Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes she plans to make to advice on her Department's website relating to (a) goods for which an origin is indicated on their labelling, (b) goods from Golan and (c) other goods in response to the European Commission's Interpretative Notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, published on 11 November 2015.
Answered by George Eustice
The Commission’s Notice recommends that goods imported into the EU which originate from Israeli settlements in the occupied territories should bear an indication which makes that provenance clear. That recommendation is already included in the current technical advice to UK retailers and importers concerning the labelling of agricultural produce from the West Bank which was issued by Defra in 2009. There is therefore no need for changes at this stage.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the England Coast Path on each area through which opened sections of that path pass.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Annex 4 of the impact assessment which was prepared for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 included a summary of the estimated social and economic benefits and costs of the coastal access provisions.
The impact assessment noted that the average annual benefits to people who would make use of the improved access would be £12.35m. This figure would increase over time and from year 20 onwards was estimated at £25.8m per year. The benefits would include the improved health and wellbeing that access to the natural environment would bring. The impact assessment also noted that there would be a benefit to the coastal economy from increased spending in coastal areas where additional visitors were attracted to the area. The assessment suggested that the uplift from increased spending would be on average £6 – £9 per day visitor and £35 – £45 per overnight visitor.
A copy of the impact assessment is available on the National Archive website.
As the right of coastal access is implemented throughout England, Natural England will collect and evaluate national and local information about the social and economic benefits of new and improved access.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the target date is for completion of the England Coast Path.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The coastal access programme has so far opened up 101 miles of our beautiful coastline for everyone to enjoy, boosting local tourism and growing the rural economy.
The Government is working closely with Natural England to build on the progress already made, with the aim of completing the coastal path around England by 2020. We have approved Natural England’s coastal access proposals for a further 176 miles. By the end of this financial year we expect Natural England to have submitted proposals for another 349 miles and also to be working on proposals for an additional 986 miles.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
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 she has had with animal welfare groups on the mandatory use of CCTV in slaughterhouses.
Answered by George Eustice
On 3/2/15, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) published a report entitled “Opinion on CCTV in slaughterhouses”. I have had discussions with a number of animal welfare groups on the topic.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of UK slaughterhouses were inspected in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
All approved slaughterhouses are inspected every day they operate. Slaughterhouses are also audited a minimum of once every 12 months, with a greater frequency of audits where deficiencies have been identified during previous audits.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the opinion of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee on CCTV in slaughterhouses, published in February 2015.
Answered by George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the Rt. Hon. Member for Knowsley, George Howarth on 24 June 2015, PQs UIN 2944 and 2945.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to increase the use of CCTV in slaughterhouses; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the Rt. Hon. Member for Knowsley, George Howarth on 24 June 2015, PQs UIN 2944 and 2945.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effect in terms of loss of amenities on surrounding properties where an Environmental Stewardship Scheme is in operation.
Answered by George Eustice
Land management activities undertaken as part of an Environmental Stewardship agreement are confined to the land under agreement. No such assessment has been made, and Defra is not aware of any such reports of loss of amenity on any surrounding properties where an Environmental Stewardship agreement is in operation.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the Environment Stewardship scheme on promoting nature and wildlife.
Answered by George Eustice
In 2013 Natural England prepared and published an evidence synthesis paper called Evidence for New Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS) Design, which is available on the national archives section of Gov.uk. This paper references a range of reports, including those which have assessed the impact of the Environmental Stewardship Scheme on promoting nature and wildlife.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consultations Natural England is required to conduct before accepting an application for an Environmental Stewardship Scheme.
Answered by George Eustice
The Environmental Stewardship Scheme closed to new applicants in 2014. Natural England worked closely with statutory and non-statutory interested parties when negotiating agreement offers. The Environmental Stewardship scheme handbooks explained to applicants their responsibilities regarding negotiating and obtaining consents.