Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on reducing barriers to bringing used agricultural machinery from Great Britain to Northern Ireland for resale.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of the Windsor Framework we announced the new Northern Ireland Plant Health Label Scheme, which has streamlined the process for moving used agricultural and forestry machinery from GB to NI. We have been engaging with industry on the operation of the scheme, and will be taking forward further work in the light of a consultation which concluded earlier this month.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the impact of checks at ports under the Windsor Framework on the time taken for food produce consignments to clear checks.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain committed to ensuring the smooth flow of goods, reflected in the arrangements we have put in place through the NI Retail Movement Scheme and through the further elements we have set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper. The Government believes that the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme has been rolled out smoothly and professionally for businesses since 1 October and provides a secure basis to protect GB-NI retail agrifood movements, including in the event of further GB-EU divergence on food safety standards. But we will continue to engage intensively with the agri-food supply chain regarding the movement of goods into Northern Ireland to address any issues where they arise.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost associated with veterinary checks on horses moving from (a) Great Britain to Northern Ireland and (b) Northern Ireland to Great Britain since the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's Movement Assistance Scheme is available to reimburse costs (including veterinary checks), in line with the terms of the scheme, for horses moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Horses moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain have unfettered access.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what provisions there are in recent free trade agreements to ensure imported food is produced to the UK standards.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with the UK’s import requirements and standards. The UK’s Free Trade Agreements do not create any new permissions for imports and do not compromise on the UK’s high environmental protection, animal welfare, plant health, and food standards.
The UK’s food safety standards are overseen by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. Both provide independent advice to UK Health ministers. Alongside other government agencies, they oversee the regulation of imported food and feed to ensure that it complies with the UK’s high safety standards, protect ing consumers from unsafe food.
Without exception, the UK will continue to protect food standards in the UK under all existing and future Free Trade Agreements. Decisions on these standards remain a matter for the UK and will be made separately from any trade agreements. The Prime Minister has been clear that there will be no chlorine-washed chicken and no hormone-treated beef on the UK market.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage consumers to purchase UK-grown produce at Christmas in 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
British farmers produce some of the highest quality food in the world. We want more people to be able to access the nutritious and locally-sourced food they produce. That is why Defra officials regularly engage with major supermarkets to understand the work they are doing to promote British produce. We welcome their efforts to promote British food by showcasing seasonal produce and promoting classic British recipes, ensuring that their customers can make informed choices about buying great quality British food and drink throughout the year.
As a Government, we want build on the commitments made at the Farm to Fork Summit earlier this year and drive forward our new farming schemes to deliver a profitable and sustainable food and farming sector for Great Britain and ensure that even more of the great British public has every opportunity to buy our excellent food and drink.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps (a) the Government and (b) her Department are taking with devolved authorities to develop a sheep scab control programme covering the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer and Devolved Administrations work collaboratively on all areas of animal disease. However, animal health is a devolved matter. Sheep Scab is addressed in different ways across the devolved nations, for example in Scotland where it is a notifiable disease. It is therefore appropriate that each nation of the United Kingdom treats Sheep Scab in the way that fits best with their priorities.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help protect supply chains between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for veterinary medicines.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 19 December 2022, the European Commission extended the grace period for veterinary medicines for a further three years, until 31 December 2025. This grace period maintains the current status quo regarding the supply chain requirements for moving veterinary medicines into Northern Ireland. The Government continues to work with the European Commission and the UK veterinary medicines industry to find a permanent, durable solution to the issues facing veterinary medicines that are related to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 his Department's correspondence to the Permanent Secretary at Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, dated 28 December 2022, what estimate she has made of the projected cost of building proposed sanitary and phytosanitary facilities as outlined in that correspondence.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
My Department will prepare a business case for the construction of SPS inspection facilities in Northern Ireland in due course. This will draw on the business case previously prepared by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). When prepared, I will provide an update to the House.
The latest information available to as costs borne by DAERA are set out in my answer to the Rt Hon member for Lagan Valley of 28 November to PQ 92116.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help supported (a) sustainability and (b) profitability for British egg farmers.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK egg industry operates in an open market and the value of egg commodities, including the farm gate egg price, is established by those in the supply chain
We recognise the challenges that the agricultural industry, including the egg sector, is currently facing due to the rise of input costs as a result of the war in Ukraine. The Government has put in place a number of measures to support supply chains. These include cuts to VAT and fuel duty and support through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Defra has also recently announced improvements to the Avian Influenza compensation scheme and granted a concession to the rules for the labelling of free-range eggs from hens that have been housed longer than the 16-week period for which an automatic derogation applies.
I hosted an egg industry roundtable on 6 December 2022. This involved representatives from across the UK egg supply chain. The roundtable focused on the various challenges that the sector is currently facing, including profitability and sustainability. The meeting was productive with a clear willingness from all parties to address issues affecting the supply chain.
Defra continues to work closely with the egg sector and to monitor the egg market through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG).
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect dogs from unregulated canine fertility clinics.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Those operating canine fertility clinics, and owners using their services, are required under The Animal Welfare Act 2006 to protect the animals involved from harm and to provide for their welfare in line with good practice. A breach of these provisions may lead to imprisonment, a fine, or both.