Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on banning the use of antibiotics in healthy farm animals.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues.
The Government takes a ‘One Health’ approach to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as set out in the UK National Action Plan on AMR. Officials from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate meet regularly to consider appropriate actions to address AMR across the human and animal health sectors. This has included discussion on the use of antibiotics to prevent disease in farm animals.
Defra is a co-signatory with DHSC of the UK's AMR five-year National Action Plan (2019-2024) and the UK's 20-year Vision to Contain and Control AMR by 2040. Defra leads on the animal, plant and environment elements of the National Action Plan. A key ambition of these strategies is the appropriate use of antibiotics in humans and animals so that they continue to be an effective tool to treat infections when needed. The Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals while safeguarding animal welfare. It has been our position for many years that we do not support the routine or predictable use of antibiotics, including where antibiotics are used to compensate for inadequate farming practices.
To date in the UK, collaborative working between the Government, the veterinary profession and the agriculture sectors to focus on these issues has resulted in our national sales of veterinary antibiotics reducing by 55% since 2014, and in 2021 we recorded the lowest antibiotic use to date. The UK is one of the lowest users of veterinary antibiotics across Europe, with only seven other European countries having sold fewer antibiotics in 2021 (Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia). Changes to the law on veterinary medicines represent one tool which can be used to help effect reductions in antibiotic prescribing in animals. The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 are currently under review, and the feedback from the recently closed consultation public consultation will be analysed and considered.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of bottom-trawling in marine protected areas on the 30by30 initiative.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The 30by30 target, Target 3 of the Convention on Biological Diversity Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, is a global target to protect 30% of the global ocean and of land by 2030. Nearly 8.3% of the global ocean is now protected. Achieving a global 30by30 target will require an international effort, from all countries and sectors and the UK is leading the way. In England, we have established a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) covering 40% of our waters, and we are now focusing on making sure they are properly protected.
Marine regulators make evidence-based, site by site assessments on the fishing activities that could prevent MPAs from achieving their conservation objectives. Nearly 60% of the 178 English MPAs are already protected from damaging fishing activity. This includes byelaws made last year, which ban bottom towed gear over sensitive features in the first four offshore sites. The Marine Management Organisation consulted earlier this year on similar proposals for a further 13 sites. We are aiming to have all MPAs in English waters protected from damaging fishing activity by 2024.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has she made of the impact of bottom-trawling on (a) carbon in the seabed and (b) the release of greenhouse gases.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The overall impact of trawling on carbon dioxide release remains uncertain. Defra is actively progressing the evidence base to better understand the resilience and recovery of seabed biodiversity and carbon stores in sediments, in response to human pressures and management interventions.
Defra work with a number of experts on climate change, including the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), to understand the impacts of trawling on the seabed and whether carbon disturbance at the seabed leads to greenhouse gas emissions. We plan to release more research outputs relating to seabed carbon, as work continues to progress in this area, helping to develop a stronger understanding of the impacts of bottom-trawling.
The UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership's Evidence Needs Statement, which Defra contributed to as a partner, was published on World Ocean Day (8th June 2023). It signalled the need for the Blue Carbon community to further the evidence base on the potential impacts of seabed disturbance on carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions (UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership - Evidence Needs Statement (cefas.co.uk)).
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 impact of over-grazing on (a) biodiversity and (b) flood management.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through the Environment Act 2021 we have set a world-leading, legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. To deliver these targets we will need large-scale habitat restoration and creation and we will also tackle pressures on biodiversity such as inappropriate grazing (which includes both overgrazing and undergrazing). The Biodiversity Targets Detailed Evidence Report assessed grazing as a pressure on natural and semi-natural habitats.
The Environment Agency is currently reviewing and updating the Working with Natural Processes (WWNP) Evidence Directory. This will include key findings from the Natural Environment Research Council natural flood management (NFM) research programme and learning from the EA’s £15 million NFM pilots programme. This is due to be completed by December 2023. The WWNP Evidence Directory explains the effectiveness of a range of different measures from a flood risk and ecosystem services perspective. Findings in the Directory include how reducing practices such as the intensity of livestock grazing, can lead to less surface run-off and more infiltration. Over-grazing can reduce or remove vegetation, reducing surface roughness which negatively impacts upon the slowing of overland water flows. It can also increase soil compaction reducing infiltration. Both of these can contribute to increased flood risk.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2023 to Question 184913 on Government Departments: Aviation, what the baseline data is for the emissions from domestic business flights in 2017-18; and what the is source for that data.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The baseline data for emissions from domestic flights in the 2017 to 2018 financial year will be published in the Greening Government Commitments (GGCs) annual report for 2021 to 2022, which we will publish this year. 2021-25 targets are set against a new baseline year of 2017 to 2018, which more accurately reflects the current government estate and ensures we build on the considerable progress already achieved. The GGCs reporting requirements sets out the process for baseline setting.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 estimate with Cabinet colleagues of the number of single use plastic items that were used on the central government office estate in each financial year since 2018-19.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Greening Government Commitments 2021 to 2025 framework committed departments to eliminating consumer single use plastics (CSUPs) from the central government office estate by 2025. Prior to this, we do not hold any figures and are not able to estimate.
Figures for the 2021 to 2022 financial year onwards will be published in the Greening Government Commitments annual reports, the first of which is due in 2023.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s Greening Government Commitments 2020 to 2021 annual report, published 27 April 2023, whether she has made a comparative assessment of the adequacy of the proportion of (a) her Department’s and (b) other Department’s waste that is recycled.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Greening Government Commitments (GGCs) 2020 to 2021 annual report includes data on how much each department recycles. This report was part of the GGCs 2016 to 2020 framework which included a target to increase the proportion of waste recycled for each department.
The GGCs 2021 to 2025 framework includes a target to increase the proportion of waste recycled to at least 70% of overall waste.
With the exception of greenhouse gas emissions, the GGCs targets are aggregate central government targets and not bespoke minimum performance targets for individual departments. This is to allow flexibility for departments to make appropriate improvements to their estates and operations. Recognising that departments and their arms-length bodies carry out a wide variety of functions.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled Greening Government Commitments 2021 to 2025, published on 15 December 2022, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) reuse options in the recycling target, or (b) a separate reuse target in section B: Minimising waste and promoting resource efficiency.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
In the Greening Government Commitments 2021 to 2025 framework, government asked departments to report on the introduction and implementation of reuse schemes for the first time. This will allow us to see how they are being implemented across government and how they fit into the waste landscape.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 18 of her Department’s Greening Government Commitments Annual Report April 2020 to March 2021, published April 2023, what steps her Department is taking to decrease the proportion of its waste that goes to landfill.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra sends around 18.5% of its waste to landfill. A large proportion of this is end-of-life timber from our forestry and national park land holdings (such as gates and fences). This timber is chemically treated, which vastly extends its life but means it can only be landfilled or incinerated. We are working with the affected bodies to move the waste treatment of these items up the waste hierarchy away from landfill.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 her Department’s waste is (a) reused and (b) incinerated.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
0.47% of our department’s waste is reused and 33.4% is incinerated, which includes contaminated waste from our laboratories.