Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what funds have been paid to date to the Northern Ireland Executive for the creation of infrastructure at (1) ports, and (2) airports in Northern Ireland, as a result of the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A total of £16 million was allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive in the 20/21 financial year for infrastructure, IT systems and personnel for the work necessary to carry out Sanitary and Phytosanitary checks at Northern Ireland’s Points of Entry required by the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - 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 requirement of 'wash certificates' for all second-hand agricultural vehicles moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and what plans they have to provide financial assistance to traders of agricultural vehicles to cover the cost of those certificates.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Now that the transition period has ended, Great Britain is treated as a third country by the European Union and vice-versa. Building on the existing practice established to maintain the Single Epidemiological Unit on the island of Ireland, both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland remain aligned with EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary rules. Consequently, used agricultural machinery exported from England, Scotland or Wales to Northern Ireland are subject to EU import controls including the requirement for a phytosanitary certificate. Used agricultural and forestry machinery must be cleaned free of soil and plant debris prior to shipping to meet EU import requirements and in order for a phytosanitary certificate to be issued.
Defra has put in place the Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) to support and assist traders moving plants, plant products, agrifood and agricultural machinery from GB to NI. In addition to providing advice and guidance through a dedicated helpline service, MAS minimises business uncertainty by reimbursing or defraying some of the direct costs of certification that traders will incur as a result of the new requirements. Therefore, if a business is moving used agricultural or forestry machinery from GB to NI, they do not need to pay for the phytosanitary certificates. Defra will monitor the performance of the scheme and review it after three months to determine how to best provide ongoing support to traders.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - 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 on Lough Neagh eel fishermen of no longer being able to sell their produce to Great Britain; and what steps they will take to ensure that businesses in Northern Ireland can trade freely with Great Britain.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
European Eel is a critically endangered species and, as such, its trade is tightly regulated. As a result of the Northern Ireland protocol, trade in European Eel to and from Northern Ireland now falls under the EU’s rules. Lough Neagh Fisherman's Co-operative can continue to access the EU market for European Eel, which normally accounts for over 80% of their sales. The UK Government has made the scientific case for some continued trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, on the basis that it would not be detrimental to the species as a whole. However, the EU have not accepted this case so, Lough Neagh Fisherman's Co-operative will be unable to trade European Eel with Great Britain during 2021. The Government is seeking independent peer review of the scientific case for ongoing trade and will re-present this case to the EU later in 2021, for further consideration. The Government is also exploring other options to reduce the regulatory requirements for movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain of the limited goods to which they apply.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that meat and poultry imported from overseas has been raised in compliance with UK guidelines on the use of antibiotics in farming; what tests are carried out on imported meat and poultry; and whether the results of such tests are published.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Imported products of animal origin are monitored based on the nature of the products and the risk they represent, as required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2130, which is part of EU retained law.
The UK Government is committed to working with global partners to improve standards on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), for example through participation in the Codex Alimentarius AMR Task Force revision of the “Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance”, as well as by promoting global ‘one health’ action on AMR through our commitments under the UK National Action Plan for AMR 2019-24.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the UK's performance in addressing antimicrobial resistance in animals compared to (1) the 27 Member States of the EU, and (2) other developed economies.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
There is considerable variation in levels and trends of antimicrobial resistance between the UK and European Member States and other global partners, for example the USA, Canada and Japan. The UK is among those countries which have made most progress in addressing antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from animals in recent years.
In terms of comparing antibiotic sales between countries, the latest published data in the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption project, which compared antimicrobial sales data for food producing animals across EEA countries and Switzerland for 2017 (published Oct 2019), shows that in 2017 the UK had the fifth lowest level of antibiotic consumption in food-producing animals (32.5 mg/kg) of the 31 European countries reporting this data (only Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland are lower). This project is available here: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/report/sales-veterinary-antimicrobial-agents-31-european-countries-2017_en.pdf The US, Canada and Japan also publish antibiotic sales data: Canada published an overall sales figure for 2016 of 150mg/kg, which was an 18% reduction on their 2015 sales. USA and Japan do not report in mg/kg but do publish data on tonnes of antibiotic active ingredient used for food producing animals. The USA reported a reduction of 38% between 2015 and 2018 whereas Japan showed an increase of 2.8% between 2013 and 2016.
We continue to be committed to working with livestock sectors to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use and have achieved a 53% reduction in sales of antibiotics for food-producing animals between 2013 and 2018. We are also committed to working alongside our global partners to promote data sharing and responsible antibiotic use.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - 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 UK's progress in reducing the human consumption of veterinary antimicrobials; how this progress compares with that of other European countries; and whether the collection of data at farm level is adequate.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals. Over the last five years (2014-18) our approach has seen a 53% decrease in antibiotic sales for farmed animals, including a drop of two thirds in those antibiotics most critically important for human health, and in 2017 the UK had the fifth lowest level of antibiotic consumption in food-producing animals of the 31 European countries reporting these data. This has been achieved through working collaboratively with vets and farmers, most notably through the Targets Task Force chaired by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance to implement the goals of the UK National Action Plan, recognising that good farm management, biosecurity, and animal husbandry systems are crucial to minimise the occurrence of disease and therefore the need for antibiotics.
The UK’s sales and surveillance data is published in our annual Veterinary Annual Sales and Surveillance report and presents antibiotic usage data from ten sectors including the pig, poultry and fish industries. This data is collected on a voluntary basis by the livestock sectors and shared with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate; this demonstrates a strong willingness to share data openly and UK farming sectors are continuing to refine and develop new systems for collecting, and reporting on, antibiotic usage.
Data on human consumption of antimicrobials is monitored and published annually by Public Health England in its English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance[1] report.
[1] The English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR), run by Public Health England, develops and maintains robust surveillance systems for monitoring and reporting trends in antimicrobial use and to develop systems to optimise antimicrobial prescribing across healthcare settings. The ESPAUR report 2018 to 2019 can be viewed here:
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government where they intend to establish border control posts in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Northern Ireland Protocol was designed as a practical solution to avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, whilst ensuring that the UK, including Northern Ireland, could leave the EU as a whole. In implementing the Protocol, the Government’s top priority remains protecting Northern Ireland’s place in our United Kingdom, and preserving the huge gains from the peace process and the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
Whilst the Protocol is in force, both the UK and EU must respect and abide by the legal obligations it contains, as well as our other international law obligations.
The Protocol will require changes to provide for agrifood checks and assurance as goods move into Northern Ireland, building on the provisions that already exist to support the Single Epidemiological Unit on the island of Ireland. This will include a need for agrifood goods from Great Britain to enter Northern Ireland via a Border Control Post (BCP), designated for the type of goods it will handle.
As set out in the Command Paper on The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol published on 20 May, the Government is taking forward this work with the Northern Ireland Executive. We have already confirmed that existing BCP designations at Belfast Port, Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Airport and Warrenpoint Port will be maintained.
At a minimum we expect to expand the categories of commodities that can be handled at Belfast Port, and to designate Larne Port for live animal imports. Checks are already currently carried out at Larne on all livestock entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, but the existing facility does not currently have formal EU approval. Subject to further work with the Northern Ireland Executive and delivery partners, further designations may also be required at other existing sites. There will be no construction at points of entry where no plant or animal health checks are currently carried out.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - 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 environmental damage caused in the UK by the illegal laundering of fuel.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Dissolution. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether farmers in Northern Ireland will continue to receive financial support at current levels until 2024.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
This Government has made a commitment that the amount we allocate to farming support - in cash terms - will be protected until the end of this Parliament, expected in 2022.
Decisions on future funding arrangements will be taken by the Government drawing on representations from the devolved administrations. We have committed to ensure that all parts of the UK are treated fairly and their individual circumstances are taken into account.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for the introduction of a bill on agriculture.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
As announced in the Queen’s Speech, we intend to introduce a bill on agriculture this session, as soon as parliamentary time allows.