Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to work with other governments to include a ban on hunting trophies in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
There are no proposals tabled at the CITES CoP18 on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to work with other governments to classify giraffes as an endangered species.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously and is also guided by evidence.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is internationally recognised for its work in identifying the conservation status of species, known as the “Red List”. IUCN currently classifies Giraffes as ‘Vulnerable’. For the extinction risk of Giraffes to be increased to ‘Endangered’ the species must meet several additional classification criteria, for example a considerable reduction in population size must be seen.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce legislation to prohibit individuals who have been engaged in trophy hunting from entering the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously, with imports of hunting trophies into the UK subject to strict controls under the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.
The UK is also continuing to work hard on the international stage to agree tough, transparent, global standards on trophy hunting to make sure hunting safeguards are of the highest standard and there is no impact on the sustainability of the species concerned. We will continue to discuss this with other countries.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to work with other governments, including (1) the government of South Africa, and (2) the government the United States, to end canned hunting.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously, with imports of hunting trophies into the UK subject to strict controls under the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.
The UK is also continuing to work hard on the international stage to agree tough, transparent, global standards on trophy hunting to make sure hunting safeguards are of the highest standard and there is no impact on the sustainability of the species concerned. We will continue to discuss this with other countries.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to ban the import of hunting trophies into the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously, with imports of hunting trophies into the UK subject to strict controls under the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.
The UK is also continuing to work hard on the international stage to agree tough, transparent, global standards on trophy hunting to make sure hunting safeguards are of the highest standard and there is no impact on the sustainability of the species concerned. We will continue to discuss this with other countries.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of South Africa about the practice of canned hunting of lions.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey MP raised this issue with the Government of South Africa in 2016.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the use of glyphosate is consistent with plans to conserve and increase the population of pollinating insects in the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
For all pesticides, the Government carries out a thorough assessment of the scientific evidence, drawing on advice from experts in the Health and Safety Executive and the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. The current evidence shows that glyphosate pesticides do not carry unacceptable risks to pollinators and can therefore be authorised. Ministers have acted where the evidence shows an unacceptable impact on bees – for example, with respect to neonicotinoids.
Any highly effective means of removing flowering weeds can reduce the food and shelter available to pollinators. We are taking action to provide wildflower-rich habitat through the National Pollinator Strategy, including supporting partnerships of landowners and conservationists on large-scale habitat management projects. In 2015, we introduced new and simple agri-environment ‘packages’ to make it easier for farmers to put flowers back into fields. We are also raising awareness to help everyone support pollinators through action in their gardens and public spaces, through the ‘Bees’ Needs’ campaign.
The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan puts Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at the heart of its approach. This means developing and implementing policies that encourage and support sustainable crop protection with the use of pesticides and their impact kept to a minimum.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidelines they have issued to local authorities on the use of glyphosate on grass verges, park paths, walkways, council gardens and road verges.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Those who use, or cause or permit others to apply, glyphosate or other plant protection products are subject to a number of legal requirements. This includes a requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the general public. The requirements and approaches to good practice are set out in the Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products and an accompanying guidance note. Specific requirements and advice for using a particular product are set out on the label.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (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 quantity of glyphosate that has been used by each local authority in England and the cost to each of such use in the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
This data is not collected. A regular survey of the amenity use of pesticides is conducted as part of the long-standing system of Pesticide Usage Surveys carried out by Fera Science Ltd. The most recent survey gives data and information on usage for 2016 for those local authorities who submitted data. It does not, however, include cost data and does not give figures for individual local authorities.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban the use of glyphosate.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The effects of glyphosate on wildlife have been carefully assessed as part of the regulatory process for pesticides. The effects of glyphosate itself were considered by the EU when deciding whether to approve the substance. UK regulatory scientists participated in the assessment made by the European Food Safety Authority and agreed with its conclusions. The Government therefore supported the decision at the end of 2017 to continue the approval of glyphosate.
All products containing glyphosate are individually authorised and the Government will not authorise products for which the scientific assessment suggests that there may be unacceptable effects on wildlife.
Decisions on glyphosate are based on regulatory studies which companies are required to commission to support their applications. Relevant published data is also considered. The Government is not carrying out its own research on the environmental impact of glyphosate use because a comprehensive evidence base is already available.