Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
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 representations to the Competition and Markets Authority on investigating the price of milk at major supermarkets.
Answered by George Eustice
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as the UK'’s competition authority can carry out investigations where there is evidence of abuse of a dominant position or market abuse. Whilst the Government does not generally intervene in what businesses charge consumers for their goods and services we do recognise concerns about transparency and trust in the dairy supply chain. A number of supermarkets have pledged to pay a premium over and above the current market price. This is welcome and gives some respite to farmers. Some retailers have also taken steps to increase the number of dairy products they source from the UK and improve country of origin labelling on cheese.
The Groceries Code which has been in operation since 2010 and the Adjudicator which came into force in 2013 have had a positive impact on the relationship between retailers and suppliers in the dairy chain. The Code was a specific remedy recommended by the Competition Commission following an extensive investigation into the UK grocery market. A review of the Adjudicator is due this year and will include a Call for Evidence on the case for extending the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s remit in the UK groceries supply chain and, as part of this, we will look at how this can further help the farming industry.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
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 representations to gluten-free food producers on reducing the cost to consumers of gluten-free products; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
It is not the Government's role to set retail food prices. We work to promote transparency and open global markets internationally, as well as a competitive domestic market to help producers and retailers offer the best prices to consumers. Year on year food prices have continued to fall with an annual rate of inflation of -2.6 per cent in the year to July 2016, according to official figures released on 18 August.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
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 take steps to facilitate an application from Lancaster City Council and the Environment Agency for funding for flood defences along the River Lune.
Answered by Rory Stewart
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 March to PQ UIN 29688.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans and funding her Department has for projects to prevent flooding of the River Lune in the Lancaster and Morecambe area.
Answered by Rory Stewart
In Morecambe, Lancaster City Council will soon complete a £10 million Government funded scheme, which will reduce the coastal flood risk to more than 8,000 properties.
Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and the Environment Agency are currently developing a business case which will investigate the potential of a new scheme to reduce flood risk within the city of Lancaster.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the effects of offshore windfarms on the national habitats of migrating whales, seals and porpoises.
Answered by George Eustice
The Joint Cetacean Protocol (JCP) is the most comprehensive information source available on whales and porpoises in the UK. Information from the JCP is used to inform assessments of the effects of offshore windfarms on marine mammals. The information was also used to help assess the status of marine mammals as set out in the UK’s Marine Strategy Part One in 2012.
The assessment brought together a significant body of information on the distribution, abundance, trends, and status of whales, porpoises, and seals in UK waters, and a consideration of the pressures they face, including from renewable energy development. The Marine Strategy Part One concluded that the status for the five most abundant cetacean species in UK waters was ‘favourable’. Seals face a number of pressures in the UK, although where localised declines have been identified these have not been attributed to offshore wind farms. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/marine-strategy-part-one-uk-initial-assessment-and-good-environmental-status.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
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 is taking to ensure that crustaceans being sold in UK retail or wholesale premises are not still alive and sealed in plastic bags.
Answered by George Eustice
There are no proposals to introduce controls on the packing of live crustaceans for purposes of animal welfare. The UK Sea Fish Industry Authority advises they should be handled carefully, stored at consistent temperatures, not allowed to dry out and never dropped. Lobsters should be kept cool and if wrapped, perforated material should be used.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the decision on the extension of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Lake District National Park will be announced; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
A public inquiry into Natural England’s proposals to extend the boundaries of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks was held in June 2013. The inspector’s report has been submitted to Defra and is now being considered. The Secretary of State will issue her decisions in due course.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many local authorities have imposed the Inert Waste Charges Scheme since 1 June 2015; and what the average fee charged in that scheme is.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Defra does not keep statistics on which local authorities charge for inert waste, nor for the average fee charged. Decisions on charging are a matter for local authorities. Waste disposal authorities are under a duty to provide places where their residents may deposit household waste free of charge. However, not all waste from domestic property is ‘household’ waste for these purposes, and there is no duty to accept non-household waste at such sites.