Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Special Areas of Conservation in England and pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2019 to Question 221626, how many consents or permissions to burn blanket bog Natural England has successfully (a) revoked and (b) modified.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
To date, Natural England has revoked or modified 180 consents or permissions to rotationally burn on protected sites, by developing Long Term Plans or equivalent remedies (Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) Revisions, HLS Extensions or voluntary surrender).
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the average time it takes to process criminal cases in the courts in South Yorkshire in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice has published information on the average length of time taken from first listing to completion, quarterly from June 2010 to December 2018, and can be found in the timeliness-transparency-q4-2018 file: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790261/Transparency_files.zip
Filter LCJB area: South Yorkshire LCJB, data can then be filtered by court type.
Data for the quarter ending March 2019 will be published in June 2019.
The South Yorkshire Local Criminal Justice Board and the agencies involved keep performance regularly under review and take action when required.
We are working together across the Criminal Justice System to ensure the smooth running of our courts, as well as using new technology and initiatives to reduce delays and outstanding cases at the Crown Court are at the lowest levels nationally since 2000. We have a world-leading justice system and performance levels are continually kept under close review to ensure changes in demands are met.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time it takes to charge a person after an offence has taken place within the constabulary area of South Yorkshire.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The effective management of investigations, including the prompt communication of their outcomes, is an operational matter for the police.
After an arrest, the police need to carry out further investigations before a charge is brought then the police may release a suspect on pre-charge bail or release them under investigation (RUI).
The National Police Chief’s Council has recently published guidance on the use of pre-charge bail and RUI. The guidance sets out the steps the police should take to make sure the prompt completion of their investigations, whether suspects are released with or without pre-charge bail. The Home Office will continue to support the police in their efforts to prevent and investigate crimes, including by providing the biggest increase in police funding since 2010.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Environment Agency will take to ensure the control of water borne disease and infestations within farmed salmon populations.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) is the organisation responsible for the control of serious diseases of fish and shellfish in aquaculture establishments, including salmon farms and wild populations in England and Wales.
It acts under the Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 to prevent the introduction and spread of serious fish and shellfish disease. The FHI undertakes its responsibilities through compliance inspections of aquaculture establishments and advice to the industry. It also imposes trade controls on imports of fish and shellfish, investigates disease problems and when a serious disease is detected, implementations of movement controls and other preventative measures.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) take steps through the Agriculture Bill to increase animal health standards and (b) make an assessment of the merits of a resilient approach to disease management to reduce productivity losses and subsequent food shortages.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government is highly supportive of a resilient and preventative approach to livestock disease which supports higher productivity in farming and enables wider benefits. The approach was endorsed in responses to our consultation paper Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit. The potential was set out, for example, in ‘Study to Model the Impact of Controlling Endemic Cattle Diseases and Conditions on National Cattle Productivity, Agricultural Performance and Greenhouse Gas Emissions’.
We are now working with industry and veterinary representatives to develop practical plans to further this approach and the Agriculture Bill is drafted to give the Secretary of State powers to make payments to protect and improve the health of livestock and to collect and share data relating to livestock health and traceability.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the merits of a preventative approach to animal health in improving the productivity of agriculture; and what steps he will take to reward farmers that take such an approach.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government is highly supportive of a resilient and preventative approach to livestock disease which supports higher productivity in farming and enables wider benefits. The approach was endorsed in responses to our consultation paper Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit. The potential was set out, for example, in ‘Study to Model the Impact of Controlling Endemic Cattle Diseases and Conditions on National Cattle Productivity, Agricultural Performance and Greenhouse Gas Emissions’.
We are now working with industry and veterinary representatives to develop practical plans to further this approach and the Agriculture Bill is drafted to give the Secretary of State powers to make payments to protect and improve the health of livestock and to collect and share data relating to livestock health and traceability.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department is making on producing a public information campaign to educate the general public on the health impacts of air pollution, particularly in instances of moderate or high pollution episodes.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
Public Health England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are exploring whether social marketing can assist in awareness-raising about air pollution.
The Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) is planning a national-level campaign to support Clean Air Zones (CAZ) from summer 2019. This will raise awareness of the risks presented by high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and the implementation of charging CAZ. It will also promote long-term behaviour change by encouraging the public to change travel habits and reduce NO2 emissions.
The JAQU has also provided a CAZ communications toolkit to support local authorities in their local communications work. It contains key messages, frequently asked questions, useful statistics, infographics and other content to ensure a consistent approach is taken to raising awareness and to encourage drivers to consider alternative options in terms of travel and vehicle choice.
Defra is developing a communication strategy on domestic combustion for launch before the next winter burning season.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs, what steps his Department took to alert (a) children, (b) older people, (c) people with health conditions and (d) other vulnerable groups to the pollution episodes that occurred across England between 4-26 April 2019.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
During episodes of elevated air pollution (including the episodes between 4-26 April 2019), Defra works closely with Public Health England and a network of health charities to ensure that key health messages are communicated to those who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, in addition to communicating through our normal digital channels.
Defra’s Daily Air Quality Index (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/daqi) assists in understanding air pollution levels and suggests recommended actions and health advice. Such advice applies to anyone experiencing symptoms.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System will enable horses to be traced post import.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System has been designed, for a scenario where the UK no longer has access to the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), to enable notifications of imports coming into this country, so that appropriate border controls can be carried out and recorded. The notifications reveal the origin of the consignments just as TRACES does now and so can be used to trace a consignment back to its country of origin. It does not itself provide for traceability of movements afterwards, however, once in the UK, horses and other equines must be identified in accordance with UK law and recorded on the UK Central Equine Database (CED). This records the identification details of the equine, including the name and address of the owner. An exception is made for equines from other EU Member States that are only in the UK for a short stay for specific purposes such as competition, racing or breeding, on the basis that they are already fully identified in accordance with EU law. This will include a record having been made in the CED of their Member State of origin.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Environment Agency ability to carry out all its statutory duties in relation to fisheries; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The EA continues to fulfil its statutory duties in relation to fisheries.
Freshwater fisheries regulation is a core role and unique activity that only the EA can fulfil. The EA makes resources available to deliver current regulations, including the rod and net licensing system; scheduled reviews of Net Limitation Orders; reviewing and consolidating fishery byelaws; making new byelaws where this is necessary to protect stocks; and determining fishery management permit applications.