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Written Question
Eels: Lough Neagh
Monday 23rd July 2018

Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)

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 Secretary of State is taking to protect the eel industry in Lough Weagh when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by George Eustice

We are exploring all options to ensure trade in the European Eel can be maintained. This includes compiling the scientific evidence that may be needed to ensure that trade in Lough Neagh eels is compatible with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species post EU exit.


Written Question
Livestock: Exports
Friday 4th November 2016

Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many live (a) sheep and (b) cattle have been exported from the UK to other European countries in 2016; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by George Eustice

(a) Live sheep exported from the UK to EU Member States from 1 January 2016 to 31 October 2016:

  • UK to Republic of Ireland 337,385

  • UK to EU (except Republic of Ireland) 48,039

  • Total to all EU Member States 385,424

(b) Live cattle exported from the UK to EU Member States from 1 January 2016 to 31 October 2016:

  • UK to Republic of Ireland 12,159

  • UK to EU (except Republic of Ireland) 21,702

  • Total to all EU Member States 33,861

These figures have been collated from the EU Commission’s Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) Data Warehouse and include trade to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries) who accept EU trade.

The figures include sheep and cattle exported for the purposes of breeding, production/fattening and slaughter.


Written Question
Bovine Tuberculosis: Northern Ireland
Thursday 15th September 2016

Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)

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 lessons to be learned from the policies undertaken by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland in relation to the control of the spread of Bovine TB in cattle; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by George Eustice

Animal health is a devolved policy matter. My department liaises closely with all three devolved administrations, including Northern Ireland, on matters of common interest. It is important that all four administrations can learn from our collective experiences and we have effective arrangements in place to make sure that happens.

In June 2015, the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office carried out an audit of the bovine tuberculosis eradication programme in Northern Ireland, a report of which is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/audits-analysis/audit_reports/details.cfm?rep_id=3560.


Written Question
Air Pollution
Tuesday 25th November 2014

Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)

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 reduce the amount of (a) chemicals and (b) toxic metal being sprayed into the atmosphere above the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Dan Rogerson

We are committed to improving air quality through reducing harmful emissions. We have reduced emissions to the atmosphere (including toxic metals) significantly over the last 20 years through a range of measures including implementation of European Legislation. These trends are reported in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory at: http://naei.defra.gov.uk/ and also reported in the annual report, Air Pollution in the UK at: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/annualreport/ .


Written Question
Air Pollution
Tuesday 25th November 2014

Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she made of the volumes of (a) chemicals and (b) toxic metals sprayed annually into the atmosphere above the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Dan Rogerson

The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory compiles estimates of emissions to the atmosphere from UK sources. It is updated annually and covers a range of sources and sectors. A full list of sources included in the inventory can be found here: http://naei.defra.gov.uk/data/data-selector?view=air-pollutants.


Written Question
Bovine Tuberculosis: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 10th September 2014

Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)

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 exchange scientific research with the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland on tackling bovine tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by George Eustice

Defra actively shares scientific information on bovine TB with the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland (DARDNI). Although Defra’s TB research budget does not cover Northern Ireland, DARDNI staff members regularly attend meetings of Defra’s TB Science Advisory Body sub-groups and Defra shares findings from its research with DARDNI including research on improving diagnostic tests for TB in badgers. The Chief Veterinary Officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and senior policy officials, also meet monthly to discuss all issues related to bovine tuberculosis, including research findings.