Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many CL50 licenses were issued by Natural England in 2023.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Here are the number of class licence registrations issued during 2023:
CL50: 34 licences issued
CL51: 52 licences issued
CL52: 30 licences issued
Total: 116 class licence registrations issued in 2023
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many CL52 licenses were issued by Natural England in 2023.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Here are the number of class licence registrations issued during 2023:
CL50: 34 licences issued
CL51: 52 licences issued
CL52: 30 licences issued
Total: 116 class licence registrations issued in 2023
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications his Department has received for certificates of exemption to keep an XL Bully dog in (a) Solihull constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Mark Spencer
Since opening the scheme to apply for a certificate of exemption to keep an XL Bully Dog in November 2023, Defra has received 21277 applications from dog owners in England and Wales as of the 8th January 2024. These applications are still being processed and may include duplicates, errors or ineligible applications. Defra does not collate this data by constituency. Therefore, we are unable to provide the number of applications received from Solihull.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of recent outbreaks of epizootic haemorrhagic disease in Europe.
Answered by Mark Spencer
Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is a midge-borne emerging disease in Europe. The UK has never had an outbreak of EHD which most acutely affects deer, but ruminants and camelids are also susceptible. With the recent movement of EHD across mainland Europe, we have stepped up our surveillance and import controls. Countries with co-existing outbreaks of bluetongue and EHD cannot export live animals to the UK and additional guarantees regarding testing are required for imports of germplasm (semen, ova, embryos) from EHD affected countries.
We are working with industry stakeholders to raise awareness of EHD, encouraging increased vigilance, responsible sourcing of live animals and germplasm, and stressing the importance of early reporting.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has issued in compensation to people who have given up their XL Bully dog to be euthanised in (a) Solihull constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Mark Spencer
Defra has issued £12,200 in compensation for the euthanasia of XL Bully Dogs in England and Wales as of the 8th January 2024. Defra does not collate this data by constituency. Therefore, we are unable to provide the number of applications received from Solihull.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many environmental permits were issued by the Environment Agency for the purposes of carrying out work (a) in and (b) by (i) a main river, (ii) flood defence structures, (iii) sea defence and (iv) flood plains in each year since 2015.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency does not differentiate permits by the breakdown requested but keeps a record of all permits issued. The following number of flood risk activity permits have been issued per year since 2016.
In 2015 the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations did not include permits for activities taking place in or near main rivers, flood defences or within the flood plain. This was under the Water Resources Act 1991 and Regional Byelaws and issued as consents.
Year | Number of Flood Risk Activity Permits |
2016 | 1237 |
2017 | 1437 |
2018 | 1495 |
2019 | 1275 |
2020 | 1101 |
2021 | 1249 |
2022 | 1388 |
2023 | 1185 |
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Northumberland National Park Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Peak District National Park Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Office for Environmental Protection spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.