Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) the Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit has had recent discussions with the Canal and River Trust on a proposal for (i) an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 and (ii) other legislative proposals on the operation of inland waterways.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra officials meet regularly with Canal and River Trust senior management to discuss a range of issues. The Trust has recently announced the formation of an independent Commission to review the legal framework around boat licensing so that it reflects the changes in use of the network over the past 30 years, within which potential legislative reforms and/or operational changes to the Trust’s boat licensing activities may be considered. The review will take place in 2025 and will inform any decision by the Trust to pursue a potential Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
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 has taken to help ensure that the children of the families of boat dwellers without a permanent mooring are able to reasonably achieve daily access to education without the risk of (a) their boat licence being shortened or withdrawn for remaining too close to one place in term time, (b) seizure of their boat by the Canal and River Trust and (c) similar enforcement action by other navigation authorities.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Navigation authorities are responsible for operational matters on their waterways, and that boaters using navigable waterways are required to comply with the terms of their licences for the benefit of all waterway users. The Canal and River Trust has provided assurances that appropriate enforcement action on its waterways is only used as a last resort in response to persistent non-compliance, to ensure fairness to all boaters. Those with children who choose to live on a boat without a permanent mooring are responsible for ensuring they have access to education; the Trust provides reasonable adjustments for anyone who qualifies under the Equalities & Human Rights Act.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
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 prevent boat dwellers without a permanent mooring from (a) having their homes seized and (b) being financially penalised in enforcement action by (i) the Canal and River Trust and (ii) other navigation authorities.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All navigation authorities in England and Wales are responsible for operational matters on their waterways, including setting fees and charges for those using them and the use of corresponding enforcement powers, under the relevant statutory provisions. The Government does not have a role in that but recognises that boaters using navigable waterways require a valid licence from the relevant navigation authority and are expected to comply with the terms of their licences for the benefit of all waterway users. The Government is assured that appropriate enforcement action is only used as a last resort in response to persistent non-compliance, to ensure fairness to all boaters who do comply. We also understand that the Canal and River Trust provides a variety of support routes to boaters experiencing difficulties with licence fees or compliance with navigation requirements.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
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 tackle the smuggling of (a) horses, (b) ponies and (c) donkeys.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Exporting horses and other equines from Great Britain for slaughter is banned under the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024.
More broadly, the Government is reviewing options to improve equine identification and traceability.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
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 ensure the safety of imported food under the Border Target Operating Model.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The Government’s absolute priority in delivering the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is to protect and enhance food safety, and plant, animal and public health. The BTOM sets outs out a risk-based, proportionate regime of controls which systematically assesses the inherent biosecurity or public health risk presented by an import, together with the prevalence of relevant pests and diseases and our confidence in the exporting country’s production standards and health controls. This assessment allows us to set controls at the most appropriate level and focus on the areas of highest risk to ensure food safety.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish a consultation on the use of cages for farmed animals.
Answered by Mark Spencer
We have delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan, which will deliver significant improvements for animals in the UK and abroad. We are firmly committed to maintaining our strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond.
Our recent announcement on delivering the measures in the Kept Animals Bill through single measure Bills will help us to deliver two further commitments in the plan, including the ban on live exports. These are our key priorities. We do not consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms, being mindful of the challenges the sectors are facing. The market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023.
We continue to work with the sector to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with supermarkets on profit levels and food pricing in response to increased food price inflation.
Answered by Mark Spencer
Defra has regular discussions with food retailers about a range of issues, including the impact of food price inflation. We are closely monitoring the situation and taking action to maintain an efficient food supply chain by mitigating against any potential burdens or friction which could otherwise drive up consumer food prices. In addition, Defra continues to work with supermarkets and producers to explore the range of measures they can take to ensure the availability of affordable food. However, it is not for HM Government to set retail food prices nor to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions by companies. We do not actively monitor the profits of food retailers.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with senior representatives at Kew Gardens on funding for that institution as a result of the financial effect of the covid-19 outbreak; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the outbreak on the (a) finances and (b) functionality of that institution.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Defra has regular meetings with Kew Gardens about the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak. There are significant impacts on Kew’s operations and finances, mainly as a result of having to close the Kew and Wakehurst Place sites to the public for a period during lockdown, and a staggered return to full operations is anticipated through 2020/21.
Kew has reopened to the public under a carefully planned approach and is now able to generate visitor income as a result, although at a significantly lower level than would normally be anticipated. The operational facilities are being kept under review with a view to maximising visitor access within social distancing guidelines. Kew has taken financial mitigation measures to partly offset the loss of income, including reducing costs, postponing investment plans and use of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Under optimistic scenario planning of steady growth in visitor numbers and associated income and no second lockdown or related restrictions, their in-year operating deficit would result in a 25% reduction in total income for 2020/21, which will be funded by Kew drawing down its unrestricted reserves.
We continue to work with Kew to monitor the situation and any future challenges.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the restricted grant-in-aid to Royal Gardens Botanical, Kew has been in each financial year since 2007.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
Kew publishes the funding it receives from Defra in its Annual Reports and Accounts, which are publicly available on the Kew website. The presentation of Kew’s accounts has evolved over the years and they have moved to reporting in terms of ‘restricted’ and ‘unrestricted’ Defra funding from 2013/14. Defra places no restrictions on its core or operational funding (resource), which Kew currently considers how best to allocate to deliver its statutory objectives; Kew accordingly defines this as 'unrestricted'. Defra does place restrictions on its capital funding, which may only be used for specified purposes in accordance with bids from Kew. Kew now reports this as ‘restricted’ funding.
Kew budget since 2007/8 (All figures in £k):
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Data from Kew's Published ARA |
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Income Split | 07/08 | 08/09 | 09/10 | 10/11 | 11/12 | 12/13 | 13/14 |
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GIA Income | 25,204 | 26,600 | 28,550 | 24,620 | 28,500 | 32,475 | 28,000 |
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Defra (Capital) | 7.60 | 8.75 | 10.90 | 7.90 | 12.70 | 17.00* | 13.6** |
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Defra (Operational) | 17.60 | 19.85 | 17.65 | 16.72 | 15.80 | 15.45* | 14.4 |
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*Taken from Defra records as income split is not published in Kew’s accounts for this year
**Note this includes £1.3m for severance and redundancy payments