Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for how many farmers and landowners in Derbyshire has a Rural Payment been reduced or withheld as a result of failure to comply with access and footpath requirements, in each of the last three years.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Two rural payments claimants in Derbyshire breached the cross compliance Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 7b Public Rights of Way rules in the last three scheme years. These were found in 2019. One received a reduction to payments, the other received a warning letter. In both cases, a right of way had been wilfully obstructed.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason his Department introduced a temporary suspension on the ability of UK citizens to adopt rescue dogs from Romania.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Rescue animals or animals being moved to Great Britain for rehoming involves either the sale or the transfer of ownership of the animal and are classed as commercial movements. Therefore, these animals must move under the commercial rules. Great Britain has temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, until 9 July 2022.
We appreciate the impact that the temporary suspension will have on those looking to adopt from these countries, however, this measure is important to protect our biosecurity and the health of pets in this country.
This decision has been taken because of the serious health risk to humans and animals in Great Britain from commercial cats, dogs and ferrets from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine that do not comply with UK health and documentation requirements.
We understand the fluid situation at present due to the crisis and are aware that Romania, Belarus and Poland are currently experiencing high volumes of animal movements from Ukraine. Movements from these countries into Great Britain therefore present a higher risk at the current time due to the flow of animals from Ukraine.
In particular, there is evidence to suggest that commercial consignments of pet animals from Ukraine are being moved into Poland, Romania and Belarus, including strays, rescue and abandoned animals. Unlike non-commercial pets accompanying Ukrainian refugees, these animals often have unknown history and disease status which increases the risk of disease spread.
We have amongst the highest standards of biosecurity in the world. The Government takes the importation of pets seriously and is committed to preserving our high standards of biosecurity. The movement of commercial pets from Belarus, Poland, Romania and Ukraine represents a clear and serious enough biosecurity risk at the current time, that we therefore consider the suspension of these movements necessary to protect the health of people and pets in Great Britain.
The Government appreciates the work of genuine rescue and rehoming organisations who work to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals are given the opportunity to find a forever home whilst importantly complying with our animal health and welfare legislation. We continue to engage with stakeholders on the issue. However, this is a temporary measure which will be reviewed in due course.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assist UK citizens who seek to adopt dogs from Romania.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Rescue animals or animals being moved to Great Britain for rehoming involves either the sale or the transfer of ownership of the animal and are classed as commercial movements. Therefore, these animals must move under the commercial rules. Great Britain has temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, until 9 July 2022.
We appreciate the impact that the temporary suspension will have on those looking to adopt from these countries, however, this measure is important to protect our biosecurity and the health of pets in this country.
This decision has been taken because of the serious health risk to humans and animals in Great Britain from commercial cats, dogs and ferrets from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine that do not comply with UK health and documentation requirements.
We understand the fluid situation at present due to the crisis and are aware that Romania, Belarus and Poland are currently experiencing high volumes of animal movements from Ukraine. Movements from these countries into Great Britain therefore present a higher risk at the current time due to the flow of animals from Ukraine.
In particular, there is evidence to suggest that commercial consignments of pet animals from Ukraine are being moved into Poland, Romania and Belarus, including strays, rescue and abandoned animals. Unlike non-commercial pets accompanying Ukrainian refugees, these animals often have unknown history and disease status which increases the risk of disease spread.
We have amongst the highest standards of biosecurity in the world. The Government takes the importation of pets seriously and is committed to preserving our high standards of biosecurity. The movement of commercial pets from Belarus, Poland, Romania and Ukraine represents a clear and serious enough biosecurity risk at the current time, that we therefore consider the suspension of these movements necessary to protect the health of people and pets in Great Britain.
The Government appreciates the work of genuine rescue and rehoming organisations who work to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals are given the opportunity to find a forever home whilst importantly complying with our animal health and welfare legislation. We continue to engage with stakeholders on the issue. However, this is a temporary measure which will be reviewed in due course.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to support the regeneration plans being developed by the Chesterfield Canal trust.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department has not taken any such steps. Responsibility for canals in England and Wales, including their operation, development or restoration rests with the bodies that own them and for which they are the navigation authority. The Canal and River Trust (CRT) owns the eastern section of the Chesterfield Canal from the M1 motorway at Norwood to the River Trent, while to the west of the M1 motorway from Norwood the canal is owned by local authorities. The CRT works closely with the Chesterfield Canal Trust and supports their canal regeneration plans.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 Government (a) has taken and (b) proposes to take to reduce flooding from (i) the River Rother and (ii) the River Hipper.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) has taken a number of steps to reduce flooding from the River Rother and the River Hipper in Chesterfield. In partnership with Chesterfield Council the EA delivered two Property Level Protection projects in Brampton & Hollis Lane in 2016 and one in St Augustines Road last year. These have cost a total of £567,000 and protected a total of 93 properties. The EA has also delivered the St Augustines Road Flood Alleviation Study to investigate the use of sustainable drainage systems to manage surface water and other sources of flood risk affecting St Augustines Road. This cost £15,000 and was completed in 2017. Finally in 2019, the Homes & Communities Agency, in partnership with the EA, has delivered the Avenue Flood Balancing Reservoir, with the EA contributing £2.9 million. This is a flood storage reservoir designed to reduce flooding along the River Rother, better protecting 115 properties.
For ongoing work to reduce flooding in the future, a natural flood management (NFM) officer has been employed for two years using £69,000 of local levy funding to deliver NFM measures in the upper Rother Catchment, particularly benefitting Chesterfield and surrounding settlements. This proposal has been developed in partnership with Derbyshire County Council and the EA.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of (a) beer, (b) gin, (c) whisky, (d) made-wines and (e) cider produced in the UK was exported in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by George Eustice
Her Majesty’s Government do not collate official statistics of total production in all alcohol categories, and export figures include some re-exported alcohol, especially in the wine category.
In 2018 values of £4.8 billion pounds worth of whisky, £620 million pounds of gin and geneva, and £64 million pounds of cider and other fermented beverages were exported. In each case these are the highest values in the last five years for which figures are available. £489 million pounds worth of beer was exported in 2018.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate the Government has made of the increase in building and contents insurance premiums as a result of the increase in claims for flood damage; and what assessment he has made of the value for money to customers of those increases.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government has not made estimates of increased premiums. Insurance companies are private businesses that take into account a range of factors when setting their premiums and excess in household insurance policies.
Flood Re was launched in April 2016 and is designed to improve the availability and affordability of household insurance policies for people living in high flood risk areas.
The premiums under Flood Re are set in legislation and vary by the council tax band of the property and have a fixed excess per claim. In January 2019 these were reduced for the majority of council tax bands.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the insurance industry on the increase in building and contents insurance premiums due to the increase in claims for flood damage.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government has not made estimates of increased premiums. Insurance companies are private businesses that take into account a range of factors when setting their premiums and excess in household insurance policies.
Flood Re was launched in April 2016 and is designed to improve the availability and affordability of household insurance policies for people living in high flood risk areas.
The premiums under Flood Re are set in legislation and vary by the council tax band of the property and have a fixed excess per claim. In January 2019 these were reduced for the majority of council tax bands.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 (a) necessity and (b) feasibility of Natural England granting licenses to shoot endangered native birds and wildlife.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
While the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides protection for all wild birds and our most threatened animal species, there are provisions within the legislation to issue licences to permit prohibited activities for specific purposes, for example: preserving air safety or public health; preventing serious damage to livestock; and conserving wild birds.
In determining any licence application Natural England takes account of the requirements of the legislation and the five policy tests set out by Defra. A successful applicant must clearly demonstrate, with supporting evidence, that:
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to limit the use of single-use plastics within the retail food industry.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Easington (Grahame Morris), on 20 October 2017, PQ UIN 107863.