Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of alternatives to peat-based soils for the professional horticulture sector.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is supporting the transition to peat-free horticulture, through research & development, and the removal of regulatory barriers. Officials are also exploring how to deliver financial support to the sector to help with the capital costs of new machinery or infrastructure.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
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 officials in his Department have had with representatives of the professional horticulture sector on plans to ban the sale of horticultural peat.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers and officials have met with the Horticulture Trades Association (HTA) and Royal Horticultural Society in recent months. Further engagement between officials and a range of stakeholders is planned for this month.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what peat-free working exemptions will be in place in the professional horticulture sector from 2026.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Our proposals for time limited technical exemptions were set out in the Defra Media blog on 24 March 2023. We also propose a conservation exemption which will not be time limited. Officials are in ongoing discussions with stakeholders about what other possible technical exemptions may be required.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the average cost to farmers of switching agricultural machinery from using existing plant plugs to non-peat alternatives.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Officials are currently updating our economic Impact Assessment which examines the cost differences in moving away from peat. This includes inputs such as water and fertiliser as well as the capital costs of altering machinery.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the potential cost of the proposed ban on the use of peat by 2030 on the professional horticulture sector.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Officials are currently updating our economic Impact Assessment which examines the cost differences in moving away from peat. This includes inputs such as water and fertiliser as well as the capital costs of altering machinery.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of (a) water and (b) fertiliser usage for (i) peat and (ii) coir in the growing of plants.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Officials are currently updating our economic Impact Assessment which examines the cost differences in moving away from peat. This includes inputs such as water and fertiliser as well as the capital costs of altering machinery.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) British Sugar and (b) the National Farmers Union on the 2024/25 sugar beet price negotiations.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has had discussion with all parties. The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers and their vital contribution to UK sugar production. We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain, with risk and reward being properly shared. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market.
There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties, with Government only acting as final arbitrator at the end of the process should no agreement be reached. It is very important that all parties involved now continue to follow that process and reach a mutually acceptable outcome.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
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 potential merits of extending the length of water abstraction licences to incentivise investment in winter reservoir storage.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency is legally required to include a time limit on all new abstraction licences and permanent licence variations.
When the Environment Agency grants a licence for the first time, the licence duration is usually between 6 and 18 years. On renewal, the normal duration will be 12 years. In exceptional cases licences may be issued with a longer time limit if the applicant meets four government tests. Further information can be found in the guidance note WR253 Long duration water abstraction licences on gov.uk.
The Environment Agency would consider a long duration licence for a winter storage reservoir providing the applicant can meet the four tests.
We are working to move the water resources licensing regime into the Environmental Permitting Regulations. We consulted on the move in Autumn 2021 and are considering the responses. The consultation included proposals to remove the requirement on the Environment Agency to issue abstraction permits with a time limit.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the performance of (a) inshore fisheries and (b) conservation authorities.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra published an independent ‘Evaluation of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities’ in 2021 as part of an ongoing evaluation programme which includes the production of Conduct and Operations Reports. Work is currently underway to gather feedback for the third Report covering 2018 to 2022. We expect to lay the Report in Parliament and publish in spring 2024.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of restrictions on the import of forage maize seed treated with (a) Kori bird deterrent, (b) Redigo M fungicide and (c) Force insecticide on levels of maize production in the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
From 1 January 2024, treated seeds can only be used if they are treated with Plant Protection Products authorised in GB. After we left the EU, transitional arrangements were put in place so that seeds treated with products authorised for use in the EU but not GB could continue to be imported, marketed and used. These arrangements come to an end on 31 December 2023. Industry has had the opportunity over the last three years to apply for the relevant GB authorisations, and the Health and Safety Executive has highlighted the actions that they need to take.