Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles were charged a fee for entering a clean air zone by age of vehicle in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Currently there are four live Clean Air Zones, all using the Clean Air Zone Central Services. These are:
The number of vehicles classified by the Clean Air Zone Central Services as subject to a charge across all live Clean Air Zones is shown in the table below. The Government does not hold data split by the age of the vehicle.
Local authorities are responsible for the enforcement of charging as well as the administration of local exemptions.
Period | Total Non-Compliant Entrants |
14 March 2021 to 31 March 2022 | 3,603,101 |
1 April 2022 to 31 October 2022 | 2,010,081 |
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of clean air zones were implemented using the Clean Air Zone Central Services in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Currently there are four live Clean Air Zones, all using the Clean Air Zone Central Services. These are:
The number of vehicles classified by the Clean Air Zone Central Services as subject to a charge across all live Clean Air Zones is shown in the table below. The Government does not hold data split by the age of the vehicle.
Local authorities are responsible for the enforcement of charging as well as the administration of local exemptions.
Period | Total Non-Compliant Entrants |
14 March 2021 to 31 March 2022 | 3,603,101 |
1 April 2022 to 31 October 2022 | 2,010,081 |
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS procures any meat products from (a) JBS SA or (b) the UK subsidiaries of that company.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department does not hold any contracts with JBS SA or any of its subsidiaries. The NHS Supply Chain is the largest supplier of clinical and non-clinical products and consumables to the National Health Service. While NHS Supply Chain’s framework contracts do not include JBS SA, one meat product is offered through a United Kingdom based distributor, Marillo Foods, which is a supplier on one framework contract.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to reports of JBS SA's involvement in illegal deforestation of the Amazon and allegations of practices of modern day slavery, if his Department will review any contracts awarded to this firm and its subsidiaries.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department does not hold any contracts with JBS SA or any of its subsidiaries. The NHS Supply Chain is the largest supplier of clinical and non-clinical products and consumables to the National Health Service. While NHS Supply Chain’s framework contracts do not include JBS SA, one meat product is offered through a United Kingdom based distributor, Marillo Foods, which is a supplier on one framework contract.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the context of the Government's commitment to the COP26 pledge on environment protection and allegations against JBS SA relating to the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and human rights abuses, if he will take steps to require companies seeking contracts to supply meat and other foodstuff for British troops' ration packs to source their produce from reputable suppliers, excluding JBS SA and its UK subsidiaries.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I have asked MOD officials to look into this matter and will write to the hon. Gentleman in due course, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the context of allegations of environmental violations by JBS SA, including the systematic destruction of the Amazon rainforest and the systematic corruption and human rights abuses, if he will take steps to prevent that company and its UK subsidiaries from tendering for his Department's contracts to supply meat and other foodstuff for the British Armed Forces, including ration packs.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I have asked MOD officials to look into this matter and will write to the hon. Gentleman in due course, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the implications for its policies of the Dispatches programme broadcast on 29 November 2021 entitled, The truth about your chicken; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s view is that farms of all sizes have a role to play in UK agriculture and food production. What is important is not the size of the farm but compliance with our robust domestic standards. Well-established enforcement strategies are in place to ensure compliance with animal health and welfare requirements. Stockmanship is key and farmers of meat chickens are required to be competent and trained in the tasks that they perform.
This Government will continue to take steps to regulate farming practices proportionately and effectively, to safeguard animal welfare, reduce the risk of zoonotic disease and reduce risks to human health. We are making improvements to the existing legal framework and enforcement regime to ensure greater compliance and enhance the health and welfare of farmed animals. We are also working in partnership with the livestock sector and a wide range of academics, non-Governmental organisations and other experts to implement the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, supporting continuous improvement in farm animal health and welfare.
The Government has no role to play in setting standards for any independent farm assurance scheme.
Defra is a co-signatory with the Department of Health and Social Care of the UK’s Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) National Action Plan, and the UK is a global leader on AMR. We do not support the unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals, or farming practices which rely on routine or predictable antibiotic use. However, antibiotics play a role in treating certain animal diseases and are therefore essential to ensure the health and welfare of animals.
Data collected by the British Poultry Council (BPC), which represents 90% of the meat poultry sector, show that antibiotic use in broiler chickens has reduced by 67% since 2014. This has been driven by the BPC’s Antibiotic Stewardship Scheme, which is based on the principle of reducing, refining and replacing the use of antibiotics and promoting best practice at all steps of production.
The goal of reducing antibiotic consumption and improving stewardship is to reduce antibiotic resistance. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has been measuring levels of antibiotic resistance in E. coli in poultry since 2014, and the results show that resistance in broiler chickens has decreased substantially, including to antibiotics that are critically important to human health.
The Government is aware of the contribution of faecal contamination, primarily from poultry manure, to the health of the river Wye. Over 60% of the phosphate load in the Wye Catchment is from diffuse agricultural pollution from livestock manure and nutrients washing into the river during rainfall.
The Government is working closely with local stakeholders to address the Wye’s specific situation, both through supporting the local Nutrient Management Board, as well as working towards strategic solutions for both the short-term unblocking of housing and the long-term improvement of the local environment through a cross-government Taskforce. To support this, there are also a host of national actions coming online to address agricultural pollution, which include:
Red Tractor is an industry-led farm assurance scheme. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment on the implementation of its guidelines or individual cases. Meeting regulatory requirements is a vital component to bringing improvements to the local Wye catchment. If there are concerns that farmers are breaching regulations, they should be reported to the Environment Agency, which will work with local farmers to bring them into compliance.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
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 decision by Sainsbury’s and other leading supermarkets not to procure meat supplied by JBS SA or its subsidiaries due to allegations of involvement in illegal deforestation of the Amazon and allegations of modern day slavery practices, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to examine Government departments' and agencies' meat supply contracts with that company.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The public can have confidence that the food provided in the public sector meets the standards expected. The Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services set a range of mandatory and best practice standards, including requiring suppliers to meet UK production standards or equivalent.
We want the public sector to lead by example, championing high production standards and sustainable produce. We will soon consult on public sector food and catering policy to ensure it reflects our high ambition for this area. The consultation will seek views on ways to promote local, sustainable, healthier food in the public sector, open public sector procurement to a wider range of businesses and increase the transparency of food supply chains.
The procurement of food for the public sector remains the responsibility of lead departments for that sector. Lead departments are in regular contact with major suppliers to review their public procurement contracts and ensure they can continue to meet the food standards they are expected to uphold.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
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 environmental impacts of available alternatives to peat in amateur and professional horticulture.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Cambridge on 21 March 2022, PQs 138305, 138306 and 138307.
Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what alternatives to peat the Government is considering in amateur and professional horticulture in the event of a complete ban in 2024.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Cambridge on 21 March 2022, PQs 138305, 138306 and 138307.