Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements he plans to make for continued co-operation with EU member states on international biodiversity issues after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Our ambition to leave the environment in a better state than we found it requires joint action on a global scale. As set out in our 25 Year Environment Plan we will continue to lead international work on the environment and will remain active partners in international fora.
We remain fully committed to our environmental ambitions and will continue to work closely with our international and EU partners to deliver them.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department plans to spend on projects relating to the UK leaving the EU in the next five years; and if he will list the projects to which that funding has been assigned.
Answered by George Eustice
HM Treasury has already allocated departments nearly £700 million to prepare for Brexit: £412m for DIT, FCO and DExEU over the parliament at Autumn Statement 2016 and nearly £300m across a number of departments from the Reserve in 17/18 - Defra received £67m of this funding to support our comprehensive EU exit programme of projects and other activities.
At Autumn Budget 2017 HM Treasury made another £3bn of additional funding available over 18/19 and 19/20 – £1.5bn in each year. We are currently working with HM Treasury to determine our allocation for 18/19 with the aim to agree this soon.
Departmental allocations for 19/20 will be agreed later on in the year and decisions on funding in 20/21 and beyond will be decided at the next Spending Review. This is because requirements in these years will be heavily affected by what is agreed in our negotiations with the EU.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what bilateral agreements (a) have been negotiated and (b) are being planned with (i) Spain, (ii) Iceland and (iii) other EU countries with major fishing fleets to address the potential consequences of the UK's withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention.
Answered by George Eustice
The UK gave notification of its withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention on 3 July 2017. There is a two-year notification period.
Iceland is not a signatory to the London Fisheries Convention. Spain is but does not have access to the UK’s 6-12 mile zone which, for all signatories, are the waters covered by the Convention. On leaving the EU, the UK will become an independent coastal state and, under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, will have responsibility for the management of fishing resources within its own Exclusive Economic Zone including any access arrangements. The UK will make bilateral or multilateral agreements with other independent coastal states, such as Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway. Spain and all other EU member states will continue to be represented by the European Union, and the UK will deal bilaterally with the European Commission in any subsequent fisheries agreements.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
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 is taking to preserve verges and hedgerows as valuable reserves for wildlife.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
This is a devolved matter.
Hedgerows and verges play an important role in conserving and enhancing biodiversity. Most countryside hedgerows are legally protected and land managers in receipt of Basic Payment Scheme payments are required to protect hedgerows on their land. Through our agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, we further recognise their valuable role by funding the management of hedgerows to deliver recognised benefits for wildlife, landscape and the historic environment.
Local authorities and other public bodies (including county, district and parish councils) in England and Wales have a statutory duty, under section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, to consider the conservation of biodiversity in exercising their functions, including decisions on managing local roadside verges. Defra and the Welsh Assembly have issued guidance for local authorities and other public bodies on implementing their biodiversity duty.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of his Department's expenditure has been identified as relating to its work on the UK leaving the EU in 2017-18.
Answered by George Eustice
Over 80% of Defra’s agenda is linked to the European Union. As a result, Defra has reviewed and reprioritised its work programme so that many roles across the Defra group are now supporting EU exit-related work, either directly or indirectly. It is therefore not possible to give an isolated figure of budget for the EU Exit programme alone.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in his Department have responsibilities relating to the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Exit is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.
Staff within the EU Exit Programme in Defra lead on providing advice to Ministers on EU Exit and exit-related issues and members of staff across the Department also provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required.
Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on levels of Welsh lamb and mutton (a) exports and (b) imports when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Work is ongoing to understand the implications for the UK of leaving the EU under a range of scenarios. We are determined to get the best possible deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, which allows frictionless trade in goods and services and the opportunity to reach new agreements with countries around the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on the level of beef imports from the Republic of Ireland when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Work is ongoing to understand the implications for the UK of leaving the EU under a range of scenarios. We are determined to get the best possible deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, which allows frictionless trade in goods and services and the opportunity to reach new agreements with countries around the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on the level of bacon and ham imports when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Work is ongoing to understand the implications for the UK of leaving the EU under a range of scenarios. We are determined to get the best possible deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, which allows frictionless trade in goods and services and the opportunity to reach new agreements with countries around the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on the level of poultry meat imports when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Work is ongoing to understand the implications for the UK of leaving the EU under a range of scenarios. We are determined to get the best possible deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, which allows frictionless trade in goods and services and the opportunity to reach new agreements with countries around the world.