Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - 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 impact of requiring VI-1 certificates for wine imported from non-EU countries.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Wine imports to the EU have been subject to the requirement to provide a VI1 certificate for many years. The basis for their introduction was to provide a level of assurance that the wine being imported met the standards required to be marketed in the EU. Over time the VI1 requirement has been relaxed in some cases to allow simplified forms of the certificate to be used, where for instance the exporting country and the EU have reached trade agreements covering the production of wine.
The Withdrawal Act 2018 retained the requirement for third country wines to be accompanied by a VI1 certificate as a means of maintaining that level of assurance. As VI1 provisions already exist for wine imports from non-EU countries, and these wines remain extremely competitive in our marketplace, we believe the new requirement to be appropriate and affordable.
As I and colleagues in Government have said on many occasions, leaving the EU gives us the ability to look critically at the laws we have inherited from the EU to ensure they remain fit for purpose. We have maintained simplified VI1 arrangements, where these existed, in the new trade deals we have concluded, and we will consider in due course whether there is a case to revisit the requirement for VI1 certification overall.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the ruling by Justice Robin Postle on 3 January that veganism satisfies the tests required for it to be a philosophical belief and is therefore protected under the Equality Act 2010, and (2) the Vegan Society’s leaflet, Supporting veganism in the workplace: a guide for employers; and whether they will issue guidance on supporting veganism in the workplace.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
Further to the answer I gave to PQ HL2142, the Government currently has no plans to issue any guidance on supporting veganism in the workplace. Any employer unsure about their obligations to accommodate staff who are vegan should either contact ACAS for advice or, if more appropriate on a specific case, obtain legal advice.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their position on the items on the agenda for the 37th Standing Committee of the Bern Convention in December.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The UK will be attending the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention. We are currently agreeing who the UK representatives will be.
We have recently received the agenda papers and are currently agreeing the UK position.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK will be represented at the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention in Strasbourg in December; and if so whom the UK representative will be.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The UK will be attending the 37th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention. We are currently agreeing who the UK representatives will be.
We have recently received the agenda papers and are currently agreeing the UK position.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or intend to have, with Kew Gardens concerning making available from their plant library those species which have suffered serious loss or destruction in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and Anguilla.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Following the devastating impact of this year’s hurricane season on our Caribbean Overseas Territories, addressing the affected Territories’ immediate humanitarian and security needs is the highest priority for Her Majesty’s Government.
Defra has had preliminary discussions with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew about the Territories’ likely environmental recovery needs.
Once the Territories are in a position to evaluate and address their environmental recovery needs, Defra will discuss with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Territories how Kew’s plant materials, technical assistance and scientific expertise can contribute to the restoration of habitats in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to consult on a proposal to phase out the use of black plastic containers, in the light of the inability of some automatic recycling sorting machines to recognise black plastic.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The recycling of packaging has risen from around 46% to 60% over the last decade and our packaging regulations and policies incentivise businesses to use less packaging and to ensure that their packaging can be recycled at end of life. There are no plans to ban any specific packaging materials at this time.
Almost all packaging is technically recyclable, including black plastic and expanded polystyrene. Some local authorities and waste management companies choose not to collect this type of packaging for recycling for various reasons, including cost of investing in new machinery which can sort this packaging.
WRAP has published a report on the technical solutions to improve the separation of black plastic in the sorting process and is working with a working group of industry and local authorities to put in place arrangements to expand the collection and recycling of black plastic from households.
Commercially, polystyrene is collected for recycling and producers are supporting work to increase recycling of this material. It is not commonly collected at the kerbside for recycling due to its bulk and low value as a secondary material.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce legislation to require councils to accept polystyrene for recycling; and if not, whether they intend to ban the use of polystyrene as a packaging material once the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The recycling of packaging has risen from around 46% to 60% over the last decade and our packaging regulations and policies incentivise businesses to use less packaging and to ensure that their packaging can be recycled at end of life. There are no plans to ban any specific packaging materials at this time.
Almost all packaging is technically recyclable, including black plastic and expanded polystyrene. Some local authorities and waste management companies choose not to collect this type of packaging for recycling for various reasons, including cost of investing in new machinery which can sort this packaging.
WRAP has published a report on the technical solutions to improve the separation of black plastic in the sorting process and is working with a working group of industry and local authorities to put in place arrangements to expand the collection and recycling of black plastic from households.
Commercially, polystyrene is collected for recycling and producers are supporting work to increase recycling of this material. It is not commonly collected at the kerbside for recycling due to its bulk and low value as a secondary material.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - 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 effectiveness of the EU Food Safety Agency's plans to stop the spread of Xylella fastidiosa in Europe.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Certain subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa could be damaging to tree and plant species in the UK. We are pressing, at an EU level, for protections to be strengthened and will continue to keep this issue under review nationally. This includes taking account of the most up to date scientific information, including that published by the European Food Safety Authority, which has helped to inform the development of measures to protect against the disease and actions in response to findings within the EU.
On the basis of the current evidence, Defra’s Secretary of State has written to the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytensis Andriukaitis to raise concerns about EU protections against the disease and urge stronger action. The letter also highlights that national measures could be introduced in the event that the appropriate level of protection is not forthcoming through the EU review. The Chief Plant Health Officer has written to businesses growing and trading host plants to encourage good biosecurity and careful sourcing of plants. Copies of these letters will be placed in the library.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa is capable of infecting tree and plant species in the UK; and if so, whether they are taking steps to ban the importation of any goods, produce, plants or other species that could bring the disease into the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Certain subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa could be damaging to tree and plant species in the UK. We are pressing, at an EU level, for protections to be strengthened and will continue to keep this issue under review nationally. This includes taking account of the most up to date scientific information, including that published by the European Food Safety Authority, which has helped to inform the development of measures to protect against the disease and actions in response to findings within the EU.
On the basis of the current evidence, Defra’s Secretary of State has written to the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytensis Andriukaitis to raise concerns about EU protections against the disease and urge stronger action. The letter also highlights that national measures could be introduced in the event that the appropriate level of protection is not forthcoming through the EU review. The Chief Plant Health Officer has written to businesses growing and trading host plants to encourage good biosecurity and careful sourcing of plants. Copies of these letters will be placed in the library.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether sampling of Spanish and French wine has been increased in the light of allegations that cheap Spanish wine is being labelled as French wine.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Wine sampling is conducted by Her Majesty’s Government on a random and risk-led basis. It therefore remains fully adaptable to respond to actual and perceived risks faced by the wine sector and consumers.