Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Welsh Government on a potential exclusion from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 in the context of the inclusion of glass in a deposit return scheme.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have always maintained that deposit return schemes across the UK should be interoperable to reduce complexity for businesses and consumers, and to avoid unnecessary barriers to trade. We want to ensure that the schemes operate seamlessly for businesses and consumers across the UK.
Defra is working closely with devolved administrations on the next steps to achieve interoperable schemes that work across the UK.
There has been no recent discussion with the Welsh Government on a potential exclusion from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 in the context of the inclusion of glass in a deposit return scheme.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with industry representatives on the implementation of a deposit return scheme since November 2023.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is pushing ahead with its programme of reforms to reduce waste and improve our use of resources and remain committed to our goal of eliminating avoidable waste by 2050. It’s essential that we work closely with industry to make sure our reforms will be a success, and we will continue to engage with businesses closely as we proceed with introducing the deposit return scheme.
Defra engage stakeholders across industry (including large and small drinks producers, retailers, wholesalers, and the hospitality sector). We are listening to, and will continue to work with, industry to assess the feasibility of the implementation date as we progress with this project including as part of the Deposit Management Organisation application process.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the effective operation of food and drink supply chains in the context of labour shortages.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain, as demonstrated throughout the Covid-19 response. It is well equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Our high degree of food security is built on access to a range of sources, including robust supply chains domestically, and from other countries. Government has well established ways of working with the industry monitor and address risks that may arise. Measures currently in place to ease supply chain pressures include a relaxation to driver's hours rules and food retail delivery hours restrictions. Up to 5,500 poultry workers and 5,000 HGV drivers transporting food and fuel will be able to enter the UK for work in the lead up to Christmas 2021. Defra continues to work closely across Government and with key stakeholders to assess how we can best facilitate food supply sectors to operate normally through this period.
The Government is also working closely with the industry on specific measures to support the logistics sector as it experiences shortages of qualified HGV drivers, including a package of measures to support recruitment and retention of new drivers.
We are encouraging all industry sectors to make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options, wage increases and investment in automation technology. In 2021 and beyond, food and farming businesses also continue to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status. Over 5.3 million EU citizens and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme and EU nationals who have settled status can continue to travel to the UK to do work in the food and drink sector in 2021.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
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 level of excess stock accumulated by wholesalers as a result of (a) covid-19 restrictions, (b) the UK leaving the EU and (c) the changes to Christmas 2020 covid-19 lockdown restrictions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We are aware of the challenges faced by the wholesale sector, and the foodservice wholesale sector in particular, due to Covid-19 restrictions, including the closure of hospitality venues and schools. Officials in Defra have been working closely with the wholesale sector to understand the scale of the challenge and to ensure the Government is aware of the impact, including the implication of excess stock. We will continue to assess the support needs of the food industry to inform policy, both in response to the increased spread of Covid-19 and the beginning of our new trading relationship with the EU.
The Government has made a range of support available to wholesalers including (but not limited to) the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, and eligibility to apply for support from the Additional Restrictions Grant. In addition, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme enables wholesalers to furlough staff, and this scheme will now remain open until the end of April 2021.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
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 effect of the covid-19 outbreak on (a) the viability of the food and drink wholesale sector and (b) food provision in (i) care homes, (ii) prisons, (iii) hospitals and (iv) other public sector institutions over the next 12 months.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra is monitoring the potential impacts COVID-19 is having on the food and drink wholesale sector, in partnership with industry and other Government departments. We remain committed to working with industry to respond to these challenges as they evolve and to assess whether current support mechanisms are sufficient and effective.
Defra is working very closely with officials from the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Education and the Ministry of Defence on ensuring food supply continues to schools, prisons, hospitals and other public sector institutions over the next 12 months. To support care homes, the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD)has set up a new online portal Food2Care (www.Food2Care.co.uk) to enable care homes to find local wholesalers, based on a postcode search. The website is also highlighted on the Care Providers Association website. This portal will help those care homes struggling to get supplies during the Covid-19 outbreak. More than 90 national and regional wholesalers have signed up to the scheme so far.
Additionally, FWD's initiative, Local Food Drops (www.localfooddrops.co.uk), has been designed to help local communities get better access to food supplies during these unprecedented times with flexible delivery and 'click and collect' options.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
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 provide financial support to food and drink wholesale businesses that are affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has already set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. The measures available to food and drink wholesale businesses depend on their size, and include:
From 4 May, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be available to small businesses, who will be able to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.
With counterparts across Whitehall, and through engagement with industry, we are monitoring the potential impacts COVID 19 on the food and drink wholesale sector. We remain committed to working in partnership with industry to respond to these challenges as they evolve.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support has been made available to the food and drink wholesale sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. The measures available to food and drink wholesale businesses depend on their size, and include:
From 4 May, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be available to small businesses, who will be able to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.
With counterparts across Whitehall, and through engagement with industry, we are monitoring the potential impacts COVID 19 on the food and drink wholesale sector. We remain committed to working in partnership with industry to respond to these challenges as they evolve.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on retaining the European Recycling Platform scheme and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regulations after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The European Recycling Platform is an independent company that provides regulatory compliance services to businesses across a number of countries including UK. The Government does not manage this company.
The Repeal Bill will ensure the whole body of existing EU environmental law (including the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013) continues to have effect in UK law, providing businesses and stakeholders with maximum certainty as we leave the EU.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on meeting the recovery target for construction and demolition waste in the Waste Framework Directive, 2008/98/EC; and what further steps she is taking to meet that target.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The UK’s recovery rate for construction and demolition waste reached 86% in 2012, exceeding the 70% target for 2020 set out in the Waste Framework Directive. We will continue to monitor progress and take action as required to ensure the UK meets that target.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of animals exported to (a) EU member states and (b) countries outside the EU in the last year.
Answered by George Eustice
Figures for the last calendar year are provided below. The estimate for EU countries is based on figures obtained from HM Revenue and Customs which draw on information provided by VAT-registered firms. Actual trade levels may be higher.
Exports to European Member States
Breeding cattle | 4 |
Sheep | 161 |
Poultry | 10, 354 |
Horses, asses and mules | 1 |
Other animals | 5 |
Total | 10,525 |
Exports to countries outside the EU
Poultry | 4,252 |
Horses, asses and mules | 1 |
Other animals | 2 |
Total | 4,255 |