Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a flooding impact assessment has been made for areas on the southern side of the Severn Estuary following the development of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
This is a devolved matter for the Welsh Government.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 17 January 2017 to Question 60831, what the country of origin was of each trophy for which an import application was received; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Records show that two of the hunting trophy export applications originate in Tanzania, and 15 originate from South Africa.Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 17 January 2017 to Question 59331, how many applications for import permits relating to hunting trophies were (a) received, (b) approved and (c) refused by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
There has only been a requirement for Lion (Panthera leo) hunting trophies to have import permits since the beginning of 2015.
APHA act as the Management Authority for CITES. JNCC act as our scientific advisors on the matter of CITES applications.
Data for calendar year 2015 :
Number of applications received: 11
Number of applications approved: 11
Total refused = 0
Data for calendar year 2016
Number of applications received: 6
Number of applications approved: 6
Total refused = 0
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 27 June 2016 to Question 40644, what recent assessment she has made of improvements in the way lion hunting takes place; what criteria are used to measure such improvements; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Defra is continuing to look carefully at the issue of lion hunting and trophy imports.
At the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in September 2016, which I attended, Parties agreed to remove a loophole allowing hunting trophies to be transported as personal effects. Parties also agreed clear criteria which the exporting country should consider when assessing that the hunt was both legal and sustainable before issuing an export permit.
In the case of lions, the UK has to then confirm that we agree with this assessment and issue a corresponding import permit before any import can take place. As part of this process, the UK’s scientific advisors for fauna, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, considers whether the import would be harmful to the conservation of the species or the extent of its range, taking into account available scientific evidence. An import permit is only issued if the trade is not considered to be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 need for offshore patrol vessels capable of patrolling the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone once the UK leaves the EU; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The Royal Navy provides up to three vessels for the purposes of fisheries control, including the enforcement of EU fishing quotas in the offshore waters of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Fisheries control in the waters off Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Cefas has one vessel which undertakes scientific research in offshore waters, including the monitoring of fish stocks.
Work is also being conducted to scope the utility of using other vessels, such as those owned and operated by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities, for offshore monitoring.
Operating outside the Common Fisheries Policy will give us the opportunity to establish a new fisheries regime that better meets the UK’s needs. We are reviewing all aspects of fisheries management, including the future requirements for patrol vessels, and will work with stakeholders, Devolved Administrations and other Government Departments to agree the most effective way to achieve this.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to increase the number of offshore patrol vessels to monitor fish stocks; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The Royal Navy provides up to three vessels for the purposes of fisheries control, including the enforcement of EU fishing quotas in the offshore waters of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Fisheries control in the waters off Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Cefas has one vessel which undertakes scientific research in offshore waters, including the monitoring of fish stocks.
Work is also being conducted to scope the utility of using other vessels, such as those owned and operated by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities, for offshore monitoring.
Operating outside the Common Fisheries Policy will give us the opportunity to establish a new fisheries regime that better meets the UK’s needs. We are reviewing all aspects of fisheries management, including the future requirements for patrol vessels, and will work with stakeholders, Devolved Administrations and other Government Departments to agree the most effective way to achieve this.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many offshore patrol vessels the UK has at its disposal to monitor fish stocks, and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The Royal Navy provides up to three vessels for the purposes of fisheries control, including the enforcement of EU fishing quotas in the offshore waters of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Fisheries control in the waters off Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Cefas has one vessel which undertakes scientific research in offshore waters, including the monitoring of fish stocks.
Work is also being conducted to scope the utility of using other vessels, such as those owned and operated by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities, for offshore monitoring.
Operating outside the Common Fisheries Policy will give us the opportunity to establish a new fisheries regime that better meets the UK’s needs. We are reviewing all aspects of fisheries management, including the future requirements for patrol vessels, and will work with stakeholders, Devolved Administrations and other Government Departments to agree the most effective way to achieve this.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the consultation on bans of sales of items containing ivory dated between 1947 and the present day will start; how long people will be given to respond to that consultation; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Government will consult on the ban on sales of items containing ivory dated between 1947 and the present day early next year as a first step in meeting the manifesto commitment to press for a total ban on ivory sales. Details of the consultation duration will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of 18 October 2016, Official Report, 299WH, in which areas her Department has increased spending in the last six years; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The attached table sets out departmental spending by area from 2010/11 to 2015/16.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 oral contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, of 18 October 2016, Official Report, column 300WH, on environmental protection, for what reasons judgments can be made by (a) judicial review, (b) the European Court of Justice and (c) the European Commission; what the scope is of such judgments; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
(a) Judicial review is the process by which the Court supervises the lawfulness of the actions and decisions of inferior courts and tribunals, public bodies and individuals who carry out public duties and functions. Judgments can be given on grounds including illegality, irrationality or unreasonableness, fettering discretion, unlawful delegation, procedural fairness, legitimate expectation and breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
(b) The Court of Justice of the European Union examines the legality of EU measures and provides for the uniform interpretation and application of EU law. Judgments may be given in infraction proceedings, direct actions against EU institutions or Member States, preliminary references from national courts or requests for opinions.
(c) The European Commission does not give judgments. But it is given the power under the Treaties to bring infraction proceedings against a Member State where the Commission considers that the Member State has failed to fulfil an obligation under the Treaties.