Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to designate Highly Protected Marine Areas in the South West of England.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Defra recently announced that it intends to designate the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters. These HPMAs would be designated through the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 before 6 July 2023. Defra will continue to explore additional candidate sites this year, and any future sites will also be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help encourage the use of alternatives to neonicotinoid pesticides which do not harm pollinators.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Neonicotinoids are not generally permitted for use on crops. Time-limited emergency authorisations have been given to protect sugar beet crops from Yellows Viruses. This is not a permanent solution and the development of alternative, sustainable approaches to protect sugar beet crops is paramount. Work under way includes the development of resistant plant varieties, measures to improve crop hygiene and husbandry and alternative pesticides. British Sugar, seed companies and the British Beet Research Organisation are undertaking a programme of work developing these alternatives – which include Yellows Virus specific Integrated Pest Management techniques. The Government is monitoring the progress of this.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) lies at the heart of our approach to minimise the environmental impact of pesticides and is a key tool for businesses facing the challenges of pesticide resistance and changing pest pressures due to climate change. To support this, we are introducing new paid IPM actions within the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme this year. Increased support for IPM approaches will also be a feature of the upcoming National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of pesticides.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
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 level of risk of avian flu from the importation of game bird eggs.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out routine surveillance of disease risks around the world to help the Government anticipate future threats to animal health. APHA continues to closely monitor the global situation of avian influenza as part of this work.
Gamebird hatching egg imports to Great Britain (GB) must come from a disease-free territory within an approved country and be accompanied by appropriate animal health certification.
Hatching egg imports from non-EU countries must also enter GB through a Border Control Post, where controls are carried out to ensure that import conditions mitigating the risk of avian influenza have been met, while hatching egg imports from the EU may be subject to checks at destination based on an assessment of the biosecurity and public health risks.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many game bird eggs have been imported into the UK by country in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Year and Country of Origin | Total number of Game Bird Eggs |
2018 | |
Czech Republic | 12,960 |
Denmark | 38,160 |
France | 21,520,679 |
Germany | 19,000 |
Ireland | 118,400 |
Poland | 1,211,480 |
Portugal | 15,000 |
Spain | 943,620 |
Canada | 1,585,600 |
USA | 322,960 |
2019 | |
Czech Republic | 360 |
Denmark | 1,400 |
France | 27,433,916 |
Germany | 1,200 |
Hungary | 427,680 |
Poland | 1,263,560 |
Portugal | 142,630 |
Spain | 825,720 |
USA | 283,380 |
2020 | |
France | 22,493,288 |
Germany | 4,000 |
Hungary | 99,000 |
Poland | 1,140,180 |
Portugal | 94,000 |
Spain | 757,620 |
The Netherlands | 42,000 |
USA | 260,840 |
2021 | |
USA | 16,800 |
Austria | 420 |
France | 21,967,898 |
Poland | 102,340 |
Spain | 1,257,400 |
2022 | |
USA | 19,200 |
Denmark | 22,000 |
France | 3,459,766 |
Germany | 1,400 |
Hungary | 78,840 |
Poland | 113,000 |
Spain | 204,080 |
This information is drawn from external TRACES and IPAFF systems not directly controlled by the department.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Environment Agency's proposed remedial works to the Sutton Harbour lock gates in Plymouth.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency considers that the maintenance works are like for like replacement on the existing concrete footprint of the lock structure and are not likely to have significant effects on the environment and does not intend to prepare an Environmental Statement in respect of them.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many at sea inspections were conducted in fishing areas (a) Area 7D and (b) Area 7E of (i) UK vessels under 10m, (ii) UK vessels over 10m and (iii) EU vessels.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) employs a risk and intelligence based operational model to deliver surveillance and assurance capability at sea. At-sea inspections are just one of a range of tools deployed by the MMO as part of its strategy to prevent fisheries infringements in English waters.
The breakdown of inspections by MMO in fishing areas 7D and 7E during 2021 and 2022 was:
2021 | Area 7D | Area 7E |
UK vessels under 10m | 30 | 14 |
UK vessels over 10m | 34 | 82 |
EU vessels | 80 | 74 |
2022 | Area 7D | Area 7E |
UK vessels under 10m | 16 | 56 |
UK vessels over 10m | 48 | 89 |
EU vessels | 75 | 71 |
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the fishing industry in Plymouth was notified of the (a) planned works by the Environment Agency on Sutton Harbour lock gates and (b) expected restrictions on their operations.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) has been in direct and regular liaison with Sutton Harbour Group (SHG) about the work required to repair the lock. This involved reviewing the proposed methodology and understanding the implications of the planned work, before SHG were able to engage directly with their customers.
The Sutton Harbour Group invited the fishing industry (through their mailing list of 96 fishers and vessel owners) to attend the Sutton Harbour Group quarterly meeting on 13 July 2022. The EA was invited to give a presentation at this meeting, which set out:
A question-and-answer session followed the presentation, during which the EA gathered feedback to input to the planning process. Following this, a website was created to publish the latest updates for SHG’s customers: www.lockgates.info and work continues to develop mitigation plans both the fishing fleet and leisure berth holders.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with how many (a) fishermen, (b) vessel owners and (c) quayside support businesses the Environment Agency has had direct contact on the planned timings of that Agency's proposed remedial works to the Sutton Harbour lock gates in Plymouth.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Engagement with Sutton Harbour Group’s (SHG’s) customers and tenants has been carried out through their engagement channels, including their quarterly meetings, distribution lists (96 for fishing industry, 446 leisure berth holders), radio channels and through the Harbour Master.
The Environment Agency (EA) has provided support on the technical and programme aspects and attended meetings to enable stakeholders to ask questions on the proposed works. After the initial meeting, representatives from the fishing industry and the berth holders formed working groups to attend meetings and cascade information amongst stakeholder groups.
In addition to the main stakeholder engagement and communications carried out by SHG, the EA has had direct contact with:
An engagement plan has been created by SHG, the EA and Kier to ensure that communication leading up to and during construction is timely and efficient.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
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 appropriate levels of compensation for lost fishing time due to the planned works by the Environment Agency on Sutton Harbour lock gates in Plymouth.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The calculation and assessment of compensation is dealt with on a case by case basis and would be based on the information submitted in support of the request. It is not commonplace for compensation to be assessed ahead of an event, as it is dependent on losses actually incurred.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the Habitats Regulations Assessment for the Environment Agency's proposed remedial works to the Sutton Harbour lock gates in Plymouth.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Having considered the advice from the Environment Agency’s National Environmental Assessment Service, we are satisfied no Habitats Regulations Assessment is required. This included consideration of the works location within the existing concrete structure and minimal risk of pollution.