Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 publish the number of farmers in (i) Shropshire and (ii) Telford & Wrekin who (a) applied for funding in the Sustainable Farming Incentive second application window and (b) were unsuccessful with their application.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Rural Payments Agency received 365 applications from farm businesses in Shropshire and 19 from Telford and Wrekin during SFI26 Window 2. At the point the window closed, a further 131 applications in Shropshire had been started but not submitted, with none in Telford and Wrekin.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 meet with Severn Trent Water to discuss expanding rainwater management systems across the public sector estate in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin so rainwater can be recycled for maintenance and irrigation of grounds and amenities owned by public sector bodies.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government recognises the benefits of water reuse and recycling and welcomes further engagement with Severn Trent on expanding rainwater management systems.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 help replace aluminium and PVC medical blister packs with recyclable polypropylene blister packs.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging is designed to incentivise producers to use packaging that is easier to recycle, including through fee modulation from year two of the scheme.
All medical packaging, including blister packs, must be assessed under the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM), and may incur higher fees if it is less recyclable. However, some medical packaging is subject to regulatory requirements which may limit the use of more recyclable alternatives. Where medical packaging is assessed as ‘red-rated’ according to the RAM, solely because of such regulatory requirements, it may be reported as ‘amber-medical’ for fee modulation purposes.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 the use of petrol leaf blowers in public spaces on (a) noise pollution and (b) air quality.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for the legislation covering noise from outdoor equipment which is governed by the Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001 as amended by the Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment) Regulation 2024.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of water consumption by data storage centres on (a) consumer and (b) agricultural water supplies.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Datacentre water consumption varies considerably based on their size and cooling method. There is currently no requirement for data centres to report on their water consumption, so an accurate assessment of their impact on water supplies to consumers and agriculture is difficult. We are working with datacentres and their trade associations to understand their impact and identify opportunities to improve reporting and water efficiencies in their design.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require imports of (a) meat, (b) dairy and (c) eggs to meet the same animal welfare standards as the UK.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. Unfortunately, it inherited trade deals signed by the Conservative government that created unfair disadvantages for British farmers. British farming has been let down by 14 years of Tory decline with 14,000 farming businesses closing under Conservative governments.
This Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce rates of self-harm by people who work in (a) farming and (b) other agricultural industries.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra has set up a dedicated team to look at the particular set of issues driving poor mental health outcomes in the farming and agricultural sector. We will be working in consultation with communities, farming support organisations and experts across the Government to review how we can best support those experiencing poor mental health.
Furthermore, the Government is building a national network of Young Futures hubs, which will be present in every community and will deliver support for young people facing mental health challenges.
Finally, the Government is giving mental health the same attention and focus as physical health through measures such as employing 8,500 new mental health support workers. This will reduce delays and provide faster treatment closer to people’s homes.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase biosecurity against alien species located on imported (a) cut flowers and (b) ornamental plants.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) introduced a new risk-based approach to border controls. Goods have been categorised into the risk groups ‘High, medium and low’ and controls have been appropriately weighted against the risk.
Certain EU medium-risk cut flowers have been subject to pre-notification since 1st January 2022. EU medium-risk cut flowers have required a Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) since 31 January 2024, but there are now inspections for EU medium-risk goods at the border since 30 April 2024. EU plants for planting, including those used for ornamental purposes, are already classified as high-risk goods, and subject to a pre-notification, a PC and inspections at Border Control Post or Control Points.
In relation to risks from invasive non-native species (INNS) more generally, in Great Britain horizon scanning is carried out by UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology every 5 years using expert judgement to identify species likely to arrive, become established and have an impact in the near future.
To reduce and prevent the introduction and establishment of INNS we have prioritised horticulture as one of the top 5 pathways of introduction. We have developed a Horticulture Pathway Action Plan (PAP), available here: https://www.nonnativespecies.org/biosecurity/pathway-action-plans/horticulture-pap-for-great-britain/ which aims to address the most likely routes by which INNS can get into the country.
There are clearly continued issues with its execution in the field and the new Government will work with stakeholders and business to improve them.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the illegal use of rat poison to kill birds of prey.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Where birds of prey are killed by illegal use of rat poison, the full force of the law should apply to proven perpetrators of the crime. We have significant sanctions in place including an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence.
Bird of prey crime has been identified as a national wildlife crime priority. Defra supports the work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by, for example, directly assisting law enforcers.
Defra also provides funding for England’s Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme which determines the underlying cause of death in birds of prey where illegal use of pesticides or rodenticides/rat poison is suspected.
The Health and Safety Executive has responsibility for the GB Biocidal Products Regulation which covers rodenticides. Given the potential risks posed to the environment by rodenticides, they are subject to strict regulation. To ensure risks associated with professional use of anticoagulant rodenticides could be properly managed, a stewardship regime was developed by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK to promote responsible use. This is currently under review. As of July 2024, it is no longer possible to purchase anticoagulant rodenticides for use outdoors in open areas.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of Blue Tongue virus livestock cases in Shropshire.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case this season was detected on 26 August, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the east coast and some inland areas in England.
The movement of susceptible animals from the RZ to live elsewhere in England requires a specific licence and is subject to free pre-movement and post-movement testing. This helps to prevent the possible establishment of new pockets of disease from undetected spread via animal movements.
BTV-3 was confirmed on a single farm in Shropshire on 3 October, following the high-risk movement of cattle from the RZ.
Infected animals in cases found in free areas outside the restricted zone that moved before the RZ was declared, have also been humanely culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission.
Defra has permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3. These vaccines are now available for vets to prescribe in England.