Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to introduce a subsidy ceiling on farm payments; and if so, what ceiling.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
There are currently no plans to introduce a subsidy ceiling on farm payments. Previously, the Government has opposed the European Commission’s proposals for capping farm payments due to the risk that to do so would simply encourage farms to restructure into smaller, and perhaps, less efficient units to avoid losing out on payments.
However, the government is looking at how best to support farming and the countryside after we leave the EU.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the average age of farmers in England; and what assessment they have made of the impact of farmers' ages on the future of English farming.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government publication Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2015 shows that the median age of farm holders in the UK is 59.
Having a skilled workforce in place, attracting new talent and ensuring that there are opportunities to enter and progress through the farming sector is vital for the future of UK food and farming. The Government is aware of concerns about the aging profile of farming and recognises the challenges facing young new entrants to farming including the high cost of land and access to finance.
The Government is keen to work with industry to explore and promote a range of different farm business models where established farmers can open up opportunities to the next generation of young farmers to gain a foothold and experience in the sector such as agricultural tenancies, share-farming, contract farming, franchise farming and joint ventures.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how soils research sponsored by the Research Councils is translated into practical measures that can be readily adopted at farm level.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The findings from soils research are translated into practical measures that can be applied at farm level in a number of ways. This includes testing of measures as part of the research, reviews of the evidence base feeding into the development of farmer guidance or direct knowledge transfer as part of the research project.
No formal assessment has been made of how soils research sponsored by the Research Councils is translated into practice. However, the part-Defra funded Soil Evidence Review, published in 2015 as part of the Natural Environment Research Council’s Soil Security Programme, emphasised the importance of engagement between researchers and farmers as being a priority to ensure understanding of agricultural issues (e.g. practical and economic challenges) and to aid the effective implementation of new knowledge and technologies.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many soil research projects have been completed for which it has provided funding, and how the findings were translated into practical measures that could be applied at farm level, in each year since 1997.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Since 1997, Defra and its predecessors have funded 445 soil research projects, the findings of which are translated into practical measures that can be applied at farm level in a number of ways, including testing of measures as part of the research, reviews of the evidence base feeding into the development of farmer guidance or direct knowledge transfer as part of the research project.
The table below denotes the number of completed soil research projects funded by Defra and its predecessors in each year since 1997:
1997 | 40 |
1998 | 44 |
1999 | 26 |
2000 | 28 |
2001 | 34 |
2002 | 22 |
2003 | 26 |
2004 | 21 |
2005 | 18 |
2006 | 29 |
2007 | 15 |
2008 | 23 |
2009 | 24 |
2010 | 29 |
2011 | 17 |
2012 | 18 |
2013 | 12 |
2014 | 10 |
2015 | 9 |
In addition since 2005-6, the first year for which data is available, Research Councils have funded 614 soil research projects.
The table below denotes the number of soil research projects funded by the Research Councils that have completed, by financial year, going back to 2005-06. Data for before that year is not available as the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
2005-6 | 59 |
2006-7 | 62 |
2007-8 | 92 |
2008-9 | 57 |
2009-10 | 68 |
2010-11 | 82 |
2011-12 | 70 |
2012-13 | 26 |
2013-14 | 45 |
2014-15 | 29 |
2015-16 | 24 |
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what surveys of earthworm populations and diversity in arable soils in England have been carried out since 1996, and for each project what was the contractor's budget, and where the final report can be found on the gov.uk website.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Defra has not carried out any surveys of earthworm populations and diversity specifically in arable soils.
However, Defra carries out research on earthworms as part of a wider programme of research on sustainable land management because of their important role in developing soil structure, water movement, nutrient dynamics, and plant growth.
Defra has contributed funding to the Open Air Laboratory (OPAL) Soil and Earthworm Survey in England launched in 2012. Two technical reports detailing the analysis of the first set of results of the Soil and Earthworm Survey are publicly available on the website of Imperial College London.
Defra’s delivery partner Natural England has previously funded the London Natural History Museum to survey earthworms in a number of semi-natural sites across England and Scotland, but also included sampling from 6 arable sites. This work was captured in a report published by Natural England in April 2014 entitled “Earthworms in England: distribution, abundance and habitat”. The report is available on Natural England’s website, reference NECR145.
In 2014 Defra funded the establishment of the Sustainable Intensification Research Platform (budget £4,111,184), supporting research into sustainable productive farming techniques, which includes current assessment of earthworm abundance under contrasting arable systems at the Allerton Project at Loddington.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current health and status of earthworm populations in English arable soils, and based on research and surveys carried out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ commissioned research and research of other organisations, what trends they have identified in the last two decades.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Defra is working closely with the research councils and is funding research to improve our understanding of the role of soil biodiversity in contributing to soil condition. This research includes a Defra-funded review of the current available UK-affiliated evidence base. The Report of the review was published in March and has been placed in the House Library.
We are looking closely at its findings, including whether there is a need to carry out analysis of trends in biodiversity in order to understand better how the functions it supports, such as soil structure, water movement, nutrient dynamics and plant growth, contribute to soil condition across a range of ecosystem services and management practices.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what barriers they have identified to the further growth of the waste-fed anaerobic digestion sector.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan which was published in 2011 included 56 actions to overcome barriers to anaerobic digestion (AD) using waste feedstocks. The Strategy has been delivered and the number of AD plants that treat waste has increased dramatically. AD is delivering renewable energy into both the heat and power sectors. Government-funded research has shown that smart use of renewable fertilisers can increase yields, maintain soil fertility and reduce bills with no negative impact on crop quality or safety. Government support has helped the AD sector to take off. It is now for industry itself to continue to develop sustainably, identify opportunities for growth and manage risks.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to take further action to encourage local authorities to accelerate the rate at which they require households to separate food waste from domestic rubbish.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has recently published an updated household food waste collections guide. The guide is aimed at local authorities planning to introduce a new food waste collection scheme. It also provides advice to local authorities who wish to increase participation in their existing schemes. WRAP is also looking at whether greater consistency in how waste is collected has the potential to improve recycling rates.
The “Food Waste Recycling Action Plan”, soon to be published by WRAP, aims to bring together industry and local authorities to increase the supply and quality of household and commercial food waste to the food waste recycling industry.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the positive findings of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs research <i>Digestate and Compost in Agriculture</i>, what action they are taking to increase the volume of food waste going to anaerobic digesters rather than to incinerators.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
It is wrong for good surplus food to go to waste when it could go to people. For food waste which is unavoidable and inedible, anaerobic digestion is the most environmentally beneficial means of dealing with it.
The Waste Framework Directive sets out a priority order for waste treatment: the waste hierarchy. We have departed from the waste hierarchy to place anaerobic digestion above – rather than on a par with – composting and other energy recovery technologies for the treatment of food and garden wastes. We explain this position in our “Guidance on applying the waste hierarchy”. While local authorities are best placed to determine local collection arrangements, they must have regard to this guidance.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has recently published guidance to local authorities on how to introduce or improve the effectiveness of food waste collection systems. WRAP is also looking at whether greater consistency in how waste is collected has the potential to improve recycling rates.
The “Food Waste Recycling Action Plan”, soon to be published by WRAP, aims to bring together industry and local authorities to increase the supply and quality of household and commercial food waste to the food waste recycling industry.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether planting more trees in England is one of their policies and what assessment they have made of whether planting more trees constitutes a public benefit.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is committed to planting 11 million trees during this Parliament, primarily through the Rural Development Programme’s Countryside Stewardship scheme.
In July 2012 the Independent Panel on Forestry reported to the Government that England’s woods and forests provide significant public benefits, including through improving water quality and biodiversity as well as access and recreation.
The Government recognised these benefits in its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January of 2013 which included the response to the Independent Panel Report.