Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding schemes to reintroduce beavers into the wild.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
Yes, assessments of the potential merits of beaver reintroductions in England have been made.
Most notably, beginning in 2015, a 5-year trial for beaver wild release took place on the River Otter in Devon. In 2020, Natural England published assessment results for the trial. The trial was found to be successful, having brought many benefits to local ecology and communities, including creating wetland habitat and reducing downstream flood risk for housing.
Following successful completion of the trial, the Government conducted a public consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. In 2022, the Government published its response to this consultation. Work with Natural England to develop our approach to beaver reintroductions in England is continuing, including on wild release.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 7677 on Shellfish, what his planned timeline is for making this decision.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is currently reviewing Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA’s) proposal to increase the minimum landing size of native oysters under the Fal Fishery Order 2016. A decision will be made once the review is complete.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to increase the minimum landing size of Fal oysters from 67 to 72mm.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority have written to the Defra asking for approval of their request to increase the minimum landing size of native oysters under the Fal Fishery Order 2016. This request and the evidence for making the change is being considered by the Defra.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 plans to take to prevent the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in off-the-shelf pet treatments.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Whilst these substances have been authorised for pesticide use, their use in animals requires authorisation as veterinary medicinal products under a different legislative framework with differing factors coming into consideration. Parasiticides, such as those containing imidacloprid, play an essential role in protecting both animal and human health against fleas and ticks and their associated vector-borne diseases. The VMD also recognise the concerns regarding the potential contribution of flea and tick treatments to the levels of imidacloprid currently being detected in UK surface waters. The VMD is currently gathering evidence around this issue and has led on the formation of a cross-governmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group, with the aim is to develop a co-ordinated strategy to reduce the impacts of pharmaceuticals on the environment.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 ensure that (a) vets and pet owners have access to advice on the responsible use of pet parasiticides and (b) the (i) packaging, (ii) usage guidance and (iii) point of sale advice for flea and tick pet treatments warn pet owners of the danger to aquatic life of those products entering watercourses.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The packing for the product and supporting product literature for veterinary medicines includes information on how to use the product as well as comprehensive safety information, including environmental safety, to ensure all potential risks are clearly communicated to users, supporting the safe and responsible use of the product. In addition, the VMD and the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment cross-government group are working with stakeholders, including industry and veterinary professionals, to initiate industry-led stewardship to promote the responsible use of pet parasiticides. This initiative will prioritise communication on raising awareness around the appropriate use of these products.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 plans to take to reduce the levels of fipronil and imidacloprid in UK waters.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government and Regulators are engaging with pharmaceutical companies to improve information on use and disposal of their products to help minimise the risk to the environment and human health.
The Environment Agency (EA) is also working with the Royal Veterinary College to investigate levels of these pharmaceuticals in waters where dogs swim, and to improve pet owners’ understanding of their environmental risks.
The EA is a member of the cross-Government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group. Fipronil and imidacloprid in UK surface waters has been a priority for this group since April 2023. The group has focused on identifying the sources of fipronil and imidacloprid detected in UK surface waters to work towards reducing these levels.
The EA is actively involved in monitoring, research, educational outreach, and engagement with multiple stakeholders to address environmental concerns about these pharmaceuticals.
More monitoring data and research are needed to better understand the potential environmental hazards and risks of alternative treatments to imidacloprid and fipronil spot-on products and inform options for taking further action.