Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 announce a new seasonal workers scheme for 2022; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including the ornamental horticulture production industry in that scheme.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra is working closely with the Home Office to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce beyond 2021. The Government has announced that the seasonal worker visa route will be extended to 2024 to allow overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. 30,000 visas will be available. This will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 visas if necessary.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to the letter dated 22 September 2021 from the hon. Member for West Lancashire, reference ZA57747.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 25 November 2021.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to a letter from the hon. Member for West Lancashire of 16 September 2021, reference ZA57711 regarding a landfill site.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 5 November 2021.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Lancashire of 18 August 2021 on the protection of uplands, reference ZA57406.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 1 November 2021.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to the letter of 4 June 2021 from the hon. Member for West Lancashire on regulation of pet crematoria, reference ZA53694.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I replied to the hon. Member on 28 July. I apologise for the delay in responding.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Lancashire of 16 April 2021 on compulsory microchip scanning, reference ZA56243.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 14 June 2021.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Lancashire of 12 February 2021 on access to seed potato markets which was transferred to his Department by the Department for International Trade, reference ZA55507.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member. A reply is being prepared and will be issued very shortly.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 respond to the letter dated 12 February 2021 from the hon. Member for West Lancashire, regarding air pollution regulations in respect to the Animal, Plant and Health Agency, reference ZA53694.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member. A reply was sent on 22 April 2021.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) funding and (b) regulations are in place to help protect (i) the River Tawd and (ii) similar natural environments from pollution.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency has secured funding to commence an investigation into sources of pollution in the River Tawd. We are tackling river pollution from poor farming practice with regulation, financial incentives and educational schemes for farmers. In addition to Government investment in many local improvement schemes, water company investment is increasing to £4.6 billion between 2020-2025. A task force comprising the Government and water companies is addressing the problem of sewage discharge from storm overflows.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
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 effectiveness and adequacy of the Environment Agency's £175,000 spend on desilting works in West Lancashire over the last three years as part of its recurring maintenance programme.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Desilting is one of a range of activities carried out by the Environment Agency (EA) in West Lancashire to protect people and property from flooding, alongside the control of aquatic vegetation, removal of blockages and the operation of key flood defence assets, including tidal outfalls and pumping stations. The works carried out by the EA are targeted where they will provide the greatest benefit to people and property.
A recurring programme of silt surveys is in place to help the EA focus on areas where the need is greatest. The EA has secured over £70,000 for desilting in West Lancashire in 2021/22, including a desilt of the Three Pools watercourse which has multiple benefits across local residential and agricultural areas.