Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
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 help implement United Utilities' proposed North-South water pipeline alongside the currently proposed High Speed 2 route.
Answered by Rory Stewart
United Utilities did not approach the Department to discuss such a project during the preparations for its water resources management plan, 2015 – 2040, and did not include it in the final submission to the Secretary of State before publishing its final plan.
Defra and the Environment Agency are now working with all water companies to ensure that they consider the range of options for balancing future supply and demand in their next update to their plans to be published in 2019. This includes looking at bulk transfers between companies.
Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to lower the level of air pollution in the area of Oxford Street in London.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Mayor of London is responsible for air quality standards in London. He has set up a Low Emission Zone and has announced the introduction of an Ultra-Low Emission Zone Scheme to ensure that all vehicles driving in the centre of London will be zero or low emission by 2020. A plan to deliver cleaner taxis across London has also been announced to help support London taxi driver’s transition to zero emission capable taxis. Defra’s air quality grant scheme has awarded funding to support the Mayor’s Breathe Better Together public awareness campaign to encourage behaviour change and tackle air pollution. Defra awarded a separate grant to Westminster City Council for on-street electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The Government is currently consulting on plans for how towns and cities can reduce emissions, alongside a national framework that seeks to bring the UK into compliance with limits for nitrogen dioxide in a number of areas by 2020 and in London by 2025.
Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
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 European Commission on overturning the ban on the herbicide Asulam.
Answered by George Eustice
Despite UK opposition, asulam was withdrawn from the market at the end of 2012 following an EU review. Asulam is a valuable resource for land managers needing to control bracken. Therefore, in line with EU rules, limited and controlled use has been allowed to continue in the UK where alternative control measures would not be effective.
A new application for EU approval has been submitted and is currently being examined by the Health and Safety Executive. Their assessment will be completed later this year and will be peer reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which will issue its own conclusions. The European Commission will then decide whether to approve asulam for use. If approval is granted, Member States can consider applications to authorise products containing asulam.
The Government believes that decisions on the approval and authorisation of pesticides should be taken on the basis of a scientific assessment of risk. If the assessment shows that asulam can be used without unacceptable risk, this should be permitted.
Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will ensure that the Basic Payment Scheme is in operation by December 2015.
Answered by George Eustice
The Basic Payment Scheme came into effect from 1 January 2015 and the Rural Payments Agency has said it will be making full payments as early as possible in the payment window, which runs from December to June.
Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations her Department has made to the Council of the European Union on reforming the Common Agricultural Policy.
Answered by George Eustice
I welcome Commissioner Hogan’s commitments to simplifying the CAP and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has already set out her priorities to reduce red tape, in particular an immediate review of the Greening measures.
UK Ministers attend the monthly Council of European Agriculture Ministers, where we are committed to working with the European Commission and other Member States to secure the most ambitious action on CAP simplification. My officials are currently engaging with stakeholders across the UK on this agenda, and their views will be incorporated into my Department’s response to Commissioner Hogan later this month.
Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
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 provide financial assistance to the North Devon fishing community affected by the recent Appledore fishery closure; and if she will take steps to end the ray and skate quota in that area.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government has received strong representations from the Hon Member for Torridge and West Devon and asked the MMO to redouble its efforts to try to identify additional skates and rays quota through international swaps. While it has not proved possible to identify surplus quota, the fishery will re-open on 1 January. The Government will be resisting proposals for a cut in skate and ray quota in the Bristol channel at the December Fisheries Council to ensure that the Appledore Fishery maintains its fishing opportunities in 2015.
Asked by: Douglas Carswell (Independent - Clacton)
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 ensure that the Marine Maritime Organisation has sufficient resources accurately to measure fishing stocks.
Answered by George Eustice
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) continuously monitors the level of uptake of all quota stocks to ensure they are being managed effectively. This includes acting to close fisheries where data shows that quota is likely to be exhausted. The Government is confident that the MMO continues to be suitably resourced to fulfil this role.