Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to prohibit the export of livestock for (a) slaughter and (b) fattening after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by David Rutley
I refer the Hon. Member to the reply given to the Hon. Member for Southend West, Sir David Amess, on 8 March 2019 to PQ 229590.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department has allocated to the Office of the Government's Tree Champion; and what the process is for local authorities to allocate those funds.
Answered by David Rutley
There is no funding allocated to the Tree Champion. His role is to work with all of our stakeholders to inform policy development and encourage tree planting. As part of this, he is seeking input and advice from local authorities and others about public funding for tree planting, including the design of the Urban Tree Challenge fund announced in the spending review last autumn.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
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 take steps to eliminate the use of monofilament nets in estuaries and inshore waters; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
Sea fisheries management in England’s estuaries and inshore waters is the responsibility of the Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCAs). It is for the relevant IFCA to determine the type of nets that should be used in its district.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
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 take steps to prohibit the netting of all fish stocks in Christchurch and Poole harbours; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The Southern Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority is undertaking a review of net fishing arrangements for the harbour and estuarine areas of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including Christchurch and Poole harbours. A public consultation is underway which will close on 7th December. Responses will be analysed ahead of the development of any net management arrangements for the district.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
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 ability of his Department to implement its Departmental Plan in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by David Rutley
All Departments are planning for how their programmes for leaving the EU relate to the negotiation timetable. Defra is assessing the impact of different scenarios on its business as a whole, and incorporating this into its business, financial and workforce planning to inform prioritisation and the Single Departmental Plan.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received on the implementation of (a) the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities involving animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and (b) the statutory guidance on home boarding and dog day care; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley
The Department has received representations from local authorities, businesses and welfare charities on these matters. Officials worked closely with the Canine and Feline Sector Group and local authorities to draft the guidance and to identify any potential issues with implementation. We have continued to engage with all interested parties, including individual home boarding businesses, and will make necessary amendments to the guidance in due course.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received on the implementation by local authorities of (a) the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities involving animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and (b) the statutory guidance on home boarding and dog stay care; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley
The Department has received representations from local authorities, businesses and welfare charities on these matters. Officials worked closely with the Canine and Feline Sector Group and local authorities to draft the guidance and to identify any potential issues with implementation. We have continued to engage with all interested parties, including individual home boarding businesses, and will make necessary amendments to the guidance in due course.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has he made of the possibility of recycling disposable nappies.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Government has asked the Waste and Resources Action Programme to carry out an assessment of difficult to recycle materials including disposable nappies and this report will be published shortly. I have met Proctor and Gamble who have developed a technology to recycle nappies and understand they are in discussions with several local authorities to establish a facility in the UK. We want to encourage more recycling and to make it easier for households to recycle and will say more about how we will do this in our forthcoming Resources and Waste Strategy.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when Natural England plans to issue Sweetman guidance for the purposes of local plans; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Natural England and Defra are considering the implications of the Sweetman 2 (People Over Wind) judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Natural England and Defra are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, including on any external guidance that may be necessary.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when Natural England plans to issue Sweetman guidance for the purposes of local plans; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Natural England and Defra are considering the implications of the Sweetman 2 (People Over Wind) judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Natural England and Defra are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, including on any external guidance that may be necessary.