Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's policy is on the use of neonicotinoids, when that policy was last updated; and what plans she has to revise that policy.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government’s policy on pesticides, including neonicotinoids, is that decisions should be made on the basis of scientific evidence. Restrictions should be put in place if, and only if, these are necessary to protect people or the environment.
EU restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids imposed in 2013 remain in force and have been fully implemented in the UK. The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority to review the risks to pollinators from neonicotinoids. This review is due to conclude in January 2017 and may lead to changes to the current restrictions.
Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has allocated to (a) capital investment in and (b) maintenance flood protection schemes in (i) Barnsley East constituency, (ii) Barnsley, (iii) South Yorkshire and (iv) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 2010.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The capital allocation for investment in flood schemes and revenue maintenance allocations for the Yorkshire RFCC area shown in the table below:
Funding in £000’s for the following financial years | |||||
2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | |
Capital investment in schemes | 28,800 |
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Revenue maintenance | 12,536 |
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Environment Agency records regarding historic spend are collated for the geographical area covered by the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) as a whole, which includes Barnsley.
Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of her Department's budget for (a) capital investment and (b) maintenance flood protection schemes in (i) Barnsley East constituency, (ii) Barnsley, (iii) South Yorkshire and (iv) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year to 2020.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The 6 year capital investment programme allows allocations to be identified at various geographical levels which are provided in the following table.
The maintenance allocation for the financial year 2016 to 2017 is due to be approved at the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) meeting on January 21st.
Funding £000’s for the following financial years | |||||||
Location | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | |
| Barnsley East | 266 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
Barnsley | 266 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | |
South Yorkshire | 7,540 | 5,460 | 3,142 | 9,215 | 10,104 | 2,487 | |
Yorkshire RFCC | 37,312 | 47,300 | 61,700 | 63,800 | 43,200 | 26,800 | |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 46,617 | 55,146 | 66,948 | 77,049 | 61,080 | 47,839 | |
Maintenance | Yorkshire RFCC | 15,063 | Yet to be agreed | ||||
Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
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 estimate the number of households affected by food insecurity in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) Yorkshire and the Humber.
Answered by George Eustice
Defra does not estimate numbers of households experiencing food insecurity. There is no single definition of food insecurity. The factors that impact on household food security are complex and include economic, social and environmental issues.
Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
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 support pollinators on farmland.
Answered by George Eustice
£900 million has been made available for the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, which includes a dedicated Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife package. This has been developed by Natural England working in close partnership with wildlife organisations, the farming community and national pollinator scientists. The package is based on the best available evidence and builds on lessons learned from predecessor agri-environment schemes.
The National Pollinator Strategy was launched in November 2014, setting out the Government’s commitment to playing a leading role in improving the status of the country’s 1,500 or so pollinating insect species, and contains specific actions to support pollinators on farmland, as well as towns, cities and the countryside. Countryside Stewardship will play a key role in supporting the Strategy.
Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department (a) has submitted and (b) plans to submit data to the European Food Safety Authority's investigation into the consequences of the European Commission's restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids.
Answered by George Eustice
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is not investigating the consequences of the European Commission restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids. The European Commission has undertaken to carry out a review of the scientific evidence on the effects of neonicotinoids on bees. This review has now started. EFSA has accepted a mandate from the Commission and has invited any party to submit relevant data by 30 September 2015. Companies have also provided further studies and are carrying out a large-scale field trial.
Once the data have been collected, EFSA will produce an assessment of the risks to bees from the use of neonicotinoids as seed treatments and granules. The Commission will then decide whether to propose changes to the current restrictions on neonicotinoids. The UK will contribute to this process and will be guided by the evidence. Completed Defra-funded research is already published and is therefore available to the review.
Asked by: Michael Dugher (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was spent by her Department on flood prevention in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley local authority area and (c) South Yorkshire in each year since 2010.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The table below shows Government spending for flood prevention work in the Barnsley East constituency, the Barnsley local authority area and across South Yorkshire. The figures for 2014/15 are based on the Environment Agency’s most recent forecast spend.
Spend (£k) | ||||||
2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | Total | |
Barnsley East Constituency - Total | 161 | 399 | 99 | 95 | 97 | 851 |
Barnsley Local Authority Area - Total | 280 | 480 | 326 | 321 | 162 | 1,569 |
South Yorkshire - Total | 3,152 | 4,659 | 4,162 | 8,770 | 4,852 | 25,595 |