Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to agree new phytosanitary arrangements with the EU for (a) agricultural and (b) horticultural businesses.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following their meeting in Brussels on 2 October, the President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and UK. The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. The Government has already committed to seek to negotiate a veterinary/sanitary and phytosanitary agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. The Government is unable to speculate on timings before we have begun formal discussions with the EU.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of extending agricultural compensation schemes to horticultural businesses impacted by forestry diseases such as Ash dieback.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Our policy is not to pay compensation for plant health measures. We believe that resources are best directed at detection of pests and diseases, risk management and proactive assessment of emerging threats. We also invest in research programmes that enhance our understanding of plant health issues and provide evidence to inform contingency plans and management responses.
Protecting plant health is not an issue for government alone. Many plant importers, nurseries and landowners already play a major role in minimising the risk and spread of pests through practising good biosecurity, including sourcing clean stock and identifying outbreaks on their sites. The current arrangements ensure that everyone (the Government and its agencies, industry, non-governmental organisations, landowners, and the public) shares a common understanding of biosecurity and their role and responsibilities. The UK Government provides other forms of financial and non-financial support to assist with essential management of some of the most devastating tree diseases, including ash dieback.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on steps to ensure horticultural imports are produced to the same environmental standards as domestic products.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has high environmental standards that underpin the production of fresh fruit and vegetables. As set out in the manifesto, the Government is committed to using our Trade Strategy to promote the highest standards of food production.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 impact of ineligibility for the frequently flooded fund on communities which are frequently flooded.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protecting communities around the country from flooding and coastal erosion is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities.
In July 2022, a ring-fenced £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance (FFA) was created as part of the Government’s £5.6 billion investment programme into flood and coastal erosion schemes.
The eligibility criteria for the FFA were designed, in collaboration with the Environment Agency, to ensure funding is targeted towards communities that have flooded more than once within the past ten years. They were subject to targeted testing with Regional Flood and Coastal Committees and representatives from Risk Management Authorities. The criteria aim to address some of the specific challenges faced by frequently flooded communities, particularly those that are smaller and more rural and can face barriers accessing funding due to the relative complexity and cost of building flood defences compared to the size of the community.
Projects not eligible for the FFA are able to apply for Grant in Aid as part of the Government’s floods investment programme. We will review this programme to ensure flood risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing compensation for farming businesses impacted by the recent period of prolonged and increased rainfall.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Farming Recovery Fund is a contribution towards uninsured costs that have likely been incurred in re-establishing productive, farmable land in areas significantly damaged by water, caused by flooding from Storms Babet and Henk or exceptional rainfall during October 2023 to March 2024.
To date all eligible farmers identified in the original Farming Recovery Fund announced in April 2024 have been offered the payment in line with the published criteria. In May, Defra announced a further expansion to the fund and further information on that will be available soon.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 has made an assessment of the impact of the recent period of prolonged and increased rainfall on the agricultural sector.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The actual impact on yield and quality of several arable crops will not be known until harvest; from mid-August onwards, but the Department expects some impact and is assessing what that might be. Early indications from the June AHDB Planting and Variety Survey suggests that, while the 2024 cropping area has reduced compared with 2023, the magnitude of the reduction is smaller than was projected in March 2024. Yields and productivity is also dependent on individual farmer decisions, region, area and in the case of the arable sector, crop.
The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market with the value of commodities established by those in the supply chain.
Following the recent period of prolonged wet weather the Department’s current assessment is that while there may be implications for certain commodities, price rises are likely to be within a normal range and should not cause significant issues with business viability or overall supply, with any possible shortfalls being met by imports.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 plans to take to provide financial assistance to farmers in debt.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The recent ‘Balance Sheet Analysis’ publication highlights that average liquidity in the sector has been consistently improving over the latest five years of data and reached a 10-year high in the latest year of data (2022/23). This suggests that levels of debt in the farming sector are lower than average.
To confirm, we will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal for farmers that works for farmers, food security and nature.
The only way to do this effectively is to listen to farmers and others with a stake in our food system, countryside and nature. We are doing this and assessing data and information about what is working and what is not before setting out detailed plans. We will confirm plans for further optimisation and rollout of farming grants and schemes shortly.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 has made an assessment of the impact of changes to labelling costs on dairy businesses after 1 October 2024.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This government has considered the impact of changes to labelling costs across a range of sectors. The Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith, including commitments on the use of 'Not for EU labels', as well as taking all steps necessary to protect the UK internal market.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department has provided through the Air Quality Grant in each constituency in (a) each of the last three years and (b) the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information regarding how much funding has been provided through the Air Quality Grant Scheme over the last three years is available on gov.uk (Air quality grant scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). This includes a breakdown of which local authorities have been successful in being awarded a grant.
Decisions regarding the scheme for the financial year 24/25 have not yet been made.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 the press release of 4 August 2023 entitled £6 million to improve air quality in local communities, what proportion of that funding will be spent in each Parliamentary constituency; and for what purpose.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Minister used his discretion not to fund the Local Air Quality Grant Scheme for the 2023-2024 financial year. He has asked Defra officials to consider the future of the scheme and how it might be redesigned to better deliver positive outcomes for local air quality and public health and therefore enhanced value for money for taxpayers.