Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the levels of fipronil and imidacloprid in bodies of water, and (2) the impact on those levels of routinely administering those substances to pets in the absence of flea infestation or risk; and what advice, if any, they provide to veterinarians about the use of those substances.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) leads the cross‑Government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group and has published a roadmap responding to fipronil and imidacloprid detected in UK waterways. While the VMD does not undertake environmental monitoring of these substances, we liaise with the environment agencies that do, all of whom are represented on the PiE Group.
VMD‑funded studies show that topical spot‑on flea and tick products can contribute to environmental levels through wastewater pathways and when treated dogs swim.
Routine or preventive use may contribute to environmental inputs; however, there is no shared definition of risk‑based use across the companion animal sector. Prophylactic treatment may be appropriate in some cases, in the prevention of parasitic disease and zoonotic transfer, and the clinical justification for the decisions made by the attending veterinarian for such use is overseen independently of the VMD.
The VMD is funding research on how pet owner behaviours influence environmental outcomes to inform future communications and policy to promote responsible use. Alongside this, the VMD will launch national stewardship messaging in spring 2026 and is reviewing distribution categories to consider whether professional advice should be required at point of sale, helping protect both animal health and the environment.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential to use powers in the Environment Act 2021 to designate fipronil and imidacloprid as priority substances and to require environmental quality standards in relation to those substances.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Environmental quality standards are fundamental to the effective assessment and regulation of chemical impacts. This commitment has already been made in the roadmap produced by the cross-Governmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group.
The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good. It sets out how we will deliver on our promise to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas – not just for today, but for generations to come. We have committed to explore setting new ambitious overarching targets for the water environment. In the meantime, we continue to work towards our obligation to secure continuous improvement for the water environment.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are conducting any studies or policy reviews regarding the introduction of environmental quality standards for fipronil and imidacloprid.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Environmental quality standards are fundamental to the effective assessment and regulation of chemical impacts. This commitment has already been made in the roadmap produced by the cross-Governmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group.
The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good. It sets out how we will deliver on our promise to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas – not just for today, but for generations to come. We have committed to explore setting new ambitious overarching targets for the water environment. In the meantime, we continue to work towards our obligation to secure continuous improvement for the water environment.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce environmental quality standards for fipronil and imidacloprid.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Environmental quality standards are fundamental to the effective assessment and regulation of chemical impacts. This commitment has already been made in the roadmap produced by the cross-Governmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group.
The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good. It sets out how we will deliver on our promise to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas – not just for today, but for generations to come. We have committed to explore setting new ambitious overarching targets for the water environment. In the meantime, we continue to work towards our obligation to secure continuous improvement for the water environment.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the value of agricultural support payments per capita in real terms in (1) Cornwall, (2) Devon, and (3) England, in each year since 2010.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Rural Payments Agency makes agricultural support payments to eligible farmers in England. The following figures represent the total direct aid paid to Cornwall, Devon and England for 2015 and 2016 under the Basic Payment Scheme; and for each year between 2010 and 2014 under its predecessor, the Single Payment Scheme. The average payment value represents that paid to eligible claimants for each year. Data is relevant to the claimant population
SPS scheme 2010 - 2014
Year | England | Devon | Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | |||
SPS GBP | Number | SPS GBP | Number | SPS GBP | Number | |
2010 | 1,781,954,062 | 104,285 | £ 98,514,541 | 9,353 | £ 52,546,385 | 4,775 |
2011 | 1,787,132,090 | 104,007 | £ 98,169,419 | 9,357 | £ 52,727,507 | 4,759 |
2012 | 1,649,543,922 | 103,899 | £ 90,430,011 | 9,350 | £ 48,462,249 | 4,738 |
2013 | 1,673,641,321 | 103,109 | £ 91,655,239 | 9,309 | £ 49,139,301 | 4,706 |
2014 | 1,538,089,242 | 101,584 | £ 83,316,822 | 9,117 | £ 44,847,068 | 4,657 |
BPS scheme 2015 - 2016
Year | England | Devon | Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | |||
BPS GBP | Volume Paid | BPS GBP | Volume Paid | BPS GBP | Volume Paid | |
2015 | 1,407,810,704 | 86,931 | 77,634,876 | 7,710 | £ 40,476,454 | 3,881 |
2016 | 1,650,041,395 | 85,316 | 90,852,407 | 7,582 | £ 47,830,601 | 3,796 |
Average per claim (both schemes)
Year | Scheme | England | Devon | Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |
Average Per Claim | Average Per Claim | Average Per Claim | ||
2010 | SPS | £17,087 | £10,533 | £11,004 |
2011 | SPS | £17,183 | £10,492 | £11,080 |
2012 | SPS | £15,876 | £9,672 | £10,228 |
2013 | SPS | £16,232 | £9,846 | £10,442 |
2014 | SPS | £15,141 | £9,139 | £9,630 |
2015 | BPS | £16,195 | £10,069 | £10,429 |
2016 | BPS | £19,340 | £11,983 | £12,600 |
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 September (HL2164), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the letter from the UK Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission to the governments of Denmark and the Faroe Islands about concerns over the welfare and sustainability of their hunts.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 16 September (HL2163), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the letter of July 2015 from the Minister of State for Farming, Food and Marine Environment to the government of Japan on the United Kingdom's opposition to their ongoing coastal hunts and continued programme of lethal scientific research on cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises); and also a copy of any reply received.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A copy of both the letter and the response received will be placed in the Library of the House. These are also attached for reference.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 September (HL2164), what were the responses received from the government of the Faroe Islands; and whether they will place any written responses in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
At the time of writing, no formal written response has yet been received from the Faroese Government.
However, as a result of our continued efforts, UK Government officials were invited to a meeting this month with officials from the Representation of the Faroes. This initial meeting provided a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views and, importantly, presents an opportunity for further dialogue with the Faroese authorities on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of the Faroe Islands to discourage the annual killing of dolphins and pilot whales in the Faroe Islands.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The UK Government continues to raise its opposition to the hunting of dolphins and pilot whales with the Government of the Faroe Islands at every appropriate opportunity.
Most recently, in June 2015 the UK Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) wrote to the Danish and Faroese Governments to re-iterate our concerns over the welfare and sustainability of their hunts. This follows a visit to the Faroe Islands in March, during which the [then] Secretary of State for Scotland raised the UK’s concerns with the Faroese Prime Minister. Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Denmark has also previously visited the Faroe Islands and raised the issue in a meeting with the Faroese Prime Minister and Fisheries Ministry officials. Further, in his address to the International Whaling Commission meeting in September 2014, the Minister of State for farming, food and marine environment, George Eustice, stressed the UK's strong support for finding alternatives to hunting and for improving the conservation and welfare of cetaceans globally.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Japan to discourage the annual killing of dolphins in the town of Taiji in Japan.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The UK Government raises its opposition to the annual coastal dolphin hunts that take place in Taiji, Japan, at every appropriate opportunity.
In July 2015, Minister of State for Farming, Food and Marine Environment, George Eustice MP, wrote to the Japanese Government to raise the UK’s opposition to their on-going coastal hunts and continued programme of lethal scientific research on cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises).
Prior to this, the UK Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) met the Japanese Commissioner to the IWC in May 2015 and officials from the Japanese Embassy in March 2015, where he strongly re-iterated the UK Government’s opposition to their continued hunting of cetaceans. Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Japan has also written previously to the Japanese Government on this issue.