Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
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 potential merits of funding UK-based studies of the (a) use of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine to prevent bovine tuberculosis, (b) period of effectiveness of that vaccine and (c) benefits of that vaccine to the beef industry.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Developing a deployable cattle bovine TB vaccine is one of the government’s top priorities. Field trials have been taking place in England and Wales since 2021, following a major breakthrough by government scientists in the development of a new DIVA skin test to Detect Infected among Vaccinated Animals. The aim of these trials is to gather information to enable both the CattleBCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine and the new DIVA skin test to be authorised for use and recognised internationally.
CattleBCG stimulates a protective immune response in vaccinated cattle. In the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)’s experimental challenge model vaccinated animals display a range of protection and demonstrate a 12 month duration of immunity. The extent of disease reduction from CattleBCG depends on many factors including severity of exposure to bTB and herd immunity. Establishing the true level of protection afforded by vaccines is only possible by monitoring and assessing performance after licensing and routine use in the population vaccinated. When combined with existing disease control measures, we are confident that widespread vaccination will help to further reduce the incidence of bTB and its impact on cattle farms in England.
We continue to work in partnership with stakeholders, alongside colleagues in Scotland and Wales, to assess how this potential new tool could be deployed in the future and provide the greatest possible benefit to our herds for generations to come.
Information on the development of a bovine TB cattle vaccine can be found on the TB Hub at https://tbhub.co.uk/resources/frequently-asked-questions/development-of-a-deployable-tuberculosis-vaccine-for-cattle/.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to help secure adequate quantities of vaccines for (a) BVT-3, (b) BVT-4 and (c) BVT-8 over the next year.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are several serotypes of Bluetongue virus, but vaccines are only available for certain serotypes at present – BTV-1, 2, 4 and 8. For these serotypes, where vaccination is possible and where there are UK authorised products, vaccination is the best way to protect livestock. The decision on whether to vaccinate is a commercial decision for livestock keepers and they should discuss the options with their vet. Veterinary surgeons can apply to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for a Special Import Certificate, which will allow keepers to import safe and effective bluetongue vaccine to vaccinate their stock should they decide that it is appropriate for their animals.
There are no authorised vaccines available for BTV-3 in the UK or Europe, but we are engaging with vaccine manufacturers on the development of a BTV-3 vaccine for use in the UK.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the impact of the recent outbreak of the bluetongue virus on farmers' profits as a result of loss of livestock.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is too early to say what the wider impacts on the industry will be, including profitability. 121 cases of Bluetongue serotype 3 have been found to date and 54 animals were culled to stem potential disease spread - full market compensation for those animals was paid to these keepers. Market impacts of animal disease are a risk carried by the industry. However, the Government seeks to minimise that risk, particularly by taking prompt action to ensure that the risk of spread of the disease is reduced. We also continue to work closely with industry bodies to ensure that matters of concern are addressed promptly.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
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 implications for his polices of recent trends in levels of protests relating to farming.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
British farming is at the heart of British trade. The Government continues to support British farmers, placing agriculture at the forefront of negotiations, prioritising new export opportunities, protecting UK food standards and removing market access barriers.
The Government is committed to maintaining the £2.4 billion annual farming budget which will support farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably and are also looking at ways to further improve fairness in the supply chain and support British farmers and growers, as well as ensuring customers have access to high-quality fresh British products. In addition to this, the Government is committed to protecting nature and helping to meet our net zero ambitions.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to fund flood mitigation measures in Shrewsbury in the next financial year.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Better protecting communities from flooding remains a key priority for the Government and significant investment in flood mitigation has taken place in Shrewsbury and the wider Severn Valley.
During the 2024-25 financial year, approximately £5 million investment is planned to fund projects that will seek to further reduce flood risk in Shrewsbury. These projects are initiatives funded as part of the current six-year capital programme (2021-27). This programme aims to invest over £150 million, reducing flood risk and better protecting 3,000 homes and businesses across the English Severn and Wye Catchment. Almost £45 million of this will be in Shropshire, better protecting almost 600 homes and businesses.
There are also existing flood risk management assets in Shrewsbury in the Frankwell and Coleham Head areas which together better protects 154 properties from flooding. The Environment Agency ensures they remain operational and highly effective at alleviating flooding to properties, businesses and infrastructure including through the most recent significant flooding events.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Welsh counterpart on flood remediation measures for the River Severn.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Officials at Defra, the Welsh Government, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have regularly met this year to discuss the Severn Valley Water Management scheme. In addition, the Environment Agency is working closely with the Welsh Government and other partners to explore the interventions that could reduce flooding as part of the scheme.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
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 implications for his policies of the flooding that followed Storm Babet.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Storm Babet brought persistent and heavy rain to the north and midlands of England overnight on Thursday 19 October and through the following Friday and Saturday. There were around 2,150 properties flooded during Storm Babet and over 96,000 properties protected by existing flood defences. Defra opened its Emergency Operations Centre on 19 October, having led a series of preparedness meetings during the week, upgrading its response to activate the National Flood Response Centre as the forecast deteriorated.
Government recognises the impact flooding has on households, business and local authorities and has put in place a significant package of support for areas in England that experienced exceptional localised flooding as a result of Storm Babet. Following approval from Defra’s Secretary of State, Defra has also activated the Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Grant scheme. The PFR Scheme is a package of funding for property owners directly flooded by a specific weather event that grants them up to £5,000 per property to install PFR measures.
We keep our policies under review, including factoring in experience from any flood events.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of different domestic farm support regimes in England, Scotland and Wales on farmers who operate (a) on and (b) near the borders between England and (i) Scotland and (ii) Wales.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Agriculture is a devolved responsibility. This means that now we have left the EU, each UK nation can shape new domestic agricultural policies to better suit their farmers. To support this, the UK Government and the devolved administrations have jointly developed a non-legislative administrative framework for coordinating agricultural policy: the UK Agricultural Support Framework (ASF). Defra and the other UK nations work closely together through the integrated, consensus-based and well-established governance arrangements we have set up and operate under the ASF.
The ASF enables effective co-ordination and dialogue between the administrations including on how any changes to legislation in one part of the UK may affect other parts. Through the Framework, we have established the UK Agriculture Policy Collaboration Group (PCG) and the Market Monitoring Group (MMG). The PCG provides an opportunity for officials from the four administrations to share good practice and proactively discuss and coordinate policy innovation. The PCG allows officials to consider whether new or changing policy will have an unwanted impact on another administration, and to make recommendations to Ministers and senior officials accordingly. The MMG’s role is to share information and to analyse and coordinate evidence on the impact of market developments across the UK. The MMG determines the main factors driving the development of the market and assesses the short- and long-term impacts of these factors. Evidence used by the MMG will consist of analysis of a mixture of quantitative market price and production data, market intelligence, industry representations and political lobbying, amongst other factors.
The PCG and the MMG have complementary, interactive roles in policy collaboration and operational intervention as prescribed by the ASF. There are well-established mechanisms to identify and escalate any risks to the Senior Officials Programme Board set up under the ASF and to ministers. The early and open sharing and discussion of policy proposals at the PCG and MMG meetings reduces significantly the need for escalation.
The formal engagement under the ASF is supplemented by regularly scheduled catch-up meetings between working level Defra officials and their devolved government counterparts. Policy officials meet both on a regular bilateral and ad hoc basis to discuss emerging issues (e.g. subsidy control legislation) which the PCG and MMG have oversight of.
These systems have shown their value during recent challenges such as turbulence in pig-markets in late 2021, the initial response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and recent drought conditions.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has culled badgers on land owned by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Culling is carried out by cull companies under licence from Natural England; culling is not carried out by Defra. For security reasons we do not comment on specific locations. Note that cull companies can only cull on land with the landowner’s permission.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of tuberculosis testing on milk yields in dairy herds.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Bovine TB is the most significant and costly animal health problem facing our cattle keepers, it has a devasting impact on affected rural businesses. Routine and targeted bTB testing of cattle herds, using effective and validated tests, is a key part of our bTB eradication strategy.
No specific assessment of the potential impact of tuberculosis testing on milk yields in dairy herds has been commissioned by Defra.