Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
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 help make food and drink packaging more accessible to people with sight loss.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. It is already a requirement that food information must be easily visible and clearly legible. Information shall not in any way be obscured and depending on the package size, there is a minimum font size.
That said, we welcome work by industry, especially companies developing new digital technologies with the potential to provide the means for people with visual impairment to access food information. As part of the upcoming Food Strategy White Paper, we will look at optimising food information, including labelling, so all consumers, are better able to make informed choices.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has carried out an assessment of the economic costs of the illegal puppy smuggling industry in the UK; and what assessment he has made of the potential economic merits of the proposals made in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill in relation to tackling the puppy smuggling industry.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
In August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on our proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain.
We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a summary in due course. This will allow us to take on board the views of the public and interested groups in order to shape our future policy.
We will develop an economic impact assessment for these proposals once finalised.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has any plans to limit bottom trawling in marine protected waters.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The UK is at the forefront of marine protection with 372 protecting 38% of UK waters. Management measures now protect sensitive features from bottom towed fishing gears in 98 of English inshore MPAs. We are also developing an ambitious three-year programme for assessing sites and implementing appropriate byelaws to manage fishing activity in all English offshore MPAs.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will publish an impact assessment for offshore wind farms on British fishing fleets.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Marine licensing decisions and Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation and management are devolved matters. The information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government is committed to a sustainable and thriving fishing sector, to delivering 40 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, and to ensuring healthy and productive seas. To help deliver on these commitments Defra is leading a cross-Government programme of work to consider Marine Spatial Prioritisation. The overarching goal of the programme is to optimise the use of our seas, balancing the needs of sea users and protection of the marine environment. As part of this, projects are underway to consider the cumulative impacts of marine developments on fisheries and to identify opportunities for co-location.
In order for developments to be consented their impacts on other sea users, including fishermen, have to be considered. The impacts on the fishing industry of MPAs are assessed when new sites are designated and when byelaws regulating those areas are developed. MPA can have benefits for fisheries and their sustainability. Increases in abundance and density of fish stocks arise from better protected, healthier environments. Studies show that uplifts in stock can spill over into adjacent areas that allow fishing, benefitting commercial and recreational sectors.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made of an assessment of the impact of (a) offshore wind farms, (b) underwater cabling and (c) marine protected waters on British fishing fleets.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Marine licensing decisions and Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation and management are devolved matters. The information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government is committed to a sustainable and thriving fishing sector, to delivering 40 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, and to ensuring healthy and productive seas. To help deliver on these commitments Defra is leading a cross-Government programme of work to consider Marine Spatial Prioritisation. The overarching goal of the programme is to optimise the use of our seas, balancing the needs of sea users and protection of the marine environment. As part of this, projects are underway to consider the cumulative impacts of marine developments on fisheries and to identify opportunities for co-location.
In order for developments to be consented their impacts on other sea users, including fishermen, have to be considered. The impacts on the fishing industry of MPAs are assessed when new sites are designated and when byelaws regulating those areas are developed. MPA can have benefits for fisheries and their sustainability. Increases in abundance and density of fish stocks arise from better protected, healthier environments. Studies show that uplifts in stock can spill over into adjacent areas that allow fishing, benefitting commercial and recreational sectors.