Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent Human Rights Watch research that suggests several major carmakers could be complicit in abuse of China’s Uyghur Muslims.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out "serious human rights violations" against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.
The Government's overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions. The Minister for Industry and Economic Security has requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch report to discuss this issue in more detail.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent increase in piracy off the Horn of Africa.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
While the causes of recent maritime incidents in the Horn of Africa are unclear, the UK continues to monitor the situation in the region closely. We are committed to promoting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, including the safe flow of maritime traffic. The UK works closely with allies and regional partners through the Djibouti code of conduct and bi-laterally to build capacity, strength and resilience to ensure maritime security and freedoms for all. The UK will continue to engage in maritime security operations, including through the Royal Navy's longstanding Operation Kipion.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bangladesh in response to its statement on 7 February that it will not allow any more Rohingya refugees to enter the country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned about the escalation of fighting in Rakhine state, Myanmar, and the impact on civilians on both sides of the border with Bangladesh. We are monitoring the situation closely. UK officials in Dhaka continue to engage with the Government of Bangladesh and the United Nations on this issue. We will continue to support affected Rohingya and other communities in Rakhine and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The UK is a leading donor to the Rohingya response. Since 2017, we have provided over £373 million to Bangladesh and over £30 million for the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Myanmar.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the efficacy of sanitary felling in slowing the spread of Dutch elm disease.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Dutch Elm Disease is a highly destructive vascular wilt disease of several species of elm. We do not take statutory action against Dutch Elm Disease as it is widespread across most of Great Britain. There is no effective cure available for Dutch Elm Disease, but early sanitation felling, or removal of infected trees and branches, can slow the spread of the disease.
There is evidence that sanitation felling was used as a control method in the 1970s in specific areas such as Brighton and Hove which now houses the National Elm Collection, a well curated collection of hundreds of trees, containing cultivars of both susceptible and resistant species. Annual losses during this decade were variable but overall considered to be lower than areas where measures such as sanitation felling were not in place.
No official and specific assessment has been made on efficacy as local authorities make their own decisions on implementing control measures. However, local authorities such as Brighton with significant healthy elm populations that may still be implementing these enhanced control methods could hold more information on the use of sanitation felling at a local level.
Defra is currently prioritising investment in scientific research which aims to develop a more resistant and diverse elm population, to support the return of mature elms to the landscape nationwide. This includes mapping and gathering data on resistant elms across Great Britain, surveying their genomic diversity, evaluating the durability of disease resistant cultivars and establishing the current distribution of the two vector beetle species. Defra is also funding work with the John Innes Centre who are undertaking inoculation trials and propagating the most tolerant trees to establish new seed orchards with enhanced resistance to Dutch Elm Disease.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they plan to take to support and protect upland and hill farmers to offset any loss of income they face under the new environmental land management schemes.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Upland farmers play a vital role in managing some of our most important and iconic landscapes, which are valued and recognised by the public. In addition to farming, the management of upland landscapes can provide many environmental benefits and ecosystem services, including clean air and water, carbon sequestration and flood risk management.
Upland farmers are well placed to benefit from our Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which are designed to maintain sustainable, productive land which delivers for both farmers and the environment.
The schemes under ELM have been designed to be as accessible and attractive to as wide a range of farmers as possible. We continue to work closely with a range of environmental and agricultural stakeholders to collaboratively design our new approaches to ensure they are fit for purpose.
Support for small farmers, including upland farmers, includes the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Management Payment. At the recent National Farmers Union Conference, the Prime Minister announced that this payment will be doubled to a maximum of £2000 per year. At the Conference the Prime Minister also announced the biggest ever package of grants this year, to boost productivity and resilience, which will total £220 million. Upland farmers will be eligible to benefit from this, through increases to the Improving Farming Productivity scheme and the Farming Equipment and Technology fund. And the Prime Minister announced that the Government is also increasing funding for grassroots mental health support, because we know what a tough job farming is; and providing funding to support food producers by redirecting surplus food into the hands of those who need it.
This builds on support already in place for upland farmers. Upland farmers can get paid for over 130 relevant actions under Countryside Stewardship and the SFI from 2024. This will include new moorland and upland peat actions, with considerably higher payments for moorlands in good environmental condition. They can also extend their Higher Level Stewardship agreements for five years if they have one that can run alongside any Countryside Stewardship or SFI agreement they have, allowing them to get paid for more actions and take advantage of recent price increases. And they can apply for Countryside Stewardship Wildlife Offers for a range of management options that focus on providing habitats for farm wildlife.
Upland farmers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Parks can apply for the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, which funds farmers to support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage, or protect or improve the quality and character of the landscape or place. And upland farmers can continue to benefit from the Landscape Recovery scheme, creating the landscape scale and tailored environmental land management change we need for our targets. So far 56 successful projects have been selected for Rounds 1 and 2 of Landscape Recovery, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to funding that delivers environmental benefits in harmony with food production. Defra will open a third round of Landscape Recovery in 2024.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Stewart of Dirleton on 29 March 2023 (HL6584), when the government-funded feasibility study on the prevalence of female genital mutilation and forced marriage in England and Wales will be published.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Since April 2019, the Home Office has required police forces to provide quarterly data returns on the number of offences they have recorded as being related to ‘honour’-based abuse, which includes FGM. In October 2023, the Home Office published the fourth set of these annual statistics, which included 84 offences relating to FGM covering the year to March 2023. Data on prosecutions is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.
Between April 2022 and March 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recorded one offence which was charged by the police under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. This was discontinued at its first hearing due to an incorrect charge submitted by the police. Separately, in October 2023, a defendant was found guilty of aiding the female genital mutilation of a non-UK person contrary to section 3 of the Act. This defendant was originally charged in 2018.
In April 2023, the Home Office commissioned the University of Birmingham to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether it is possible to produce a robust prevalence estimate of FGM and forced marriage. This work is ongoing and decisions about next steps will be taken in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many female genital mutilation offences were recorded between April 2022 and March 2023; and of those, how many prosecutions have occurred.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Since April 2019, the Home Office has required police forces to provide quarterly data returns on the number of offences they have recorded as being related to ‘honour’-based abuse, which includes FGM. In October 2023, the Home Office published the fourth set of these annual statistics, which included 84 offences relating to FGM covering the year to March 2023. Data on prosecutions is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.
Between April 2022 and March 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recorded one offence which was charged by the police under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. This was discontinued at its first hearing due to an incorrect charge submitted by the police. Separately, in October 2023, a defendant was found guilty of aiding the female genital mutilation of a non-UK person contrary to section 3 of the Act. This defendant was originally charged in 2018.
In April 2023, the Home Office commissioned the University of Birmingham to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether it is possible to produce a robust prevalence estimate of FGM and forced marriage. This work is ongoing and decisions about next steps will be taken in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase the financial penalty for the crime of livestock worrying by dogs to ensure there is a serious deterrent for dog owners.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause animals and their keepers. The Government is supporting a Private Members’ Bill to amend the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. The Bill will improve police powers to enable the police to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively and to act as a deterrent.
Livestock worrying is principally a crime of negligence, not of intent. Those found guilty of committing an offence face a penalty of a maximum fine of £1,000. The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill will maintain this maximum penalty.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to increasing the fixed-penalty fine for fly-tipping to a maximum of £2,000.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Prime Minister’s Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan, the Government recently raised the upper limit on the fixed penalty notices councils can issue to £1,000 for fly-tipping and £600 for householders who pass their waste to an unlicensed waste carrier. This reflects the increased severity with which the Government views these crimes and allows councils to take tougher action against fly-tippers.
We will continue to work with local authorities to assess the impacts of these changes. There are no plans to increase the fixed penalty levels further at this time.
Local authorities also have powers to stop, search and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers and to prosecute offenders, which can lead to an unlimited fine or imprisonment if convicted in court.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of ash trees infected with the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus in the year 2023.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government does not collect data on the number of individual ash trees that have become infected with ash dieback, but the disease is now present in all counties and is predicted to kill over 100 million trees in the UK. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is spread via spores which can spread for considerable distances in the wind before infecting another ash tree. This means it is not possible to limit the spread of the disease. Some local authorities conduct annual surveys of ash trees to track local spread and decline and inform their management strategies.
In most areas, a majority of ash trees are now expected to be infected, but the response of individual ash trees to infection is highly variable. The most susceptible trees often die within a few years and the most resistant trees may show little damage and sometimes signs of recovery between years. The severity and impact of the disease at a local level also varies by tree age and condition, climate, the presence of secondary pathogens and other environmental factors.
From observations in Europe and the UK, we expect a minimum of 1-5% of ash trees to be naturally resistant to the disease. Resistance is heritable which offers hope for a future breeding programme and Defra is investing in R&D to support this.