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 he will publish an action plan to prevent divestment out of pig farming by farmers in England.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
We continue to monitor the evolving situation and to work closely with the pig industry to help them respond to challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of exports to the Chinese market for certain pig processors, disruption to CO2 supplies, and a temporary shortage of labour in the processing sector.
We have provided a package of measures to help address these unique circumstances, which includes temporary work visas for up to 800 pork butchers, and Private Storage Aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment schemes to facilitate an increase in the throughput of pigs through abattoirs. Together with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and other Government Departments, we are working to both expand existing markets and to identify new export markets for pork, particularly lightly processed pork. We are also working with industry to support their efforts on the recruitment and retention of domestic workers.
On 10 February, I chaired a roundtable with pig industry representatives and retailers from across the UK to discuss the challenges that the sector has been facing in recent months. At the roundtable I announced that we will be launching a UK-wide review of supply chain fairness in the pig sector. We will be engaging with industry on this with a consultation expected later this year. We want to elicit industry views on improvements to fairness and transparency that could be made to ensure a profitable and productive future. Following the Roundtable I met with representatives of the agricultural banking sector. The banks confirmed that they are already being as flexible as possible to support pig farmers during this exceptionally challenging period and remain keen to be supportive.
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 protect the pig industry from the affects of increases in feed prices.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Domestic feed prices are strongly influenced by global markets for feed cereals and soyabeans. These are currently trading at historically high prices due to tight global supplies. I recognise the impact that this is having on the UK agricultural industry including the pig sector. We continue to monitor the situation and are working closely with the pig sector on this issue and the other challenges they continue to face at the present time.
I recently met with representatives of the agricultural banking sector to discuss the current situation in the pig sector. The banks confirmed that they are working closely with impacted pig farmers during this exceptionally challenging period and remain keen to be supportive. They are encouraging any farmers, especially those who might normally be reluctant to speak to their bank, to contact 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 plans he has to support steps being taken by the UK wine-making sector to become resilient against climate change.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Adapting to current and predicted changes to our climate is vital across the economy. Through our statutory framework under the Climate Change Act 2008, Defra works across government to promote climate adaptation and the nation’s resilience to a changing climate. The Act requires us to prepare, on a five-yearly cycle, a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), followed by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP), setting out actions to address the risks identified in the CCRA. To inform our third adaptation cycle, on 16 June the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a new UK Climate Risk Independent Assessment (CRIA). It offers a detailed and up to date insight into the growing risks and opportunities to the UK from climate change and includes a technical chapter on the natural environment and natural resources, including coverage of opportunities for new crops and viniculture. It will inform our third UK CCRA, due for publication in January 2022.
The wine sector is excellent example of how our agriculture sector is already adapting to meet the demands of climate change and through this helping to build resilience in our rural landscapes and economies. One indication of this is the willingness of some famous champagne houses to invest in UK vineyards.
We work closely with the £18.7 million Strategic Priority Fund (SPF) UK Climate Resilience Programme, supported by UK Research & Innovation and the Met Office. This programme includes a project looking specifically at the risks and opportunities associated with climate change in the UK wine sector. A link to the project can be found here: crews-uk-characterising-and-adapting-to-climate-risks-in-the-uk-wine-sector-climate-resilience-in-the-uk-wine-sector/
A recent report produced by the South Downs National Park Authority indicates that 0.4% of land is currently dedicated to viticulture in the South Downs but that up to as much as 34% could be suitable for growing vines. This demonstrates significant scope to increase grape production both in the south and further north in the UK.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change remain one of this Government’s key objectives.
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 new funding is available to farmers in England to help them to introduce crime prevention measures to help reduce rural crime.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Defra’s new Farming Investment Fund is intended to help farmers improve their business performance rather than support crime prevention measures. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund will provide smaller grants grant to allow farmers to buy items from a set list of equipment and technology. The Farming Transformation Fund will support larger or more complicated investments. Defra will publish full eligibility guidance in the coming months.
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 discussions he has had with West Mercia Police and Crime and Commissioner on steps to reduce (a) vehicle theft, (b) livestock theft and (c) other rural crime.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
My Rt Hon. Friend the Environment Secretary has not recently met the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner.
We recognise that there can be particular challenges in responding to rural crime. In particular, we are aware that dog attacks on livestock are a serious and growing concern to rural communities, police forces and farmers. To address this, we recently set out in “Our Action Plan for Animal Welfare”, published on 12 May, that we will legislate to ensure that new powers are available to the police so they can respond to the most serious incidents of livestock worrying.
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 plans he has to expand community garden kitchens in urban areas to increase food sustainability.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Defra has committed in the 25 Year Environment Plan to introduce stronger new standards for green infrastructure and to support local authorities to assess local provision against these new standards. This includes greenspace such as community gardens. The Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards will help all local authorities, developers and communities to improve provision in their area.
Later this year, the Government will produce a Food Strategy White Paper. This will support the development of a food system that is sustainable, resilient and affordable, and provide a response to Henry Dimbleby’s independent review of the food system, which is due to be published this summer.