Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 impact of not including eggs as a sensitive sector in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on the domestic egg farming sector.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There have been no imports of eggs from CPTPP members to the UK since 2015. Global trade flows on shell eggs remain minimal as it is not practical to trade shell eggs over long distances.
The full Impact Assessment for the UK's accession to CPTPP will be published by the Department for Business and Trade in due course.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 22 June (HL8340), whether the implantation failure rate for all other treatments is therefore incomparably low relative to that to date for pronuclear transfer; or whether the number of successful treatments to date for pronuclear transfer is incomparably low; and what is the implantation failure rate for all other treatments regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has not made any assessment of whether the implantation failure rate for all other treatments is incomparably low relative to that to date for pronuclear transfer; or whether the number of successful treatments to date for pronuclear transfer is incomparably low. The HFEA routinely publish implantation success rates. The implantation failure rate is the remainder.
The following table shows the average implantation rate and implantation failure rate per embryo transferred from fresh embryo transfer using patients eggs by patient age, 2021.
Year | Implantation rate per embryo transferred | Implantation failure rate per embryo transferred |
Age 18 to 34 years old | 41% | 59% |
Age 35 to 37 years old | 33% | 67% |
Age 38 to 39 years old | 25% | 75% |
Age 40 to 42 years old | 16% | 84% |
Age 43 to 50 years old | 6% | 94% |
Source: HFEA
Implantation rates for 2021 are preliminary. This data includes IVF treatment cycles begun with the intention of having a live birth only and includes fresh embryo transfers. PGT-A/M/SR treatments and treatments using donor eggs or surrogacy have been excluded.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on reducing the use of cages for hens.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The egg sector is making good progress in moving away from cages. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023.
We will continue to work with retailers and producers to ensure we maintain and enhance the high standards of animal health and welfare we have in this country, including on our farms. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
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 impact on nesting birds of delinking publicly funded farm payments and minimum good practice requirements for hedges because of the transition from basic payments to the Environmental Land Management scheme.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise the importance and value of hedgerows, which have a key role in conserving and enhancing biodiversity, tackling climate change and enhancing our countryside. As we move away from legacy EU Common Agricultural Policy arrangements, we are committed to ensuring our high environmental standards are maintained and that we have the right framework in place. Whilst the majority of hedgerows are on agricultural land, approximately a fifth are not. It is important, therefore, that all landowners recognise their importance and do their bit to protect them.
The Hedgerows Regulations 1997 set legal protections for hedgerows in England and Wales outside of cross compliance. These existing regulations prohibit the removal of most countryside hedgerows (or parts of them) without first seeking approval from the local planning authority. It decides whether a hedgerow is ‘important’ and should not be removed because of its wildlife, landscape, historical or archaeological value. Alongside the Hedgerows Regulations, all wild birds, their eggs and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which prohibits killing, injuring or taking of wild birds or taking or damaging their eggs and nests. These regulations jointly provide important protections for most countryside hedgerows and for nesting wild birds.
In addition to these legislative protections, our new Environmental Land Management schemes will also continue to fund the improvement and management of hedgerows, in recognition of their historical, cultural and environmental value to our countryside.
We will be consulting shortly on what the regulatory arrangements for hedgerows should be after cross compliance ceases at the end of 2023 and how we can best continue to improve and protect hedgerows.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
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 is taking to ensure that the gap in legal protection for hedgerows because of the transition from basic payments to the Environmental Land Management scheme that will arise on 31 December 2023 will be filled on 1 January 2024.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise the importance and value of hedgerows, which have a key role in conserving and enhancing biodiversity, tackling climate change and enhancing our countryside. As we move away from legacy EU Common Agricultural Policy arrangements, we are committed to ensuring our high environmental standards are maintained and that we have the right framework in place. Whilst the majority of hedgerows are on agricultural land, approximately a fifth are not. It is important, therefore, that all landowners recognise their importance and do their bit to protect them.
The Hedgerows Regulations 1997 set legal protections for hedgerows in England and Wales outside of cross compliance. These existing regulations prohibit the removal of most countryside hedgerows (or parts of them) without first seeking approval from the local planning authority. It decides whether a hedgerow is ‘important’ and should not be removed because of its wildlife, landscape, historical or archaeological value. Alongside the Hedgerows Regulations, all wild birds, their eggs and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which prohibits killing, injuring or taking of wild birds or taking or damaging their eggs and nests. These regulations jointly provide important protections for most countryside hedgerows and for nesting wild birds.
In addition to these legislative protections, our new Environmental Land Management schemes will also continue to fund the improvement and management of hedgerows, in recognition of their historical, cultural and environmental value to our countryside.
We will be consulting shortly on what the regulatory arrangements for hedgerows should be after cross compliance ceases at the end of 2023 and how we can best continue to improve and protect hedgerows.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Kamall on 5 January 2022 (HLWS503), how many patients to date have been licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the UK; how many embryos in total have been produced using (1) pronuclear transfer, and (2) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer; and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to (a) pronuclear transfer, and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that 32 patients have been licensed as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the United Kingdom. The following table shows how many embryos have been produced during mitochondrial donation treatment and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to clinical application in the UK of (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
| Pronuclear transfer | Spindle-chromosomal complex transfer |
Embryos produced during mitochondrial donation treatment1 | 317 | 0 |
Embryos transferred | 24 | 0 |
Source: HFEA
Notes:
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on the Action Plan for Animal Welfare; and when she plans to publish a consultation on the keeping of caged farmed animals.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan, which will deliver significant improvements for animals in the UK and abroad. We are firmly committed to maintaining our strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond.
Our recent announcement on delivering the measures in the Kept Animals Bill through single measure Bills will help us to deliver two further commitments in the plan, including the ban on live exports. These are our key priorities. We do not consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms, being mindful of the challenges the sectors are facing. The market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023.
We continue to work with the sector to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish a consultation on the use of cages for farmed animals.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan, which will deliver significant improvements for animals in the UK and abroad. We are firmly committed to maintaining our strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond.
Our recent announcement on delivering the measures in the Kept Animals Bill through single measure Bills will help us to deliver two further commitments in the plan, including the ban on live exports. These are our key priorities. We do not consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms, being mindful of the challenges the sectors are facing. The market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023.
We continue to work with the sector to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have been licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the UK; how many embryos have been produced using (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer; and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) have advised that 32 patients have been licensed as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the United Kingdom. The following table shows how many embryos have been produced during mitochondrial donation treatment and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to clinical application in the UK of pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
| Pronuclear transfer | Spindle-chromosomal complex transfer |
Embryos produced during mitochondrial donation treatment | 317 | 0 |
Embryos transferred | 24 | 0 |
Source: HFEA, 2023
Notes:
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of avian influenza on food (a) prices and (b) availability.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain which has coped well in responding to the unprecedented challenges the industry has faced in the past few years.
The UK egg and poultry industries operate in an open market. The value of poultry products and egg commodities is established by those in the supply chain. The impact of avian influenza on the price of food products has been limited with the increases experienced recently by these sectors related to a range of other factors, primarily due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In the UK, there have been 186 cases of Avian Influenza (AI) since 1 October 2022. 155 of these have been in England and all have been of the HPAI H5N1 strain. Since 1 October 2022, 5.3 million birds have died or been culled and disposed of for disease control purposes. With approximately, 20 million birds slaughtered every week for human consumption, the impact on the availability of poultry and eggs due to AI has therefore been limited.
We continue to keep the market situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group and our on-going and regular engagement with sector stakeholders.