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, whether she has had recent discussions with the Dartmoor National Park Authority on the closure of the Princetown visitors centre.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We recognise the challenges presented by sharply rising inflation, and are aware that National Park Authorities are considering options to manage current inflationary pressures. Defra has contributed more than £44m in grant funding to support the operation of Dartmoor National Park Authority since 2010. The Government remains committed to supporting our National Park Authorities and are working with them to generate more income from commercial revenue. We understand that this would be alongside the ongoing need for public funding to support essential local public services. Officials are in regular dialogue with the Chief Executive of the National Park Authorities on all of these issues.
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, whether she plans to take steps to help support national park authorities to generate more income from commercial revenue.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We recognise the challenges presented by sharply rising inflation, and are aware that National Park Authorities are considering options to manage current inflationary pressures. Defra has contributed more than £44m in grant funding to support the operation of Dartmoor National Park Authority since 2010. The Government remains committed to supporting our National Park Authorities and are working with them to generate more income from commercial revenue. We understand that this would be alongside the ongoing need for public funding to support essential local public services. Officials are in regular dialogue with the Chief Executive of the National Park Authorities on all of these issues.
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 much his Department provided in funding for Dartmoor National Park Authority in each year since 2010.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We recognise the challenges presented by sharply rising inflation, and are aware that National Park Authorities are considering options to manage current inflationary pressures. Defra has contributed more than £44m in grant funding to support the operation of Dartmoor National Park Authority since 2010. The Government remains committed to supporting our National Park Authorities and are working with them to generate more income from commercial revenue. We understand that this would be alongside the ongoing need for public funding to support essential local public services. Officials are in regular dialogue with the Chief Executive of the National Park Authorities on all of these issues.
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, whether her Department (a) has had and (b) plans to have discussions with South West Water on the (i) ownership of and (ii) liability for sewage pipes from the former MOD-owned Admiralty Cottages in Stonehouse in Plymouth.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency have investigated this matter and are working with South West Water and the local authority.
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 regard to his Department's temporary suspension of the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine until 29 October 2022, whether he plans to end that suspension after that date.
Answered by Scott Mann - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
HM Government made the difficult decision to extend the temporary suspension of commercial cats, dogs, and ferrets (including rescue animals) dispatched or originating from Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, and Poland to the 29th October 2022.
We understand the fluid situation at present due to the crisis and are aware that Romania, Belarus and Poland are currently experiencing high volumes of animal movements from Ukraine. Movements from these countries into Great Britain therefore present a higher risk at the current time due to the flow of animals from Ukraine.
In particular, there is evidence to suggest that commercial consignments of pet animals from Ukraine are being moved into Poland, Romania and Belarus, including strays, rescue and abandoned animals.
Unlike non-commercial pets accompanying Ukrainian refugees, these animals often have unknown history and disease status which increases the risk of disease spread.
Our standards of biosecurity are among the highest in the world. HM Government takes the importation of pets seriously and is committed to preserving our high standards of biosecurity. The movement of commercial pets from Belarus, Poland, Romania and Ukraine represents a clear and serious enough biosecurity risk at the current time that we therefore consider the suspension of these movements necessary to protect the health of people and pets in Great Britain.
This risk has been exacerbated further by serious cases of non-compliance. There is a history of non-compliant movements of rescue animals into Great Britain from this region, which further increases the biosecurity risk.
We continue to engage with competent authorities in impacted countries, the European Commission, and external partners (including rescue and rehoming charities) to gather data and information to enable us to keep the biosecurity risks in relation to the introduction of rabies or the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis to Great Britain under review and to assess the impact of the suspension. The measure is under constant review based on the evidence provided to ensure it is targeted and proportionate to the risks posed.
HM Government appreciates the work of rescue and rehoming organisations who work to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals are given the opportunity to find a forever home whilst complying with our animal health and welfare legislation.
That is why this is only a temporary measure, to ensure that we protect our biosecurity at this challenging time. Given the consequences of getting this wrong, I hope you will understand why we are being cautious.
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 recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the ban placed on the import of rescue animals from (a) Romania, (b) Ukraine, (c) Belarus and (d) Poland on animal rescue charities in the UK.
Answered by Scott Mann - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
HM Government made the difficult decision to extend the temporary suspension of commercial cats, dogs, and ferrets (including rescue animals) dispatched or originating from Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, and Poland to the 29th October 2022.
We understand the fluid situation at present due to the crisis and are aware that Romania, Belarus and Poland are currently experiencing high volumes of animal movements from Ukraine. Movements from these countries into Great Britain therefore present a higher risk at the current time due to the flow of animals from Ukraine.
In particular, there is evidence to suggest that commercial consignments of pet animals from Ukraine are being moved into Poland, Romania and Belarus, including strays, rescue and abandoned animals.
Unlike non-commercial pets accompanying Ukrainian refugees, these animals often have unknown history and disease status which increases the risk of disease spread.
Our standards of biosecurity are among the highest in the world. HM Government takes the importation of pets seriously and is committed to preserving our high standards of biosecurity. The movement of commercial pets from Belarus, Poland, Romania and Ukraine represents a clear and serious enough biosecurity risk at the current time that we therefore consider the suspension of these movements necessary to protect the health of people and pets in Great Britain.
This risk has been exacerbated further by serious cases of non-compliance. There is a history of non-compliant movements of rescue animals into Great Britain from this region, which further increases the biosecurity risk.
We continue to engage with competent authorities in impacted countries, the European Commission, and external partners (including rescue and rehoming charities) to gather data and information to enable us to keep the biosecurity risks in relation to the introduction of rabies or the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis to Great Britain under review and to assess the impact of the suspension. The measure is under constant review based on the evidence provided to ensure it is targeted and proportionate to the risks posed.
HM Government appreciates the work of rescue and rehoming organisations who work to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals are given the opportunity to find a forever home whilst complying with our animal health and welfare legislation.
That is why this is only a temporary measure, to ensure that we protect our biosecurity at this challenging time. Given the consequences of getting this wrong, I hope you will understand why we are being cautious.
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, whether he plans to publish the 2020-21 review of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme by the end of 2022.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government keeps the performance of the Seasonal Worker route under ongoing review. We currently have no plans to publish performance information for the period covering the 2020-21 season.
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 estimate he has made of the number of seasonal agricultural workers who are paying agencies or companies an introductory fee for arranging employment on UK farms.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
As part of Defra’s Request for Information (RFI) process for the selection of the Seasonal Workers Scheme operators, the participants must confirm that they will not place any additional charges on participating migrants, beyond the administration of the Extended Pilot, and that they (and their agents) will not charge work-finding fees.
The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) assess overseas labour providers when they apply for a licence to be a part of the Seasonal Workers Scheme. Charging recruitment fees would be a breach of the licensing standards. Any labour provider found to be in breach of the licensing standards is not provided with a licence or would have their licence revoked. To date, no licence holder part of the Seasonal Workers Scheme has been found to be in breach of the standards related to recruitment fees.
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 enforcement actions his Department has taken against breaches of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme as of 4 July 2022.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra does not take enforcement action against breaches of the Seasonal Workers visa scheme and does not hold any details of the number of such breaches. Enforcement action is undertaken by the Home Office or the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).
The operators of the Seasonal Worker Scheme are licensed by the GLAA who will ensure that all workers are placed with farms who adhere to all relevant legislation. Should a scheme operator lose their GLAA licencing at any point, their sponsor licence will be revoked with immediate effect.
A key objective of the Seasonal Workers Scheme is to ensure that migrant workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses, including the charging of recruitment fees and ensuring effective enforcement of UK employment laws. The safety and wellbeing of workers is considered paramount.
The GLAA is undertaking work in partnership to prevent exploitation of workers. For example, the GLAA and Seasonal Worker Scheme operators are jointly developing an informative video, specifically addressing issues related to recruitment fees. The video is due to be launched in the coming weeks. The GLAA is also developing specific guidance aimed for overseas businesses which will also be published shortly. Finally, the GLAA is working with UK embassies to engage more closely with in-country government agencies and ensure local laws and regulations are always met.
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, whether he plans to cease the £50 Government contribution to water bills for South West Water customers in 2022-23.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As confirmed with South West Water in December 2021, we have extended the water rebate for those in the South West until 31 March 2023.