Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
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 encourage the development of local food plans.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government works closely with the full spectrum of food and drink businesses across the country to promote growth, jobs, productivity and exports. We engage with businesses both directly and through trade associations, Local Enterprise Partnerships, regional food groups and other business groups. We support them in their efforts to address economic challenges and mitigate regulatory and compliance issues, and prepare successfully for EU exit.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of consented offshore wind on seabirds, marine mammals and other coastal wildlife.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Consent is required from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to construct, extend or operate any offshore generating stations with a generating capacity of between 1 and 100 megawatts (MW). Stations which would generate more than 100MW are classed as nationally significant infrastructure projects and require a development consent order granted by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Some electricity generating works may be subject to regulation under the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 (as amended) and require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be submitted to the MMO alongside the main application. EIAs are required to include a description of the likely significant effects of the development on the environment, including any effects on seabirds, marine mammals and other coastal wildlife.
In addition, offshore wind farms are required to have pre and post consent monitoring plans which are managed by the MMO. For example, a Marine Mammal Mitigation Plan (MMMP) lists the appropriate mitigation measures that should be utilised during offshore activities that are likely to produce underwater noise and vibration levels capable of potentially causing injury and disturbance to marine mammals.
Any environmental assessment, including EIAs and MMMPs, submitted as part of any application are available online via the Planning Inspectorate’s national register of applications and the MMO’s public register.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using large-scale hydrogen conversion projects to deliver improvements in air quality.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
This question concerns both energy and air quality. Defra is the Government Department with policy responsibility for air quality and energy policy is within the remit of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
We are working across Government to ensure future electricity, heat and industrial policies will together improve air quality and tackle climate change. Phasing out coal-fired power stations, improving energy efficiency, and shifting to cleaner power sources will reduce emissions of air pollution, as well as carbon.
As we phase out oil and coal heating, we will ensure this transition improves air quality wherever possible and cost-effective to do so.
Although Defra is unable to comment on hydrogen specifically, as part of our cross-departmental review into the role of biomass for heat and power, we have established a framework of principles and processes to ensure air quality is considered at the outset of policy development and appropriate tools and evidence are used to assess the impact on public health.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has for replacing the EU’s LIFE and BEST funding programmes beyond 2020.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran, on 1 February 2019, PQ UIN 213461.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2019 to Question 206880 on Special protection areas, when the lesser black-backed gull is planned to be added as a qualifying feature to the Bowland Fells SPA; and whether there are any remaining barriers to that being done.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
There are no plans to do so.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2018 to Question 196865 on Special Protection Areas, whether the Bowland Fells SPA will be reclassified to include the lesser black-backed gull before Natural England issues its supplementary advice to the site’s objectives in spring 2019.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
No.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to Answer of 24 July 2018 to Question 166215 and the review of the evidence base for the Bowland Fells SPA, on what basis that review was considered to be necessary; when that review was commissioned; what the scope was of that review; who carried out that review; when that review will be made available to his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The need to review the evidence base outlined in my previous response (Question 166215) was in regard to the Solent and Dorset Coast potential SPA. In regard to the proposal to add lesser black backed gull to the Bowland Fells SPA, Natural England has also been reviewing the existing site management measures with the aim of providing a long-term sustainable management plan for the species. This includes the provision of supplementary advice to the sites’s objectives, which are anticipated to be published in spring 2019.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Department has made an assessment of adequacy of the injury and retirement data published by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The format of the injury and retirement data published by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) for the first time in March this year was requested and approved by Defra. Alongside publication of the data, which has been independently verified, the GBGB also made several commitments to improve the figures, which the Government has welcomed. Defra will continue to monitor the data, and the progress of GBGB’s commitments.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain on that organisation’s injury and retirement data, published on 14 March 2018.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) began publishing injury and retirement data from GBGB affiliated tracks earlier this year as part of several non-regulatory agreements they have with Defra arising from Defra’s Post Implementation Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010. Officials have regular discussions with the GBGB on this, and are satisfied with the progress being made. Officials also meet regularly with the Chair of the Greyhound Forum, which represents a series of welfare groups with an interest in the welfare of racing and retired greyhounds.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions or other proceedings on illegally imported puppies taken in by Dogs Trust under its puppy pilot quarantine scheme have begun since 2017.
Answered by George Eustice
During 2017, two individuals were prosecuted under the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and other Mammals) Order 1974 for the illegal importation of puppies by Kent Trading Standards. This action was taken following an interception at Dover Port by Port of Dover Police with the puppies being held at the quarantine premises funded by Dogs Trust.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency continues to work closely with enforcement partners to identify opportunities for enforcement action to be taken both at the port of arrival and point of destination.