2024.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is an endemic viral disease of cattle that is widespread across Europe and other parts of the world. In common with other viral diseases there is no specific treatment for IBR and so mainly supportive therapy and vaccination are used by farmers in consultation with their private veterinary surgeons. There are also a number of industry-driven health schemes that seek to control or eradicate IBR from individual herds.
Additional information is available on the Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) website.