Agriculture and Fisheries Council (November)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
I attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 28 and 29 November in Brussels covering agricultural issues. I was accompanied by the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath), and the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responsible for the natural environment, water and rural affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), who spoke on fisheries issues. Alun Davies AM, Richard Lochhead MSP and Michelle O’Neil MLA also attended.
The substantive business of the Council began with a lunch for agriculture Ministers during which we discussed the topic, proposed by the presidency, of “the current context of CAP reform”. In the course of discussion it became clear that a significant number of member states did not share the presidency’s view that agreement of a “partial general approach” on the CAP reform proposals could be achieved at the December Council. The presidency accordingly indicated that they would instead provide a report of the progress made on the reform package.
Discussion in the formal session of Council covered three aspects of the CAP reform package, addressing a series of questions posed by the presidency to guide discussion.
On greening of direct payments, the presidency sought views on the concept of equivalence, governing any flexibility accorded to member states on how they implemented the requirements. All agreed that an equivalence regime had to be simple, transparent and efficient. Some member states highlighted the need for some form of ex ante approval process to ensure that “equivalent” measures implemented would not subsequently be deemed insufficient by auditors. Several member states stated that it was important to avoid double funding of the same actions through both direct payments, and rural development funding, but there was little clarity on how this would be achieved.
On the regulation governing the Single Common Market Organisation the discussion focused on whether to retain the date of 2015 for ending beet sugar production quota, as agreed in previous reforms, and on vine planting rights. On sugar, some member states wanted to keep to the original agreement and end quotas in 2015, most beet-producing countries wanted to maintain quota until at least 2020 and those countries which conceded quota previously argued to have it returned. The Commission (Ciolos) held firm on its proposal. Member states also raised aspects of the regulation they were unhappy with. These included milk quotas, vine planting rights, marketing standards, reference prices and producer organisations.
On the rural development regulation, member states raised important outstanding issues. Most member states felt this was the closest regulation to agreement but more work was needed on several detailed aspects.
Council considered a Commission proposal to permit the use of lactic acid as an anti-microbial surface treatment. No member state changed its previously indicated position, and the Council offered no opinion. If the European Parliament does not reject the proposal (which now seems likely as the Parliament’s Environment Committee approved it), it will be referred back to the Commission to adopt once the four-month scrutiny period expires on 3 February 2013.
Under any other business a report on the rural development error rate was raised by Commissioner Ciolos. At above 7%, it was the highest error rate across all EU budget lines and well above the materiality threshold of 2%. He identified some reasons why this might be the case and suggested that simplification as part of CAP reform could make implementation simpler.
Spain raised the EU-Morocco agriculture agreement, complaining that import prices for tomatoes from Morocco were below the agreed entry price. In response, the Commission pointed out that this is not unusual for this time of year, concluding that this is an issue for national customs authorities who implement the regulations. Spain acknowledged this but thought the Commission should do more to ensure that the correct levies were being applied throughout the EU.
Austria tabled a short paper on their “New European Food Model”, and a number of member states supported the initiative, despite its absence of clarity on mechanisms. The Commission suggested it would be a good topic for a future informal Agriculture Council, once CAP reform had concluded.
On fisheries business the Council agreed total allowable catches for 2013 and 2014 for deep-sea species. This was agreed by qualified majority vote, with Sweden voting against. In line with UK requests, alongside the final text the Commission tabled a declaration on the need to seek scientific advice on adding the lowfin gulper shark to the list of species defined as deep sea sharks.
On EU/Norway the Council heard an update from the Commission on the first round of talks, and were invited to highlight priorities for the second round taking place 3 to 7 December. The UK underlined the importance of a successful outcome on North sea cod and mackerel.
Under any other business Denmark called for a more streamlined decision-making process for fixing the catch limits for Norway pout. The Netherlands also tabled a paper on their concerns on the technical conditions under the new protocol for the EU/Mauritania fisheries agreement.
Environmental Council
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
My noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for resource management, the local environment and environmental science, Lord de Mauley, will represent the UK at the EU Environment Council in Brussels on 17 December. Environment Ministers from the devolved Administrations will also attend.
At this Council, Ministers are expected to adopt non-legislative Council conclusions on “A Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources”. This is the European Commission’s new strategy to make water use more sustainable in the EU and to ensure good quality water for human needs, economic activities and the environment. The majority of the blueprint actions are non-regulatory measures such as producing new guidance documents, integrating EU water policy into other EU policies and improving enforcement of existing EU legislation. There is only one possible new legislative proposal, which relates to maximising water reuse.
The presidency will then lead an exchange of views on “Greening the European Semester”. The publication of the annual growth survey on 28 November 2012 signalled the start of the third European semester. The annual growth survey 2013 will be discussed at various EU Councils in preparation for the spring European Council in March 2013. At this Environment Council, discussion will focus on the bottlenecks hindering the achievement of Europe 2020 resource efficiency objectives, and on identifying the measures in the field of resource efficiency and climate action which have the biggest potential to contribute to growth and job creation.
Over lunch, Ministers will have the opportunity to exchange views on the outcome of the climate change conference which recently took place in Doha, Qatar, and the way forward to the second Kyoto commitment period.
In the afternoon, there will be a legislative orientation debate on the seventh environment action programme (seventh EAP). The proposals were first presented on 29 November, and include nine priority objectives for policy development in the period up to 2020. The orientation debate at Council will examine whether the seventh EAP meets expectations and addresses the shortcomings identified in the sixth EAP, if it covers the current and emerging environmental challenges, and whether the nine priority objectives are adequate and pragmatic. It is expected that the presidency will want to seek early agreement from member states on the headline messages of the programme.
The following topics will also be covered under “any other business”:
Information from the presidency on the progress of work regarding the proposed regulation on the new LIFE programme.
Information from the presidency on a proposal for a directive on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy (priority substances).
Information from the presidency on a proposal for a directive amending directive 2011/92/EU of the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.
Information from the presidency on a mechanism for monitoring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and for reporting other information at national and Union-level relevant to climate change.
Information from the presidency on a proposal for a decision on accounting rules and action plans on greenhouse gas emissions and removals resulting from activities related to land use, land use change and forestry.
Information from the presidency and the Commission on the outcome of the 18th conference of the parties to the United Nations convention on climate change (COP18) and eighth conference of the parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto protocol (CMP8) (Qatar, 26 November-7 December 2012).
Information from the presidency on proposals to amend the regulations defining the modalities for reaching the 2020 target to reduce CO2 emissions from new light commercial vehicles and from new passenger cars.
The EU emissions trading scheme and aviation, including information from the Commission on the carbon market report, and information from the Polish delegation on proposed changes in the volumes of greenhouse gas emission allowance to be auctioned in 2013-20 (backloading), and the impact on budget incomes.
Information from the Irish delegation on the work programme of the incoming presidency.
Environment Agency and Natural England (Review)
Owen Paterson Excerpts(11 years, 11 months ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
The Government are committed to high levels of environmental protection and to the effectiveness of the bodies entrusted with those obligations. Today I am announcing the start of the review of the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England (NE). This review is part of the Government’s rolling programme of reviews of non-departmental public bodies.
The review will consider the functions and form of the EA and NE to ensure that delivery arrangements are sufficiently strong and resilient to deliver the Government’s environment and flood risk management priorities and statutory obligations in the short and longer term, while also achieving better quality outcomes for the environment, the economy and for people on a sustainable basis.
The review will also assess the opportunities for innovation, cost saving and improvements in service delivery for customers. It will have due regard to affordability and best value for money for the taxpayer.
I am committed to conducting the review through an open, inclusive and evidence-based approach, working closely with the EA and NE and their stakeholders to ensure they have the opportunity to contribute their views. I am issuing a discussion paper today, inviting responses by 4 February 2013.
I have established a challenge group, chaired by Dame Deirdre Hutton, to rigorously and robustly test the assumptions and conclusions of the review.
Terms of reference for the review, a copy of the discussion paper and the terms of reference for the challenge group have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
I expect to announce the findings of the review and recommendations in spring 2013.
Oral Answers to Questions
Owen Paterson Excerpts(11 years, 11 months ago)
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Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)
3. What recent discussions he has had on flooding.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
First, I offer my condolences to those who lost family and friends in the recent floods, and my sympathies to those whose lives have been disrupted.
I have had many discussions recently on flooding. On 23 November, I met representatives from all the public services in Northampton to discuss their experiences. Last week, I visited Exeter and Kennford to talk about flooding with local communities there. My ministerial colleagues, my officials and I are also in regular contact with our counterparts in other Departments and agencies on flooding issues.
Bill Esterson
I associate myself with the Secretary of State’s remarks about those who suffered in the recent floods. Given the misery caused by flooding to many people throughout the country, does he agree that we should do everything we can to prevent building on land that floods? Will he remind the planning Minister that his comments about building on the countryside have caused great concern among those facing the risk of flooding?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments about those who have suffered so much in the recent floods.
The recent national planning policy framework is absolutely clear. It seeks to ensure that development is located away from flood risk wherever possible; that the development that is needed in flood-risk areas is safe and resilient; that flood risk is assessed so it can be avoided and managed; and that opportunities offered by new development are used to reduce the causes and impacts of flooding.
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con)
The Secretary of State’s hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary of State, will have seen the heart-wrenching devastation caused by terrible flooding last weekend in the town of Malmesbury in my constituency. They were not new houses on flood plains; 500-year-old cottages on the verge of the river were particularly badly affected. The people there are badly affected by the fact that they cannot get contents insurance. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to enter into negotiations with the Association of British Insurers to reach a solution that will allow everyone, whether in flood-affected areas or not, to insure the contents of their houses?
Mr Paterson
I wholeheartedly concur with my hon. Friend’s comments about the real difficulties faced in Malmesbury, which was visited by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State.
The first meeting I had outside the office was with the ABI in September, and we have been working closely in recent weeks. We are involved in detailed negotiations, as the statement of principles was always going to come to an end in 2013. We want to achieve a better system of insurance that is as comprehensive as possible, provides affordability, and is not a huge burden on the taxpayer. Those detailed negotiations are continuing. The ball is in the ABI’s court and we look forward to hearing from it shortly.
Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)
13. The floods in the past few weeks have highlighted the importance of affordable home insurance for home owners in constituencies such as Easington, Wansbeck, and across the north-east and the whole country. We were promised a deal on flood insurance by July this year. We heard from the Prime Minister that Oliver Letwin is in charge of the negotiations. Will the Secretary of State tell us why this policy has been so badly delayed? Will he clarify the position to the House?
Mr Paterson
I remind the hon. Gentleman that the statement of principles was always going to run out in 2013. That was confirmed in 2008, and we inherited absolutely nothing from his Government. We have been working closely with the ABI. We are in detailed negotiations and I totally agree with him that we want to achieve a system that is affordable and as comprehensive as possible, and which is not a burden on the taxpayer. We are working towards that. These are detailed negotiations, but I cannot conduct them in public or on the Floor of the House of Commons.
Mr Paterson
I enjoyed my visit to Exeter and I pay tribute to everyone who pulled together—councils, public services, the Environment Agency and all those who managed to repair the railway line. I saw where it had been breached and they got the line working the day after I was there. I hope it reassures my hon. Friend to hear that the first phone call I made on leaving Exeter was to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport who had already been on the case to ensure that the vital rail link was restored. I totally endorse my hon. Friend’s point about transport links and flooding.
Mary Creagh (Wakefield) (Lab)
I echo the condolences of the Secretary of State to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the floods.
Last week, there was an announcement of a new £120 million U-turn on flood defence spending. However, even after that announcement, the Government will still spend less on flood defences in 2013 than Labour spent in 2008. Just 30% of that money will be spent next year because the Environment Agency no longer has the staff capacity to get the money out of the door. It is difficult to decide which is more incompetent: cutting the budget too far in the first place or, when they change their mind, not having the capacity to get the money out of the door and to the communities that need it.
Mr Paterson
I love the way the hon. Lady always looks for the downside in a story—her ingenuity is tremendous. The fact is that on 11 September, within a week of coming in, I met the chairman of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith. We saw a great scheme, which, in fairness, her Government launched in Nottingham. I asked him to come forward with proposals for future flood schemes, as the benefits in Nottingham were clear—not just 16,000 houses protected by the £45 million scheme, but the 500 acres freed up for development, which had previously been blighted. He wrote to me, quickly, on 26 September, and I am happy to give the hon. Lady the letter. We have put what he asked for into practice, to the letter: another £120 million, which will be of great benefit and save a further 60,000 houses from flooding.
Mr Speaker
I appeal to colleagues to speed up the exchanges. We have a lot to get through, and questions and answers are too long.
Mary Creagh
Of course, it is great to build flood defences, but it is just as important to maintain the ones we already have and to keep our rivers clear. Yesterday, however, the Chancellor announced that a further £60 million would be cut from DEFRA’s budget, so can the Secretary of State guarantee that no further cuts will fall on the Environment Agency’s river-dredging and maintenance budget, which is already set to fall from £108 million in 2010 to just £60 million in 2015?
Mr Paterson
As the hon. Lady knows, we inherited a hideous mess from her Government and are taking time to put it right in a very difficult world environment. I have to go back to my early reading, when I came into the House, of “Erskine May”, but she must stick to the truth on these issues. In total, with all the agencies involved, the Government will spend more over the four-year term than the Labour Government spent over their last four-year spending round.
Mr Speaker
I know that the Secretary of State was not suggesting that the hon. Lady would knowingly tell an untruth. He would not suggest that, I am sure, because he would be in breach of the conventions of the House if he were to do so. Will he confirm that he was not suggesting that she would knowingly tell an untruth?
Mr Speaker
Order. I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. I think we will take that as a no. He is not suggesting anything of the sort, but simply seeking to put his own position on the record, for which we are grateful.
Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)
5. What assessment he has made of the effect of partnership funding on the provision of flood defences.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
Partnership funding is enabling more flood and coastal schemes to go ahead and giving local people more choice in how their community is protected. The approach has brought forward £72 million of external funding so far. This is likely to increase further, compared with the £13 million during the previous period. Early indications suggest that up to a third more schemes will go ahead in the coming years than if the previous funding system had remained.
Graham Evans
Has the Department been liaising with insurance companies to help individuals affected by the most recent floods, such as the businesses that were affected in Northwich?
Mr Paterson
I enjoyed my visit to Northwich and pay tribute to all who have worked so hard to put the town straight after a difficult time in the floods. We are working with a range of agencies, including the insurance industry, to ensure that floods cause as little disruption to people’s lives as possible.
Chris Williamson (Derby North) (Lab)
In a press statement issued earlier this year outlining the £120 million of additional funding that would be made available for flood defence work, the Secretary of State mentioned Derby. Some 2,000 households in Chester Green and Darley Abbey are at risk of flooding. The city council has an excellent scheme of flood defence works. Can he outline the percentage that would be expected from the city council to get those works under way?
Mr Paterson
We are working on the details of the extra money as we speak, but the hon. Gentleman might be pleased to note that Derby was mentioned in the letter that Lord Smith wrote to me on 26 September. I would strongly urge the hon. Gentleman to get involved in the negotiations and push for his town.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
6. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that super-dairies do not have a detrimental effect on animal welfare and traditional British farming.
Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
10. What representations he has received on his Department’s response to the recent floods; and if he will make a statement.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her letter on behalf of the Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, making representations on my Department’s flood response. I will reply in due course. During my visits to Northampton, Exeter and Kennford, I have also had a number of useful representations from the people affected, emergency services and local councillors.
Miss McIntosh
I am grateful for that reply. A ministerial visit to North Yorkshire would be most welcome. We have experienced flooding for the second time since September. I would like to join the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mary Creagh) in what she said about drains. What has been a feature since 2007 is surface water flooding—clean water mixing with foul water, coming into people’s homes. The SUDS—sustainable urban draining systems—regulations need to be adopted as a matter of urgency, as 2014 is simply unacceptable. I think the British public expect DEFRA to act as a matter of urgency.
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her question. The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon) visited York recently, and we fully take on board how people have been affected. The question of getting water away is very relevant, and the Environment Agency is quite clear that drainage channels have to be kept free for flow, but for the real emergencies such as those we have had, the priority has to be protection of life and serious damage to property. The question of the SUDS regulations is complicated, which is why we are intending to bring them in in 2014. I am happy to discuss that with my hon. Friend outside the Chamber.
Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)
One of the most pressing and important long-term responses to the challenge of flooding is the protection of those 200,000 home owners who will be left without insurance, leaving their homes unmortgageable and unsellable, if the Minister cannot get a deal. The Association of British Insurers has described discussions on flood insurance as “stalled”. Will the right hon. Gentleman be able to lay out calmly what he believes is the last acceptable date for a deal?
Mr Paterson
I would like to reassure the shadow Minister that the talks are not stalled. We have had detailed discussions on a regular basis with the ABI—before I came into office in September and since. I am not going to put a date on it, because we want to get to a system that improves on the current statement of principles. To repeat what I said earlier, we want something that is affordable and as comprehensive as possible but which is not a burden on the taxpayer. We intend to carry on these detailed negotiations, but I cannot conduct them in public.
Mr Speaker
May I remind the House that topical questions and answers to them should be brief? Perhaps we can do better in this part of the proceedings than we did in the first part.
Stephen Barclay (North East Cambridgeshire) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
DEFRA is doing everything to seek to boost growth in the rural economy, improve the environment and safeguard the health of our plants and animals. I have this morning published our interim control plan for Chalara and the interim report of the expert taskforce on tree health and plant biosecurity, copies of which can be found in the Library. Our recent focus has, of course, been on the floods and the efforts to protect people’s lives, homes and businesses. I would like to place on record my condolences to those who have lost loved ones and my praise for the response of the emergency services, Government agencies and local authorities.
Stephen Barclay
Given the challenging weather conditions experienced by farmers this year and the shocking performance of the Rural Payments Agency under the last Government, can my right hon. Friend reassure me that there will be no unnecessary delays regarding single farm payments?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the chance to put straight the current record. He is right that the performance of the RPA was a real failure in previous years. As of 4 December, however, 96,037 customers with claims or 92.3% had been paid £1.4 billion. That is comfortably the RPA’s best ever performance and we will see it deliver its December payment targets by the end of this week, providing certainty to farmers at a very difficult time.
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)
T3. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Woodland Trust, known as Coed Cadw in Wales. As the Minister will know, over those 40 years some 16 million trees have been planted, but they are now facing a real challenge in the form of ash dieback. What steps is the Minister taking to work with the trust to overcome the problem?
Mr Paterson
I pay tribute to the Woodland Trust and its work, and to its 400,000 members, some of whom I enjoyed meeting at a reception in the House a couple of weeks ago. Today I am publishing an interim plan for controlling Chalara fraxinea, the pathogen that causes ash dieback, which sets out actions to build on existing participation in the process of identifying threats to tree health. That includes the provision of funds for a pilot project to develop a tree health early-warning system, involving volunteer groups such as the Woodland Trust, and the establishment of a “plant health network” of trained people to support official surveillance of Chalara and other pests. The Woodland Trust will play a very important role in that.
Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)
T8. Will the Minister join me in congratulating the Shark Alliance on its successful campaign against shark finning, and on closing the loophole in the European Union shark-finning ban? Will the Government now work to secure a complete ban on shark finning? As a first step, will they focus on securing international trade safeguards for vulnerable shark and ray species under the convention on international trade in endangered species when its signatories next meet in March?
Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
T4. I congratulate the Secretary of State on the work that he is doing in negotiating reforms of the common agricultural policy. Does he share my concern about potential delays owing to lack of agreement on the budget, and will he assure the House that farmers will have enough time to prepare for the next round of CAP reforms?
Mr Paterson
When I attended a meeting of the Agriculture Council last week, I made clear to my 26 colleagues that if we were not going to meet the 2014 deadline we should admit it now, and that all existing arrangements—such as the special arrangement on modulation—should continue until the settlement date, which may be 2015 or 2016.
Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
Unless every DEFRA Minister with a farm in his constituency is now disqualified from answering a farming question, will one of them now try to answer my question about the devastating impact of the Government’s proposed minimum alcohol price on the cider industry?
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
Will the Secretary of State press the European Union harder to open its markets to developing countries, especially in relation to the common agricultural policy?
Mr Paterson
As my hon. Friend knows, I am in favour of free trade in all products, because opening up markets gives real opportunity to our own farmers who want to export in the other direction.
Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)
Despite new flood defences along the River Trent, which provided great reassurance during the recent floods, many of my constituents cannot obtain affordable insurance for their homes. I listened carefully to the Secretary of State’s earlier answer about the floods, but when will he be able to reassure those people that they will be able to secure insurance in the future?
Mr Paterson
I think I made it clear to the hon. Member for Luton South (Gavin Shuker) that we want to get this right, but I am not going to place an artificial deadline on it. All of us, including the hon. Lady’s party, knew that the current arrangements would end in 2013. I repeat that we want to improve on those arrangements, and that it does not help when people make out, in the middle of negotiations, that the talks are foundering or in trouble. We are working very closely with the insurers, and we intend to secure a good deal for those whose houses are at risk of flooding.
Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
T5. The export of lamb and beef is a vital part of the Welsh agriculture industry. Is the Secretary of State making any progress in promoting British exports?
Mr Paterson
I recently visited China and Hong Kong, and celebrated a tremendous launch in Hong Kong of the exporting of beef on the bone. Last year we celebrated record food exports worth £18 billion, and thanks to the Prime Minister’s intervention, the beef export market has been opened up in Russia. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s Pembrokeshire neighbours at Trioni Ltd, who are looking forward to selling organic milk to the Chinese.
Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)
What is more important to the Secretary of State: appeasing the Treasury or securing affordable, accessible flood-risk insurance for those 200,000 homes and businesses in flood-risk areas?
Mr Paterson
I would like to reassure the hon. Gentleman—this is about the fourth or fifth time during these questions—that we are looking for a good, long-term deal that gives reassurance to his constituents who are worried about flooding, that is as comprehensive as possible and that is satisfactory to the taxpayer. We are working extremely closely with colleagues in the Treasury and the Cabinet Office, and we will come to a better arrangement than his Government left behind.
Nick de Bois (Enfield North) (Con)
T6. Given the growing incidence of plant disease across the globe and the increasingly global nature of trade, what plans does the Minister have to address the long-term threat of disease to our plants and trees?
Ash Tree Dieback
Owen Paterson Excerpts(11 years, 11 months ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
Further to my statement on 9 November 2012, Official Report, column 48WS, I am today setting out plans for the next few months to control Chalara and also publishing the interim report by the independent taskforce on tree health and plant biosecurity. The taskforce’s initial recommendations lay the groundwork for a radical reappraisal of what we can do to protect the UK from threats to plant and tree health.
The discovery of ash dieback caused by Chalara fraxinea in the UK earlier this year highlighted the importance of plant and tree health to our economy and environment. As well as providing direct employment in the forestry, horticulture and nursery sectors, our woods and forests provide valuable raw materials for many other uses, from wood fuel to construction and furniture-making. The value of woods and forests however goes beyond the economic. They provide habitats for a range of valuable habitats for our wildlife and places that are loved by communities for their beauty and the recreational opportunities. Individual trees on streets and in gardens enhance the local environment and people’s quality of life. Ash is the majority tree species in about 129,000 hectares of woodland out of Britain’s 3 million hectares of woodland. It represents just over 13% of all broadleaf cover in the UK.
Interim Control Plan for Chalara
This summarises the progress we have made in delivering the initial actions we set out on 9 November and outlines what further action we will take over the next few months. The scientific advice is that we will not be able to eradicate Chalara. Our objectives and actions for controlling the disease are therefore:
Objective 1—reducing the rate of spread
Maintain the ban on import and movement of ash trees;
Explore options for a targeted approach to management of infected trees by the end of March 2013;
Initiate research on spore production at infected sites;
Work with partners to publish targeted advice on movement of leaf litter.
Objective 2—developing resistance
Work across Europe to share data and experience on resistance to Chalara;
Work with research councils and other bodies in the UK to identify and prioritise research needs on resistance and ensure those needs are met.
Objective 3—encouraging public, landowner and industry engagement
Fund a feasibility study to accelerate the development of the ObservaTREE, a tree health early warning system using volunteer groups;
Develop a plant health network of trained people to support official surveillance and detection;
Continue to work with the OPAL consortium to develop the OPAL survey on tree health for launch in May 2013;
Support a biosecurity themed show garden at next year’s Chelsea flower show.
Objective 4—building resilience in the UK woodland and associated industries
Publish silvicultural guidance on adapting to Chalara;
Publish maps showing the distribution of important ash trees across Great Britain;
Work with the horticulture and nursery sectors on long-term resilience to the impact of Chalara and other plant health threats.
These actions are interim measures based on our current state of knowledge and will be updated as that knowledge develops over the coming months. Until the science becomes more certain, we will continue to apply a single, national response to the disease and the current ban on movements of ash trees in Great Britain will remain in place.
Landowners, voluntary organisations and the general public all have a crucial role to play in helping us implement this plan by identifying and managing the spread of the disease and adapting to its impact. The control plan sets out a number of actions to enable them to do this and new advice to landowners and woodland managers will be published today by the Forestry Commission alongside the control plan.
While our best hope of securing the future of the British ash tree lies with understanding the genetic variability in ash and identifying resistance to Chalara, the greatest area of uncertainty remains how we should deal with infected trees. To date we have been pursuing a policy of tracing and destroying young infected trees across Great Britain to slow the rate of spread. However, that is unlikely to be sustainable in the longer-term and there may be benefits from a more targeted approach. We will therefore work with stakeholders and experts over the coming months to explore the costs and benefits of a range of alternative approaches to slow the spread of Chalara.
I believe this approach will put us in the best possible position to respond with pace to the disease over the winter months while the disease is not spreading.
Task Force on Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity
In parallel to the work in response to Chalara in October, I asked my chief scientific advisor to convene an independent expert taskforce on tree health and plant biosecurity to assess the current disease threats to the UK and to make recommendations about how those threats could be addressed. The taskforce has produced an interim report which is also published today. Its recommendations are:
Develop a prioritised UK risk register for tree health and plant biosecurity;
Strengthen biosecurity to reduce risks at the border and within the UK;
Appoint a chief plant health officer to own the UK risk register and provide strategic and tactical leadership for managing those risks;
Review, simplify and strengthen governance and legislation;
Maximise the use of epidemiological intelligence from EU/other regions and work to improve the EU regulations concerned with tree and plant biosecurity;
Develop and implement procedures for preparedness and contingency planning to control the spread of disease;
Develop a modern, user-friendly, expert system to provide quick and intelligent access to data about tree health and plant biosecurity;
Identify and address key skills shortages.
I welcome these initial recommendations and look forward to receiving the taskforce’s final report in the spring.
I have arranged for copies of the interim control plan for Chalara and the interim report of the taskforce on tree health and plant biosecurity to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
However, Government alone cannot address this issue. Industry, landowners, environmental groups and the wider public all have an important part to play. Over the coming months, we will continue to work with all those who can play a role in developing innovative approaches to protecting our economy and the environment from the increasing threat posed by plant pests and diseases. I will return when I have considered the final recommendations from the taskforce, setting out my plans for radical action to reform our approach to plant and tree health in the light of the taskforce’s recommendations.
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Owen Paterson Excerpts(11 years, 11 months ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
The next Agriculture and Fisheries Council is on Wednesday 28 November and Thursday 29 November in Brussels. I will be representing the UK, accompanied by my hon. Friends the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responsible for the natural environment, water and rural affairs, the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), and the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath). Richard Lochhead MSP, Alun Davies AM and Michelle O’Neill MLA will also attend.
The first day will cover agricultural issues. The discussion will cover common agricultural policy (CAP) reform. Specifically the proposals on direct payments, the single CMO regulation, and rural development. There is an any other business point regarding increased error rates in rural development and corrective/preventative actions.
The second day will be dedicated to fisheries issues. The Council will discuss a proposal on the fixing for 2013 and 2014 fishing opportunities for EU vessels for certain deep sea stocks, and the EU/Norway 2013 negotiations. There is an any other business point about the fixing of the total allowable catch (TAC) for Norway pout.
Balance of Competences Review
Owen Paterson Excerpts(11 years, 11 months ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
I wish to inform the House that, further to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs’ oral statement launching the review of the balance of competences in July this year and the written statement on the progress of the review on 23 October 2012, Official Report, column 46WS, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency have published their call for evidence relating to the animal health, welfare and food safety report. This report will cover animal health, animal welfare and food safety—including feed safety, food labelling, quality and compositional standards.
The call for evidence will be open for 12 weeks. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency will draw together the evidence and policy analysis into a first draft which will subsequently go through a process of scrutiny before publication in summer 2013.
The report will focus on the issues associated with protecting animal health, welfare and food safety, where maintaining a strong internal market while allowing sufficient national and local choice on issues such as how to deal with risk creates some challenges and tensions. A key question for this review will be whether the benefits to the UK of protecting the functioning of the internal market justify the high level of EU competence in this area.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency will take a rigorous approach to the collection and analysis of evidence. The call for evidence sets out the scope of the report and includes a series of broad questions on which contributors are requested to focus. Interested parties are invited to provide evidence with regard to political, economic, social and technological factors. The evidence received (subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act) will be published alongside the final report in summer 2013 and will be available on the new Government website: www.gov.uk.
The Departments will pursue an active engagement process, consulting widely across Parliament and its Committees, the devolved Administrations, businesses and civil society in order to obtain evidence to contribute to our analysis of the issues. Our EU partners and the EU institutions will also be invited to contribute evidence to the review. As the review is to be objective and evidence-based, encouraging a wide range of interested parties to contribute will ensure a high yield of valuable information.
The resulting report will be a comprehensive, thorough and detailed analysis of what EU competence in the field of animal health and welfare and food and feed safety means for the UK. It will aid our understanding of the nature of our EU membership and will provide a constructive and serious contribution to the wider European debate about modernising, reforming and improving the EU. The report will not produce specific policy recommendations.
I am placing this document and the call for evidence in the Libraries of both Houses. They will also be published on the DEFRA and FSA websites and accessible through the balance of competences review pages on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.
Flooding
Owen Paterson Excerpts(11 years, 11 months ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
With permission, Mr. Speaker, I shall make a statement on flooding.
The House will be aware of the exceptional rainfall that has been experienced over the last few days, and will also be aware that as a result some areas across the United Kingdom have been flooded and others continue to be at risk of flooding. The Environment Agency currently has 197 flood warnings and 291 flood alerts in place in England and Wales.
Tragically, three people lost their lives over the weekend. Two were men whose cars were caught up in flood water in Somerset and Cambridgeshire, and the third was a woman who was killed in Devon by a falling tree. I am sure that the whole House will wish to express its profound sympathy to the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones.
Heavy rainfall is not unusual at this time of year. However, we experienced bands of low pressure over the weekend, bringing often intense rainfall on catchments that are now saturated. Areas in the south-west of England, Wales and the midlands received 20 to 30 mm —over an inch—of rain in most places, and up to 50 to 60 mm—over 2 inches—fell in 24 hours elsewhere. Persistent rain will continue to affect much of northern England, south-east Scotland and north Wales today.
As a result of the rain, there has been significant river and surface water flooding in Cornwall, Devon, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, the midlands, Yorkshire and Wales, and there is a continued risk of significant flooding in parts of north-east England and north Wales. More than 900 properties have been flooded, of which up to 500 are in the south-west, more than 200 in the midlands and more than 100 in Wales. A great many people have been evacuated, and the numbers may well increase given the further rain forecast for today and early tomorrow.
The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), visited Malmesbury in Wiltshire on Sunday, and saw for himself the damage caused by the flooding to homes in the centre of the town. I visited Northampton on Friday and Exeter and Kennford earlier today, and saw some of the devastation caused by the flooding there. I spoke to families who had had to leave their homes with their children in the middle of the night, and people who had flood water a good way up their walls. I really do want to praise the local Environment Agency and council staff, because this was a real example of partnership working in action.
I also feel desperately sorry for the residents of Kempsey, in Worcestershire, whose properties were flooded when the local pumps failed. The Environment Agency will be carrying out a detailed investigation into what happened.
Many areas, such as the Somerset levels, have experienced significant flooding of farmland. That has had a major impact on local farmers, who have lost grazing land and crops. In Somerset, which is still an area of serious concern, the Environment Agency is already working with the community to review the floods that have happened during 2012, and to consider how flood water could be better managed. The flooding has also disrupted road and rail networks. Many roads were closed, particularly in the south-west, in Solihull, across north Yorkshire, in Gloucestershire—including the M5—and in other areas, including County Durham and Teesside.
The main concerns for Network Rail have been the routes between Exeter and Taunton and between Exeter and Yeovil. The route between Exeter and Taunton was badly affected, with parts of the track under 2 feet of water. Buses have replaced trains in a number of areas. Some routes have reopened, although there may still be delays to some journeys. I saw some of the damaged track for myself, and since my visit I have discussed these issues with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.
I extend my sincere thanks to the many people who responded so magnificently to these events. They include staff of fire, ambulance, police and other rescue services, local authorities, the Environment Agency, the voluntary sector and local communities. I appreciate how hard everyone has been working, and how difficult it is for those whose homes and businesses have been affected. I assure the House that the Environment Agency and its local emergency partners, including local authorities, are working round the clock and doing all they can to prevent flooding in areas currently at risk. My officials have been working closely with other Departments throughout the recent events.
Protecting our communities against flooding is a vital priority for the Government, and I am pleased to say that over the past few days nearly 50,000 properties have been protected by recently built flood defences. The Environment Agency issued flood warnings to over 93,000 properties, and such warnings are often crucial in giving people time to protect their properties or move precious belongings to somewhere safe. More than 1.1 million households have now signed up to the Environment Agency’s flood warning system, and I encourage others at high flood risk to do the same.
Nationally held flood rescue equipment was deployed to support local partners in Devon and Cornwall; six high-volume pumps were used and four boats were deployed, managed locally by the fire and rescue service national co-ordination centre. As flood waters recede, we will move into the recovery effort, which will need support from across central, regional and local government, as well as from businesses and voluntary organisations. I know that local communities are pulling together as recovery operations begin in earnest.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will be activating the Bellwin scheme of emergency financial assistance to help local authorities with the immediate costs associated with protecting life and property in their areas. The scheme will reimburse local authorities for 85% of their eligible costs above the threshold. Government officials will also discuss recovery arrangements with local authorities in the areas affected.
The recent flooding has been a tragedy for those affected, and I finish by paying tribute to the wonderful community spirit that I, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury, and Members across the House have witnessed as communities rally round to support people in need. I shall, of course, keep the House informed of any further significant developments.
Mary Creagh (Wakefield) (Lab)
I thank the Secretary of State for his update.
I begin by paying tribute to the emergency services that worked to evacuate homes, rescue those who were stranded and keep people safe this weekend. I echo the Secretary of State’s thanks to staff of the Environment Agency and local councils who worked all weekend—and throughout the night on Saturday—clearing rivers and ensuring that flood defences were activated.
Hon. Members from across the House will wish to send their condolences to the family and friends of the three people who tragically lost their lives. With two months’ worth of rain set to fall in the north of the country today, we are not yet in the clear. The communities affected face months of disruption and upheaval. People who were cleaning up after the July floods have been flooded again, and some have been flooded more than once this week. Pubs that were looking forward to their busiest period are throwing out carpets and cancelling bookings.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs classes areas as being at low, medium or high risk of flooding. Have this week’s floods triggered the medium-risk threshold that activates the Cabinet Office civil contingencies secretariat? Will the Secretary of State tell the House how many schools, roads, railways and businesses have been affected across the country so far, and how many people have been evacuated? How many acres of productive farmland are under water, and what estimate has he made of crop losses to farmers?
The Secretary of State mentioned the Somerset levels, which rely on drainage boards. The Environment Agency, however, is already consulting on changes to flood management, pump houses and maintaining river courses. Will he guarantee that those operations will be protected in future? What contact has he had with the Department for Education to ensure that children whose schools have been flooded continue to be educated? What contact has he had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the recovery effort? Is he aware that there is no statutory obligation on fire services to respond to flood events, and does he share my concern that the current round of cuts to fire and rescue authorities, particularly in metropolitan areas, is reducing our resilience to flood events in future years?
The Secretary of State’s predecessor, the right hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), told the House in a written statement in June that central Government would cover 100% of local authority costs under the Bellwin scheme, yet today the Secretary of State has announced that just 85% of their costs will be met in the case of the latest floods. Why is that?
Councils have just one month after a flood incident to lodge with the DCLG a claim for reimbursement under Bellwin. However, Bellwin covers only the costs of immediate action to safeguard life and property, such as evacuation and rehousing, not the capital costs of road repairs. Just three of the 20 areas flooded last summer have reached the Bellwin threshold to receive any money at all from the Government. Have the Government made any payments to those three councils for the costs of the June and July floods? If, as I suspect, they have not, when can councils expect that money?
What measures has the Secretary of State put in place to help the other 17 councils whose claims did not meet the Bellwin threshold? Whether the Government cover 85% or 100% of the costs, their failure to help 17 of the 20 councils affected in the summer is no help at all. What funding will he put in place for major capital expenditure on damaged roads?
After the 2007 and 2009 floods, the Government set up the flood recovery grant as a one-off payment to councils to help households seriously affected by the floods. This Government have chosen not to help communities in that way. Why is that?
What support will the Government give to those who are under-insured or uninsured? The answer has to be more than warm tweets from the Prime Minister. As we move from response to recovery, flood-hit communities are growing more and more anxious about the availability and affordability of flood insurance. The Secretary of State’s predecessor told the House in June that
“we are at an advanced stage in intensive and constructive negotiations with the insurance industry”.—[Official Report, 25 June 2012; Vol. 547, c. 26.]
Yet the Association of British Insurers has stated today that a deal on the future of flood insurance has “stalled”. We were promised a deal in the spring, and then by July. It is now November. What has happened? If the deal is not done by the time of the autumn statement in just nine days, the risk of people being unable to insure, mortgage and eventually sell their home will rise exponentially. We must not have whole communities blighted because the Chancellor refuses to negotiate in good faith. When will he get a grip on the issue?
We know that every pound invested in flood defences saves £8 in costs further down the line, yet this Government have cut capital spending on flood defences by 30% from the 2010 baseline. They are spending less on flood defences now than we were five years ago in 2007. As a result, 294 flood defence schemes have been deferred or cancelled. Will the Secretary of State resist any pressure from the Treasury to cut flood defence spending in the next comprehensive spending review?
Last Monday in Westminster Hall, the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Brandon Lewis), told Members that
“while the flooding incidents of this summer were locally significant, we did not witness the devastating effects of previous years.”—[Official Report, 20 November 2012; Vol. 553, c. 93WH.]
Communities that have been devastated by flooding should not have to listen to Ministers telling them that their experience is not nationally significant. Today and this weekend, we have once again had a reminder that floods are the greatest threat that climate change poses to our country, and flood-hit communities deserve not to have to go through that terrible experience again.
Mr Paterson
I thank the hon. Lady for echoing my tributes to the Environment Agency, councils and all those who have worked so extraordinarily hard in recent days. I thank her also for expressing her sympathies to those who have lost relations and friends.
The hon. Lady asked detailed questions about the picture on schools, roads and crops. It is too early to tell, because the current weather is carrying on, and I think we had better review those questions when it settles down.
The hon. Lady mentioned local councils. We are co-ordinating the matter carefully and meeting DCLG on a regular basis, including on the subject of fire services. She mentioned the Bellwin scheme, which we have continued in exactly the same vein as the previous Government. There is a 0.2% threshold, and we have said that we will pay up to 85% of costs. We will keep that under review and keep assessing the situation as it develops.
The hon. Lady mentioned flood insurance. Today’s story is complete nonsense. The first meeting I had on taking office was with the ABI. We have had constructive and detailed discussions with it since, and there was a senior level meeting as recently as the end of last week. I am looking forward to receiving the ABI’s latest suggestions. We are determined to arrive at a replacement for the statement of principles that provides universality, is affordable and does not put a major burden on the taxpayer. I would like to remind the hon. Lady that the statement of principles covers 2003 to 2013, and we inherited absolutely nothing from the previous Government on this issue.
The hon. Lady mentioned spending on flood defences, and there is a complete canard about this reduction; our reduction is 6% over the whole spending round compared with what Labour spent over its spending round. I would have thought that she would have been pleased that our partnership scheme is really working, and a range of schemes that were just on the threshold and did not make the cut will now go ahead. In the last major incident, in 2007, 55,000 homes were flooded but this time the figure is 5,000 to 6,000. That is still traumatic for those households, and I repeat that my real sympathies are with those affected. I stress that we are continuing with a major programme of flood defence schemes to reduce the number further.
Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
Today’s tragedy is truly of national proportions, but the response has been so much more effective after the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 came into effect. Will the Secretary of State revisit the damage done in September to the roads and bridges in north Yorkshire, which has now been made 10 times worse today? Will he also examine the impact on the community of operating theatres potentially closing at the Friarage hospital in Northallerton, as well as of school and road closures? There is something the Government could do to ease the impact of surface water flooding: introduce the regulations on sustainable urban drainage long before the deadline of 2014, which marks a huge delay from what was originally proposed.
Mr Paterson
My hon. Friend mentioned various local issues relating to schools and roads, and I can tell her that we are meeting colleagues in other Departments on a regular basis. As the local MP, it is appropriate that she should raise those issues with those Departments, but I am happy to discuss them with her separately. On the issue of sustainable drainage systems, we intend to have an implementation date of April 2014, but this has turned out to be extremely complicated and we will have to work this out in detail to make sure we get it right.
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East) (Lab)
Will the Secretary of State, together with his colleagues in government, examine the case for making targeted use of flood recovery grants for those in the most unhappy of circumstances?
Mr Paterson
I am very happy to look into that. If the right hon. Gentleman would like to write to me detailing a specific example, I am happy to take it up.
Stephen Gilbert (St Austell and Newquay) (LD)
Not only are hundreds of homes in Cornwall flooded now, but they were flooded two years ago. What plans does the Secretary of State have to ensure that flood insurance remains affordable and available for communities such as mine in Cornwall, that have been devastated again and face the risk of not being able to get insurance?
Mr Paterson
We are clear that we want to arrive at a scheme that is affordable and is as comprehensive as possible, but that is not a burden on the Treasury. This is a real conundrum and we are determined to find a solution. We hope that we will find something that is better than the existing statement of principles.
Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
The Secretary of State talks about something that is not a burden on the Treasury, but no country in the world has a free market in flood defences, as he knows very well. However, I thank him for coming to Exeter today and, through him, his Minister, for keeping in touch with me by phone over the weekend. The Secretary of State will know that Exeter narrowly escaped a flooding disaster over the weekend. It tops the south-west Environment Agency’s list of priority schemes for upgraded flood defence. The city and county councils have come up with money to help fill the shortfall left by his Government’s cuts. Will he now get together with the Environment Agency to come up with a scheme urgently, so that Exeter is safe in the years to come, given the greater threat of climate change?
Mr Paterson
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his comments and his question. I pay tribute to his constituents, who have rallied round magnificently in very difficult circumstances, particularly all those in the services whom I met today. I met his council leaders and stood on the bridge looking at the scheme, which has protected 6,000 properties in the heart of Exeter. We should pay tribute to that scheme, which is most effective. I was interested to learn that councils are thinking of taking up our offer of a partnership and are working with the Environment Agency, topping it up and making a scheme that is targeted at the local requirements. Such schemes will be decided on in the coming months.
Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth) (Con)
Those who have suffered terribly from flooding in Cornwall are uppermost in my mind. Will my right hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the partnership between the emergency services in Cornwall, which do such a magnificent job, and the Environment Agency in particular, which introduced, with the Government’s help, a new programme that defended many homes and businesses in Truro from flooding?
Mr Paterson
I am very happy to join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to the Environment Agency and everyone in those different services and councils who have worked so hard on the ground and made an enormous difference.
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon) (Lab)
The Secretary of State quite rightly praises the work of the emergency services. What will we do going forward given that fire services in places such as Tyne and Wear are having their budgets reduced by 35%, 1,500 local authority workers in Gateshead have been sacked and the Environment Agency in the north-east faces a 20% cut in resources? How will we manage these situations then? When will he stop putting ideology before practicality?
Mr Paterson
We have provided £2.5 million to fire authorities to help on this issue. Under very difficult circumstances—I do not want to make tiresome political points, but we inherited them from the previous Government—we have managed to hold up the investment in flood defence schemes. We are looking at a 6% reduction over the whole spending period compared with that over the previous spending period, which under the current circumstances shows the priority we are giving to these schemes.
Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con)
Will my right hon. Friend carry out a full investigation into why maintenance is not always done properly, as that causes most of the flooding in my constituency? Will he also ensure that the Bellwin thresholds work for small county councils as well as for large ones?
Mr Paterson
Several Members have raised the question of keeping drainage channels clear. If my hon. Friend has specific examples, I urge him to take them up with his local officers in the Environment Agency, who understand the matter. If he does not like that, perhaps he will grab me directly after the statement.
Yvonne Fovargue (Makerfield) (Lab)
Many people in my constituency trying to renew their yearly household insurance policies, which include protection against flooding, are now having difficulties because the statement of principles expires in seven months’ time. Does the Secretary of State not agree that the closer we get to June 2013 without an agreement, the more people will be left without that vital insurance or with paying a much higher premium through no fault of their own?
Mr Paterson
The hon. Lady is absolutely right. We want a solution to this conundrum, which is why we have been meeting the ABI regularly and why we are determined to get a good solution. There is no point in rushing into a scheme that will not work. Getting a balance is a difficult conundrum and we are determined to get it right.
Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. He is well aware of the effects flooding has on my constituency. Is it not time to develop a national strategy to ensure that the culverts, ditches, drains and waterways are regularly maintained and cleared? Is it not also very important to stop building houses in flood risk areas? Will he assure me that no inspector appointed by this Government will force councils such as Tewkesbury to build houses where it is inappropriate to do so?
Mr Paterson
My hon. Friend is absolutely right—making sure all those channels are kept clear is part of the management of them. In recent days, we have seen complete and total saturation of the land and no matter how clear some of the channels have been kept, there has been nowhere for the water to go. He is quite right to mention the channels—several Members have raised that point with me—and I will talk to the Environment Agency about it.
Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
Hull had 14,000 homes affected by the flooding in 2007 and the former Secretary of State said to me on the Floor of the House:
“I am proud that we have found a way forward with the insurance industry that, above all, guarantees that universal and affordable insurance remains available to all, including to her”—
my—
“constituents.”—[Official Report, 25 June 2012; Vol. 547, c. 30.]
Was she correct or incorrect to say that?
Mr Paterson
We are quite clear as a Government that we want to come up with a scheme that is affordable, as universal as possible and not a burden on the Treasury. We are working towards that, as was my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), my predecessor.
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater and West Somerset) (Con)
I am grateful that the Secretary of State mentioned the Somerset levels and glad that the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath), is in his place. One of the problems the levels have had is that successive Governments have refused to spend money on the pumps that are brought in to try to clear them, and they are having to be brought in more and more. Will the Secretary of State, after the statement, please look urgently at upgrading the pump system across the Somerset levels, which cover my constituency and that of my hon. Friend?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that question. I took a train through the levels this afternoon on my way back, and they looked like the Irrawaddy in spate. I must say that it is a huge challenge for any pump system to keep that huge volume of water clear. If he would like to write to me, I would be more than happy to take the matter up with local Environment Agency officers.
Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)
I note that the Secretary of State did not answer part of the question on development on floodplains. Developers in Formby and Lydiate in my constituency want to build on farmland that often floods. Will he ensure that the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government do not prevail in their desire to force through development in areas, such as my constituency, that already have a significant problem with flooding?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me the chance to clarify this. The national planning policy framework is absolutely clear that development should be located away from flood risk wherever possible.
Jessica Lee (Erewash) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the consequences of the current flooding is the impact on transport links? The train I took to London last night was slightly delayed due to flooding, but severe disruption in the east midlands followed. Will he confirm that he is of course liaising with colleagues in the Department for Transport on the matter?
Mr Paterson
I am happy to confirm that at official level we are working and talking with Department for Transport officials on a daily basis. One of the first calls I made after leaving Taunton today was to the Secretary of State for Transport, who had already been on the case to get the Exeter line reopened. We hope to see services resume tomorrow.
Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)
Unpredictable weather events are one of the main consequences of climate change. Does the Secretary of State not understand that if he continues to resist the scientific evidence and refuses to take sensible policy measures to prevent climate change, his successors for years to come will have to come to this House to make statements such as the one he has made this afternoon? [Interruption.]
Mr Paterson
I wish I had such extraordinary powers. The fact is that we have to react and adapt to the weather, and that is what the Government are doing.
Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con)
In recent months, and this weekend, constituents of mine have woken up to flooding. Today, loss assessors are visiting constituents in the village of Saxton and bridges are still closed in Cattal. On Saturday I visited a Kelfield farmer, Richard Bramley, some of whose land is in a floodplain designed to help protect the village of Cawood. Thankfully, the flood defences worked, but Mr Bramley has lost more than £50,000-worth of crops. As flooding is becoming increasingly frequent, does the Secretary of State agree with Mr Bramley and me that the management of the water system does not appear to be keeping pace with changing weather conditions?
Mr Paterson
That is why we are putting this huge sum of money into flood defence schemes and encouraging partnerships with local government and, on the ground, with individuals and farmers, such as the one my hon. Friend cites, working with local drainage boards and councils to ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach.
Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)
I would like to thank the Secretary of State for not blaming Opposition Members for the weather and join him in paying tribute to the emergency services, especially the fire and rescue services in the north-east, particularly in Durham and Teesside, who have been doing such a terrific job. Does he share my concern that in areas such as my constituency we are gradually losing resilience due to cuts in front-line fire and rescue budgets at a time when floods are becoming an increasingly common phenomenon?
Mr Paterson
I was in Northampton on Friday and talked to the senior fire officer there. I echo the hon. Gentleman’s congratulations, as have we all, to those in the fire service and others who have been working so hard. The reaction I got from Northampton fire brigade was that they have been thoroughly involved in evacuating a number of people, and I am sure that we will see the same sort of dedication in the north-east.
Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)
May I join the Secretary of State in mourning the deaths of the three people, particularly the gentleman in Chew Stoke who was washed to his death in spite of the very valiant efforts of the fire brigade to rescue him? May I thank the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), who has assured Bath and North East Somerset council that it will be given every help following the floods? May I raise an issue that has been brought to my attention by constituents who are concerned that silt is not being dealt with because of esoteric wildlife issues, and ask whether this policy will be reconsidered?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments and wholly endorse them. The issue of keeping watercourses clear has been raised by other Members. I am absolutely clear in my own mind that the purpose of these watercourses is to get water away, and I will be discussing the issue with the Environment Agency.
Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)
The Secretary of State dismissed the discussions between the ABI and the Government on flood risk insurance as utter nonsense. He said categorically that the Government face a conundrum. Perhaps he can tell the House what that conundrum is.
Mr Paterson
I am glad to clarify my earlier comments if the hon. Gentleman wants me to. What I said was nonsense is the concept that the talks had stalled. Only at the end of last week we had, at the most senior level, a very constructive meeting with the ABI, as has been going on in recent weeks. We are quite clear—I will repeat this again—that we want to get to a system that is affordable, that is as comprehensive as possible—
Mr Paterson
I will explain the conundrum to the hon. Gentleman if he will stop interrupting. We also want a system that is not a burden on the Treasury. That is not an easy series of demands to meet. We are absolutely determined to keep working in a constructive manner with the ABI, and we are currently waiting for it to come back to us. However, no doubt to the hon. Gentleman’s disappointment, I am not prepared to negotiate on the Floor of the House of Commons.
Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)
Having been hit particularly badly earlier in the year and now with these floods, North Yorkshire county council is very worried about capital expenditure not being included in the compensation scheme. Will the Secretary of State arrange for civil servants in his Department to have a direct conversation with the council, which is having trouble getting an answer on this?
Mr Paterson
Probably the best thing would be for my hon. Friend to have a meeting with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary to go into the detail of the case.
Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)
What consultations is my right hon. Friend having with local councils and the Highways Agency to ensure that existing roads that do not have sufficient surface water drainage capacity will be made a priority for investment?
Mr Paterson
As I said, we are having daily meetings with other Ministries such as the Department for Transport. I talked to the Secretary of State for Transport this afternoon, and we will continue in that vein. If my hon. Friend is concerned about a particular road, he should write to the Secretary of State to take it up directly with him.
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and for his reassurance on the renewal of the statement of principles. On 11 June this year, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton were severely affected by flooding, with hundreds of homes flooded following 36 hours of intense rainfall. West Sussex county council, as the lead statutory authority, is about to publish a detailed report into the implications of those floods. Will he ensure that Southern Water is encouraged and enabled by the regulator to allocate all the capital that is needed to upgrade surface water drainage systems so that weaknesses in the current system are strengthened and people can feel safe in their homes?
Mr Paterson
My hon. Friend raises a very important point—the key role played by water companies, which have an absolutely essential task in managing water. The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury and I will be happy to discuss the particular case that he mentioned.
Mel Stride (Central Devon) (Con)
May I thank my right hon. Friend for this morning visiting Kennford, a small village in my constituency that has been overwhelmed by the flooding, and affording me the time to discuss the situation with him? Will he join me in thanking in particular Martin Weiler and his team at the EA, who have done such extraordinary work in the village in reassuring people, providing information, and so on?
Mr Paterson
I am sorry that my hon. Friend could not be there in person, but I much appreciate him ringing me in the car as I arrived. I would like to pay tribute to Martin Weiler, his team and all those from the Environment Agency whom I met and spent time with when I went to Kennford. I want to stress how completely awful it was to see those houses in Kennford. There was a thick black line about three feet off the ground, everything in people’s downstairs rooms was completely wrecked and all the electrical appliances were gone. All of that happened in an extraordinarily short amount of time—people were hit by the rapidly rising water over the course of about an hour on Saturday evening. It was shocking and I pay tribute to all the local agencies that I met, the local councils and the local community for how they are pulling together.
Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)
I thank the Secretary of State and Ministers for keeping us informed by phone about the problems. I have had flooding in Bampton, Tiverton and Cullompton, and the canal has broken its banks at Holberton. Feniton has now flooded in 2007, 2008 and 2012. One of the problems is that, although the local authorities have resisted more houses, the inspector has allowed them, despite flooding in the village. We need to ensure that inspectors have the same views on flooding as the Government and local authorities.
Mr Paterson
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s constituents, who are stoic under these very difficult circumstances. I stress that the NPPF is absolutely clear on this: it is the intention that developments should not happen on floodplains. He is absolutely right to raise the issue and he should bring it to the attention of all those involved in planning locally.
Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley) (Con)
One of the biggest challenges for residents in Calder Valley who suffered from flooding over the summer is ongoing insurance for both business and residents. On the scheme to replace the statement of principles to ensure there is affordable insurance for those properties most at risk, will the Secretary of State update the House on whether the Government will consider assisting the industry by providing a temporary overdraft, to be paid back with interest, for the proposed not-for-profit scheme, which, of course, would not be a burden on the taxpayer?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for trying to tempt me into negotiating in public but, as I have said many times today, we are involved in a long negotiation with the ABI. We had a very constructive meeting at senior level last week, are waiting for its counter-proposals and I am afraid that I cannot go into the sort of detail that he has asked me to on the Floor of the House.
Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)
Given your first-hand experience of this flooding, what advice would you—sorry, Mr Deputy Speaker; I mean the Secretary of State—give to those who seek to build on floodplains?
Mr Paterson
I am not sure what plans you have, Mr Deputy Speaker, but I would strongly advise all those who are considering developments around the country to look very hard at the NPPF, which says that developments should not happen on floodplains wherever possible.
Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)
I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and, in particular, his concern for residents in Worcestershire who have been flooded. Worcester city suffered badly in 2007 but, partly as the result of improved flood defences, I have yet to hear of a home being flooded there and hope that that will not happen. My constituents are concerned about their ability to get insurance, as are local businesses. May I offer my strong support to the Secretary of State in his attempts to get a deal with the insurance companies as soon as possible?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I was in his city on Friday evening at a dinner for one of his parliamentary neighbours and discussed the issue with people who may have been constituents of his. He is right that we have to work through this negotiation and get a good deal on insurance that is satisfactory to all parties.
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay) (LD)
In addition to those that the Secretary of State has already praised, will he mention South West Water, the transport companies, which have done a great job today, and, crucially, the local media? Will he also address the public concerns in Devon about the resilience of our infrastructure, particularly Cowley bridge, which controls rail in and out of the county to Paddington, the Clennon valley pumping station in my constituency, which deals with most of the sewerage in Torbay, and roads throughout Devon that were cut off from the rest of Devon at some point over the weekend?
Mr Paterson
I went to Cowley bridge to look at the damage to the railway line and I am pleased to say that it will be mended by tomorrow, which will be a triumph for those involved, because I was told that something like 200 tonnes of aggregate had shifted. The hon. Gentleman is right to raise a number of detailed issues, and they will have to be worked through by local councils and agencies. I was impressed by the resilience of all those affected by events in recent days and I have every confidence that they will see their way through this situation.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
West Worcestershire has had the benefit of six new flood defence schemes since 2007. They have protected 360 homes and more than £8 million has been spent on them. Sadly, the Kempsey pump failed on Sunday morning, and I pay tribute to the engineers and emergency workers who came out in the middle of the night to fix it. When the investigation discovers the cause of the incident, will the Environment Agency seek compensation from the manufacturers of the pump, and how will it get that compensation to the home owners whose homes were flooded? How will the situation resolve itself in the long term in respect of the insurance for those homes?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the situation in Kempsey. It was sickening that, according to my knowledge, the pump failed at 4 am. The scheme was designed to protect 70 properties, but 20 of those were damaged. A detailed investigation into what happened is taking place. I congratulate the Environment Agency on getting the pump going again. I believe that it had tripped out. There will be detailed results from the investigation and we will take the matter further when we see them.
Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)
I congratulate and thank the agencies in Gloucestershire for dealing so well with the various transport challenges and the localised flooding. Will the Department consider further attenuation schemes, which have some attraction in my constituency?
Mr Paterson
My hon. Friend raises a good point. During my train journey back from Taunton today, I saw graphically the extraordinary volume of water that has landed in such a short time. The areas that have been set aside as soaks have become completely saturated. He is right that having such small-scale schemes down the road can be very helpful and we will certainly look at that.
Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
What discussions is the Secretary of State having with his colleagues in the Welsh Government, given that the management of Welsh rivers has a profound effect on the risk of flooding in England?
Mr Paterson
My hon. Friend makes a good point. Rivers do not respect political boundaries. We are keeping in touch with all Ministries and Government agencies.
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
I thank the Secretary of State for coming to the House and informing us in such detail of what is happening and what he has been doing over the past few days. Flooding is occurring on the embankment in Wellingborough. Northamptonshire’s fire brigade and local councils are doing an excellent job. Like other Members, I ask the Secretary of State to look again at the issue of building on the floodplain, because regional spatial strategies forced councils to have residential homes in areas where they opposed them.
Mr Paterson
I went very close to my hon. Friend’s patch on Friday and saw the scheme that worked incredibly effectively in protecting Northampton town. The Nene was tamed. He rightly says that the huge wet area was saturated. I saw a permanent caravan site that had been badly flooded and a large number of people had been evacuated. I pay tribute to all the agencies in his area that I met: the Environment Agency, the police, the fire service and the local council. He is right that it is completely barmy to build on floodplains. I want to drill it in to everyone who is listening that the NPPF makes it very clear that that is a bad idea and that it should not happen.
Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)
I thank the Secretary of State for making that statement on such an important issue.
Ash Tree Dieback
Owen Paterson Excerpts(12 years ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
Further to my response to the hon. Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Simon Hart) at DEFRA questions on 25 October, Official Report, column 1064, and my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome’s (Mr Heath) response to an urgent question on 29 October, Official Report, columns 23-31, I would like to update the House on the ash dieback situation in the UK.
Following a shortened consultation, I imposed an import ban and strict movement restrictions on ash on 29 October. Chalara fraxinea was first confirmed in imported stock in a nursery on 7 March. We initiated an exercise to trace young ash saplings from infected imported stock. This exercise continues. However, we found the disease in mature trees in East Anglia on 22 October. Further searches revealed more cases already present in the wider environment.
In response to this I initiated an unprecedented survey of the whole of the UK, in partnership with the devolved Administrations, to map the extent of the disease. This has involved over 500 staff and volunteers looking for signs of the disease in around 2,500 10-kilometre squares. Four wooded sites were inspected in each square giving us a preliminary indication of the disease’s extent and distribution. That work was completed on 7 November.
The results of the survey show that, as of yesterday, there are 129 confirmed sites with ash dieback caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea. Some 15 of these are in nursery stock, 50 are in recently planted sites, and 64 are in the wider environment. To date no evidence of ash dieback has been found in Northern Ireland. In addition, the Country Land and Business Association and a number of other organisations have mobilised their members to provide additional information on suspected cases. Regular updates, including the map of confirmed disease in Great Britain, and information for the public can be found on the Forestry Commission’s website:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara.
On 7 November I held a summit of more than 100 experts from the forestry industry and environmental groups to advise me on how we can best tackle this disease. This provided an opportunity to share the latest evidence and the current state of our scientific knowledge. The summit also identified ideas for tackling Chalara in the short term and for improving our approach to dealing with threats to tree health in the longer term.
The evidence from the survey and the experts gathered together on Wednesday indicates that the Chalara infection has been present in the natural environment in Great Britain for some years.
Also on the 7 November, we published an evidence summary compiled over the past week by a group of experts convened by DEFRA’s chief scientific adviser, Professor Ian Boyd. The scientific advice from that group is that where the disease is present in the natural environment, this is likely to be due to spores blown in on the wind from continental Europe. Their advice is that it will not be possible to eradicate Chalara.
That does not necessarily mean the end of the British ash. If we can slow the spread of the disease, this will give us time to investigate resistance to Chalara in the UK tree population. In the longer term, we will also need to consider how best to restructure our woodlands to improve their resilience. I provided a copy of the evidence summary to all hon. Members on Wednesday and I will also place it in the Libraries of both Houses.
I am today announcing a series of short-term actions to begin to address the problem quickly.
1. Newly planted diseased trees and diseased trees in nurseries will be traced and destroyed, as once young trees are infected they succumb quickly.
2. Mature trees will not currently be removed, as they are valuable to wildlife, take longer to die and can help us learn more about genetic strains that might be resistant to the disease. Infection does not occur directly from tree to tree.
3. Better understanding of the disease will be built through research and surveys, which will look not only for diseased trees but for those that show signs of resistance to Chalara, to help identify genetic strains resistant to the disease.
4. The search for the disease will include trees in towns and cities as well as the countryside, building partnerships with a range of organisations beyond Government.
5. Foresters, land managers, environmental groups and the public will be informed about how to identify diseased trees and those likely to be resistant to the disease, and know what to do if they find a diseased tree.
For now, the main control measure is the ban on imports and movements. Infection in mature trees is not a threat at this time of year as they are not producing spores. The main risk to manage between now and the spring is the movement of infected ash leaf litter for which we have already provided advice to the public, local authorities and landowners.
By the end of November I will publish a more detailed control plan which delivers our objectives for tackling Chalara by considering the following:
Designating protected zones, to free up trade in ash from areas free of the disease through authorising businesses to issue “plant passports”.
Establishing a tree health early warning network to provide advice, screening and initial diagnostics.
Developing advice on protecting saplings and responding rapidly if the disease is found.
Developing advice on sustainable management of mature trees on sites affected by Chalara.
What additional equipment is needed to diagnose tree disease.
Improved biosecurity including import controls; and
More public engagement in helping diagnose and tackle disease through “citizen science” including an OPAL (Open Air Laboratories) citizen science project.
For the longer term, I am also considering our strategic approach to the threat of disease to our plants and trees in the light of experience of responding to Chalara. In early October, I asked Professor Ian Boyd to convene an expert taskforce on tree health and plant biosecurity. I am prepared to consider radical proposals to protect the woodland environment and I look forward to seeing his interim proposals at the end of November. I will update the House when I have received that report.
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Owen Paterson Excerpts(12 years ago)
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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)
The Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 22 to 24 October in Luxembourg was attended by the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), who is responsible for natural environment, water and rural affairs.
On fisheries, the Council agreed a partial general approach on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The UK worked successfully to secure an outcome in line with UK priorities for common fisheries policy (CAP) reform. This will focus funding on measures to increase the sustainability of fishing, and limit or remove more traditional fleet subsidy payments. Baltic sea fishing opportunities for 2013 were agreed, following detailed preparation in the BALTFISH group of concerned member states. Ministers also held an initial exchange of views on forthcoming EU-Norway fisheries consultations and on the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna annual meeting.
On agriculture business, the Council discussed the Commission’s proposal under CAP reform that member states should all move towards flat rate per hectare direct payments at a national or regional level (internal convergence); an issue which was last debated in April 2012. This is a major political issue for many member states, and also has direct relevance to those parts of the UK which do not yet have a per hectare payment system. The Commission (Commissioner Ciolos) argued that for CAP reform to be credible, direct payments had to move away from historic allocations. The Commission would consider alternative models as long as they delivered significant convergence during the next financing period. All member states accepted the need for some internal convergence of payments, with an emphasis on national flexibility over the pace and detailed steps towards convergence. The presidency noted the discussion and variety of views without giving an indication of next steps.
The presidency sought views on whether the proposed young farmer’s scheme in pillar one of the CAP should be voluntary or mandatory. The Council debate was split between those who wanted to leave it to member states to decide, and those who wanted, or could accept, a mandatory scheme in pillar one. The UK and like-minded member states argued for a flexible approach.
The presidency sought views on whether recognition of agricultural producer organisations should be mandatory for member states. France, Spain, Hungary and Portugal were in favour of mandatory recognition of extending producer organisations’ rights to all agricultural sectors. In advance of the Council, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Sweden and the Czech Republic tabled a joint paper calling for CAP tools to promote greater market orientation, while maintaining a safety net.
The Commission presented its proposal on transparency of data on CAP beneficiaries, under which names and payment details would be made publically available, and which is intended to reintroduce greater transparency following a 2010 European Court of Justice ruling.