To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Fisheries
Tuesday 8th January 2019

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on confidentiality agreements signed by the owners of vessels used by CEFAS in studying the effect of electric fishing in UK waters.

Answered by George Eustice

Cefas confirm they do not have confidentiality agreements with the owners of the vessels concerned, nor do they feature in the standard tendering arrangements.


Written Question
Fisheries
Friday 28th December 2018

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science study on the effect of electric fishing in UK waters.

Answered by George Eustice

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) completed a desktop review on pulse technology entitled “The impacts of flatfish pulse trawling: evidence review, data gaps and future research”. The report is subject to a peer review process which is due to be completed by the end of December. The finalised report is therefore expected to be ready for publication early in the New Year.

We have also commissioned some original science for future research with a study including at-sea comparisons of pulse and conventional beam trawl impacts.


Written Question
Crayfish
Thursday 6th September 2018

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the CEFAS report no. 5775 Controlling Invasive Crayfish on crayfish trapping.

Answered by Thérèse Coffey

The report was published on 2 August and can be found by following the link below.

Control of Invasive Species of Crayfish - WC1066


Written Question
Anaerobic Digestion
Tuesday 19th January 2016

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

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 discuss with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (a) providing more funding through and (b) improving the effectiveness of the feed-in tariff incentive regime for smaller on-site anaerobic digestion in order to encourage cost-effective on-site treatment of food and farming residues and to reduce carbon emissions from the production of food.

Answered by George Eustice

The Government is committed to cost-effective decarbonisation of our electricity supply as well as protecting consumer bills by controlling costs passed on to consumers through their energy bills. Officials in Defra and the Department of Energy and Climate Change are currently working closely together in considering levels of support for anaerobic digestion through the Feed-in Tariff scheme and a consultation will be published in the coming months.


Written Question
Waste Disposal
Tuesday 19th January 2016

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

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 take steps to support the development of small-scale on-site renewable solutions in the agri-food sector, based on residues from food factories and farm slurries and crop residues.

Answered by George Eustice

Small scale on-site renewables are supported through the Feed-in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive schemes. Defra and Department of Energy and Climate Change officials are currently working together on a review of the support for renewable energy schemes through both Feed in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive. This includes the support for anaerobic digestion of residues, wastes and slurries. Consultations on the schemes will be published in the coming months.


Written Question
Landfill
Tuesday 19th January 2016

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

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 bring forward legislative proposals to ban bio-degradable food processing and farm residues from disposal to landfill.

Answered by Rory Stewart

The EU revised Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC) requires Member States to apply the waste management hierarchy. Landfill sits at the bottom of the hierarchy and should be the last resort for most waste. Landfill tax is the main driver in diverting waste from landfill in the UK, and is currently £82.60 per tonne for the standard rate and £2.60 per tonne for inert waste. We believe this represents the correct solution to bio-degradable food waste.


The EU Landfill Directive includes targets to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) going to landfill. In 2013 the amount of BMW going to landfill in the UK reduced to 26% of the 1995 baseline, against a 35% target for 2020.


Written Question
Anaerobic Digestion
Tuesday 19th January 2016

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

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 take steps to incentivise small-scale on-farm anaerobic digestion systems.

Answered by George Eustice

Defra and DECC officials are working together on a review of the support for renewable energy schemes through both Feed in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive. This includes the support for farm-scale anaerobic digestion. Consultations on the schemes will be published in the coming months.


Written Question
Peat Bogs
Tuesday 24th November 2015

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made towards the targets for protecting peat set out in the Natural Environment White Paper of 2011 since the publication of the last implementation update report in October 2014.

Answered by Rory Stewart

Defra is currently carrying out a review of progress towards the targets for peat reduction in horticulture set out in the Natural Environment White Paper. Based on sales data from 2014, there has been a 24% reduction in peat sales for horticultural use in the UK since 2011.


Written Question
Seas and Oceans: Electric Cables
Thursday 5th March 2015

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many licences have been granted by the Marine Management Organisation for the laying of cables on the seabed involving the SCAR plough system and other similar technologies; and to whom each of those licences has been granted.

Answered by George Eustice

The MMO grants marine licences for the laying of cables on the seabed following assessment of the proposed activity including installation method. It is up to the individual developer to propose which methodology they intend to employ for cable installation. To date, the MMO has not issued any marine licences where the applicant has stated that the SCAR system would be deployed although since 2011, 11 licences have been granted to wind farm developers, electricity and telecoms companies who have proposed to use plough, trenching and jetting installation methods.

The SCAR system has been used for boulder clearance at one project prior to cable laying activities commencing.


Written Question
Seas and Oceans: Electric Cables
Thursday 5th March 2015

Asked by: Lord Benyon (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Marine Management Organisation has taken to safeguard the marine environment from damage by cable laying involving the SCAR plough system and similar technologies.

Answered by George Eustice

Should such activities require a marine licence from the MMO, a number of steps are taken to ensure the protection of the marine environment is adequately considered. The potential environmental impacts of any licensable activity are a material consideration under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. All decisions should be made in accordance with the UK Marine Policy Statement or relevant Marine Plan, and be in compliance with relevant legislation. Where mitigation is required to reduce potential impacts these can be secured through marine licence conditions.