Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce proposals to ensure statutory geographical indication protections for UK exporters of Irish Whiskey to help ensure alignment with the protections provided by the EU.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Irish Whiskey is registered in both the UK and EU as a cross-border geographical indication. In line with our ambitious trade agenda, the UK government aims to expand on the current intellectual protections for Irish Whiskey in third countries, both through seeking amendments to their legislation and via geographical indication protection in trade agreements.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Flood Re scheme for ensuring that residents in areas of flooding risk have access to insurance.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Prior to Flood Re, research found that 9% of policy holders with a prior flood claim could obtain flood insurance quotes from two or more insurers and 0% could get quotes from five or more. Following the Scheme’s launch, around 96% of households with prior flood claims can now receive quotes from five or more insurers, with most customers getting more than ten quotes. Flood Re is available via more than 85 insurance brands representing 94% of the home insurance market. More than 450,000 properties have benefitted since the scheme’s launch.
The Flood Re scheme is reviewed every five years to ensure that it is efficient and effective. The first Quinquennial Review (QQR) was published by Flood Re in July 2019 and made recommendations to the Government. The next QQR is due in 2024.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress he has made on discussions with the European Union to ensure that pets can travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain without additional impediment following the UK's exit from the European Union.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has been formally ‘listed’ as a ‘Part 2’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel regulations, which means that new rules apply to pet movements from Great Britain to the EU and also – under the Northern Ireland Protocol – to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland. The health and documentary requirements for such pet travel are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
We are continuing to press the European Commission on securing Part 1 listed status and in regaining recognition of our freedom from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, as achieving these would alleviate some of these new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users. We meet all the animal health requirements for this, and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
Additionally, the Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, recognising the high standards of animal health that we share. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA’s NIDirect website.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
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 25 February to Question 156629, what steps he is taking to consult (a) non-governmental organisations from Northern Ireland and (b) other non-governmental organisations on the new Chemicals Strategy set out in Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the end of the Transition Period and our departure from the EU, the Government, working with the Devolved Administrations, is developing an ambitious Chemicals Strategy which will set out our immediate priorities, and provide a framework for any actions we will need to take to achieve safer and more environmentally sustainable management of chemicals for present and future generations.
As we develop our Strategy, we are continuing to gather evidence and engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including environmental and human health NGOs from across the UK. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether pest control services are classified as a key service in relation to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government’s guidance for critical workers specifically relates to the continued offer for education provision for their children. The indicative list of critical sectors published in the guidance does not have wider implications, and does not confer special status on individuals included in the guidance pertaining to travel, business or any other services.
Pest control services come under the ‘Food and other necessary goods’ section of the government’s guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
In the first instance, employees should confirm with their employer if their role is critical and if they are able to work from home, to establish whether they meet the criteria for their children to attend school. We are asking individuals, employers and schools to make sensible judgments about the policy.
The Government's position remains that everyone who can work from home should do so. Where that is not possible, people should go into work where it is safe and they (or members of their household) are not symptomatic, following relevant PHE guidance. This applies to pest control services. The guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Northern Ireland Executive and (b) representatives of the agricultural industry in Northern Ireland on maintaining current levels of agricultural funding for Northern Ireland at the end of the transition period.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Secretary of State has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive both bilaterally and via the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which brings together ministers from all parts of the UK to discuss matters of shared interest, including funding. Defra also regularly holds discussions with stakeholders from across the agricultural industry, including representatives from Northern Ireland.
The Government has pledged to guarantee the current annual budget in every year of this Parliament. HM Treasury is ultimately responsible for financial matters across UK Government and lead on discussions on all funding matters with finance ministers in the devolved administrations. Defra will of course continue to work closely with HM Treasury and the devolved administrations on these funding arrangements and to agree funding after 2020.