Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish any assessment he has made of the potential for organic and other agroecological farm systems to achieve the UK’s nature-based climate change targets.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government is committed to take action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Environmentally sustainable farming is fundamental to our new approach to England's agricultural system. We are introducing three schemes that reward the delivery of environmental benefits: The Sustainable Farming Incentive, the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the Landscape Recovery scheme.
The three schemes are being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within the schemes where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods. While designing the three schemes, we are running tests and trials. The tests and trials will co-design the component parts of the schemes, while the scheme pilots will test the whole end-to-end process. Two of the tests and trials are looking at organic farming. While we do not use tests and trials to validate if specific delivery methods achieve particular environmental outcomes, the pilots will pay farmers and land managers for delivering environmental outcomes.
Defra plays a key role in supporting emissions reduction by providing scientific advice and evidence and all our publicly funded research is published as standard practice. Systems assessments of the role of organic and other extensified farming approaches in reducing greenhouse gas emissions have concluded that although such practices can reduce emissions at farm level, comparatively lower typical yields mean that, for a given level of demand, such systems do not consistently lead to reduced emissions compared to more conventional systems. Despite this, these systems can provide wider welfare and environmental benefits, for example through increasing biodiversity. The Government believes farmers are best placed to determine the best method of farming for their land and specific circumstances. While this is a private business decision, we encourage environmentally friendly farming through numerous routes which includes organics.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that organic and similar agroecological farm systems are included as nature-based solutions to achieving net-zero.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government is committed to take action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Environmentally sustainable farming is fundamental to our new approach to England's agricultural system. We are introducing three schemes that reward the delivery of environmental benefits: The Sustainable Farming Incentive, the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the Landscape Recovery scheme.
The three schemes are being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within the schemes where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods. While designing the three schemes, we are running tests and trials. The tests and trials will co-design the component parts of the schemes, while the scheme pilots will test the whole end-to-end process. Two of the tests and trials are looking at organic farming. While we do not use tests and trials to validate if specific delivery methods achieve particular environmental outcomes, the pilots will pay farmers and land managers for delivering environmental outcomes.
Defra plays a key role in supporting emissions reduction by providing scientific advice and evidence and all our publicly funded research is published as standard practice. Systems assessments of the role of organic and other extensified farming approaches in reducing greenhouse gas emissions have concluded that although such practices can reduce emissions at farm level, comparatively lower typical yields mean that, for a given level of demand, such systems do not consistently lead to reduced emissions compared to more conventional systems. Despite this, these systems can provide wider welfare and environmental benefits, for example through increasing biodiversity. The Government believes farmers are best placed to determine the best method of farming for their land and specific circumstances. While this is a private business decision, we encourage environmentally friendly farming through numerous routes which includes organics.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many vessels are on the EU Vessel List and entitled to fish in UK waters pending the issue of a foreign vessel licence.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
On 31 December 2020 the UK Single Issuing Authority (UK SIA) issued licences to EU registered vessels permitting them access to fish in the UK Exclusive Economic Zone. There are currently 1,464 EU vessels licenced by the UK SIA and the latest list is published online at the following link: www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-single-issuing-authority-uksia
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many vessels on the EU Vessel List have fished in (a) Scottish, (b) English, (c) Welsh and (d) Northern Irish waters since 1 January 2021.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
According to data held by the Marine Management Organisation, 334 EU flagged fishing vessels have fished within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone since 1 January 2021. This can be broken down into the following:
Exclusive Economic Zone | Number of unique vessels |
England | 221 |
Northern Ireland | 5 |
Scotland | 89 |
Wales | 46 |
United Kingdom | 334 |
Data provided includes Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) equipped* (≥12 m) foreign flagged fishing vessels with VMS pings at fishing speeds** inside UK EEZ in 2021.
* excludes any vessels without VMS (
** fishing speeds defined as > 0 and ≤ 6 knots
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what quantities of each species of fish have been caught by vessels on the EU Vessels List in (a) Scottish waters, (b) English waters, (c) Welsh waters and (d) Northern Irish waters since 1 January 2021.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK does not currently have access to a comprehensive feed of all data covering volumes of fish caught in the UK Exclusive Economic Zone by EU registered fishing vessels. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides the framework for continued data exchange and we are currently engaged in ongoing technical conversations with the European Commission to rapidly establish a mechanism to allow sharing of this data moving forward.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what share Scotland will receive of the £100m funding for the UK fishing industry announced by the Prime Minister on 30 December 2020.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The PM confirmed during his press conference on Christmas Eve that UK fishing communities will be helped with a £100 million programme to modernise their fleets and the fish processing industry. This funding will directly benefit the seafood sector in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom.
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We will set out more detail on this programme in due course.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria will be applied to determine the allocation of the £100m funding for the UK fishing industry announced by the Prime Minister on 30 December 2020.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The PM confirmed during his press conference on Christmas Eve that UK fishing communities will be helped with a £100 million programme to modernise their fleets and the fish processing industry. This funding will directly benefit the seafood sector in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom.
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We will set out more detail on this programme in due course.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the additional costs to businesses from the requirement for heat treated wooden packaging materials and pallets when trading with the EU from 1 January 2021.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra has established a strong relationship with the wood packaging material industry, and we have worked closely to develop policies that will ensure our biosecurity is maintained and trade continues to flow with as little disruption as possible. As part of this, some businesses involved in the wood packaging material industry have shared, in confidence, estimates of the costs involved in treatment of wood packaging material. The need for ISPM15-compliant wood packaging material is, however, an international requirement for trade and is in place to protect trading nations, including the UK, from harmful plant pests and diseases.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals the Government has made to the EU on future pet travel arrangements to address the needs of assistance dog owners.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra has routinely highlighted to the EU Commission the impacts our listed status will have on users of assistance dogs. We are also proactively and positively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements to the EU after the end of the transition period. We will continue to closely work with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.
On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of giving the United Kingdom Part 2 listed status for the purposes of non-commercial pet travel after the transition period.
Part 2 listed status means similar health requirements to travel to the EU as now. However, new documentation will be required for pets and assistance dogs. We intend to publish further guidance shortly on what this development means for travellers, on GOV.UK.
We are disappointed not to become a Part 1 listed third country. We are clear we meet all the requirements for this and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity. Our disease risk will also not change after the transition period and so we will continue to press the EU Commission on securing Part 1 listed status.
There will be no changes to the current pet travel health requirements for entry into Great Britain and we will continue to accept EU pet passports.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to implement a grace period before implementation of new rules for pet travel (a) to and (b) from the EU.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of giving the United Kingdom Part 2 listed status for the purposes of non-commercial pet travel after the transition period. It will be for the EU to decide on any future grace period relating to the regulations governing pet travel.
This status will mean, from 1 January, similar health requirements to travel to the EU as now. However, new documentation will be required for pets and assistance dogs. We intend to publish further guidance shortly on what this development means for travellers, on GOV.UK.
We will continue to press the EU Commission on securing Part 1 listed status as we are clear we meet all the requirements for this, and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
There will be no changes to the current pet travel health requirements for entry into Great Britain and we will continue to accept EU pet passports.