Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the number of invasive insect species in the UK as a result of the removal of compulsory tick treatment for pets at UK border; and whether there are any plans to reintroduce the tick treatment policy.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We do not hold the data requested for the number of invasive insect species in the UK as a result of the removal of compulsory tick treatment for pets at the UK border.
Tick surveillance has shown that tick distribution and abundance is changing throughout the UK for many reasons, including habitat and climate change. Small numbers of localised infestations with non-native tick species have been reported in recent years, and imported rescue dogs have been demonstrated to be a higher risk for carrying ticks or being infected with tick-borne diseases. For these reasons, Defra strongly encourages pet owners to treat their pets to safeguard their animals against ticks and tick transmitted diseases when travelling abroad. Further advice can be obtained from their local vet, and via the Public Health England (PHE) leaflet available on GOV.UK.
Whilst Defra has no immediate plans to amend the tick controls for pet animals entering the United Kingdom, we remain concerned about the threat of ticks and tick-borne disease. As such, a risk assessment is being planned to guide future policy and Defra continues to monitor the disease situation through the Tick Surveillance Scheme.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which provider supplies energy to her Department; how much CO2 was emitted through her Department’s energy consumption in the latest period for which figures are available; whether the criteria her Department uses to select an energy supplier includes how environmentally friendly the supplier is; and what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce CO2 emissions from its energy use.
Answered by George Eustice
The Defra Group publishes its annual carbon footprint in its annual report and account. The latest version is published here:
This report provides an overview of Defra group performance against the GGC targets.
Defra Group emitted 61,128 tonnes CO2e in 2018/19.
We are mandated to use Crown Commercial Services Frameworks when it comes to selecting our energy suppliers. These are EDF, British Gas Business for electricity and Corona for Gas.
We are unable to comment on the selection criteria used in awarding these supplier a place on these frameworks.
88% of the electricity Defra Group purchases comes from renewable sources from these suppliers.
We have reduced our carbon emissions by 48.8% since 2010, through investments in energy saving technology across the group by retrofitting:
We are looking to continue this investment through our SR19/SR20 bids in sustainable technology.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 potential effect on (a) wheat and (b) dairy farmers of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and what assessment she has made of the level of the UK's reliance on imported bioethanol.
Answered by George Eustice
We have been meeting regularly with the food and farming sectors across the UK to understand and anticipate the potential impacts of a no deal scenario on our agri-food industry. The UK is a net importer of dairy but there are specific products of which we are net exporters. These may face tariff and non-tariff barriers to future EU export, and this will have a larger impact on Northern Ireland where they are heavily reliant on the Irish market. For wheat, for the last few years the UK has been a net importer, but it’s likely that this harvest will see us becoming a net exporter. MFN tariffs on wheat into the EU are extremely high, however, there is an underutilised tariff rate quota.
We currently import around 2/3rds of our bioethanol, mainly from the EU. The UK alcohol industry, particularly gin and vodka, is reliant on EU bioethanol. Bioethanol is also a vital processing aid in the production of food flavourings and colourings, household and industrial cleaners, toiletries, cosmetics and medicinal agents. Ethanol is a globally traded commodity and we do not anticipate any shortages as a result of our exit from the EU.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 potential effect on (a) wheat and (b) dairy farmers of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and what assessment she has made of the UK's reliance on imported bioethanol.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 5 July 2019 to Question 270365, for what reasons his Department has not signed the UK Steel Charter.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
As a customer of this country’s steel sector, Defra is already taking action to level the playing field for UK steel producers when competing for central Government contracts. Our commercial activities comply with current Government policy on steel procurement as set out in Cabinet Office guidance, Procurement Policy Note 11/16.
We can confirm that Defra, like the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, is happy to commit to supporting the Charter where it is relevant to our commercial activities and where consistent with the relevant regulations.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 sign his Department up to the UK Steel charter.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Andrew Stephenson MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 29 May to ask my Department to sign the Steel Charter.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 had discussions with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the UK Steel charter.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Andrew Stephenson MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 29 May to ask my Department to sign the Steel Charter.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 13 May 2019 to Question 249947, whether the Government has plans to bring forward legislation to ban the use of electronic shock collars by mid-July.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The necessary legislation needed to prohibit the use of remote controlled hand-held electronic training collars for dogs, will be laid before Parliament in due course. Timings for this legislation will be announced in the normal way.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to bring forward legislation to ban the use of electronic shock collars.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government will introduce the necessary legislation in due course.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
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 5 March 2019 to Question 226666 on Air Pollution: Scunthorpe, if he will provide that same information for Scunthorpe in the North Lincolnshire local authority area.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Scunthorpe is in North Lincolnshire local authority area. The Council reported in its 2018 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) that their PM2.5 monitors did not record a breach of the statutory limit value, which is 25 micrograms per metre cubed. The council also stated that they are running campaigns to discourage waste burning and bonfires to address PM2.5, and carrying out environmental permit improvement programmes.