Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many turkeys have been culled since the outbreak of avian flu on 27 October 2021.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
To date during the avian influenza outbreak (from 26 October 2021 to the 3 November 2022), 6 million poultry or other captive birds (including chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and other kept birds) have died or are being culled and disposed for disease control purposes (2.8 million since Oct 2022; 3.2 million birds between October 2021 and September 2022). This is a small proportion (approximately 0.6%) of overall yearly poultry production (c.20m birds slaughtered for human consumption per week).
Of the total which have died or are being culled and disposed for disease control purposes during the outbreak, approximately 1,282,000 are turkeys, 679,200 ducks and 60,800 geese (equating to approximately 21%, 11% and 1% of the total birds culled respectively) (931,000 turkeys, 336,700 ducks, and 19,000 geese (equating to approximately 33%, 12% and 1% of the total birds culled respectively) since October 2022; 351,000 turkeys, 342,500 ducks and 41,800 geese (equating to approximately 11%, 11% and 1% of the total birds culled respectively) between October 2021 and September 2022).
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 impact on poultry prices in winter 2022-23 of the decision to cull birds following the outbreak of avian flu on 27 October 2021.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The British poultry sector is highly resilient and plays a significant role in the production of high quality chicken, turkey, duck and geese.
The United Kingdom is currently experiencing an unprecedented outbreak of Avian Influenza (AI) with over 240 cases confirmed across the country in poultry and other captive birds since October 2021. During the period 1st– 31st October 2022, around 1.5 million chickens, 822,000 turkeys, 330,000 ducks, and 19,000 geese alone have died or been culled because of AI.
We recognise that these outbreaks are very distressing for the individual poultry farmers and businesses that are affected. However, the overall impact on food supply is relatively small, with approximately 1.1 billion chickens and 11 million turkeys alone usually sold in Great Britain each year.
Defra’s objective in tackling any outbreak of AI is to eradicate the disease as quickly as possible. Our approach considers the latest ornithological, epidemiological, veterinary and other scientific advice. Where necessary, we are also able to introduce Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) and mandatory housing measures within AIPZs to prevent the spread of the disease. A national housing order in England was announced on 31st October and will come into force on 7th November.
The price increases that the poultry industry has seen this last year are largely a result of rising input costs such as feed and energy; partly caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 effectiveness of bee bricks installed in new buildings on supporting bee populations.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
While no formal assessment of the effectiveness of bee bricks has been undertaken, the Government works with public, private and voluntary sector partners to develop advice for everyone wishing to provide and manage nesting and feeding resources for bees and other insects, whether in gardens, the wider countryside or new buildings.
This advice is based on clear evidence that by increasing habitat for insects, including bees, we support long-term population increases in those insects.
Defra and Natural England are also working with other partners and stakeholders to develop a Green Infrastructure Framework. This will provide guidance as to what good green infrastructure looks like and help local authorities, developers and communities to improve provision in their area, including introducing nature friendly features into new developments.
In addition, all public bodies, including local authorities, have a legal duty under the 2006 Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act to have regard to conserving biodiversity when exercising their functions, a duty which the Environment Act 2021 strengthens. Some local authorities may choose to introduce a planning requirement that requires suitable new buildings to include bee bricks, or they may focus on other measures, such as creating pollinator friendly wildflower habitats.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Trade on maintaining British food standards in the trade deal with Australia.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
I have had regular discussions with the Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade and, indeed, other Cabinet colleagues on the issue of food standards in the context of our negotiations with Australia.
The UK is rightly proud of our world-leading food, environment and animal welfare standards. We have a number of tools available in FTAs to maintain these standards. All imports of agri-food products will still have to comply with the UK’s food safety and biosecurity requirements.
The commitment to non-regression means that neither country can lower their animal welfare standards to undercut the other.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What steps he is taking to support farmers producing food for the domestic market.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
From this year we will be offering new productivity support. Farmers will be able to apply for grants to help them invest in equipment and technology and boost their productivity under the Farming Investment Fund.
The Farm Resilience scheme will provide help for the first three years of the agricultural transition period to manage their businesses through the transition. It will ensure experts are on hand to provide any advice and support needed.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the effect of proposed planning reforms on rural communities.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of matters affecting rural communities.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 adequacy of Government support for the dairy industry during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government has continued to engage closely with representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain throughout this difficult period to assess the challenges facing the industry and to ensure that appropriate financial support is provided. The vast majority of Britain’s dairy farmers continue to supply their contracts at or around the usual price. Approximately 5% of total milk production, however, goes to the service trade. A small proportion of farmers supplying milk to processors that sell into the food service sector have seen a reduction in demand with the closure of food service. A small proportion of suppliers have therefore seen a reduction in demand. We have provided a range of support to help these affected farmers.
At the outset of the pandemic, the Government announced a number of emergency measures to support farmers, processors and retailers. These include designating the food sector as critical to the response, with people working in the production, processing, sale, distribution or delivery of food categorised as key workers, and granting derogations on drivers’ hours limitations.
In addition, to support milk producers, the Government announced on 17 April a temporary easing of some elements of competition law to make it easier for the dairy industry to come together to maximise production, processing and storage efficiency and to ensure that as much product as possible can be processed into high quality dairy products. This Statutory Instrument was laid on 1 May and applies retrospectively from 1 April.
On 6 May we announced a new scheme specifically to provide support to eligible dairy farmers in England who have lost more than 25% of their income over April and May because of coronavirus disruptions. This will provide farmers with funding of up to £10,000 each to cover 70% of their lost income during the qualifying period, enabling them to continue to operate and to sustain production capacity without impacts on animal welfare.
Defra and the devolved administrations are also jointly contributing towards financing the new £1 million campaign by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Dairy UK to drive an increase in the consumption of milk. Running over 12 weeks, the campaign is highlighting the role that milk plays in supporting moments of personal connection during times of crisis.
Our Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme is available to farmers, milk buyers and processors. Responding to industry feedback on this scheme, Defra held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they understand that farmers, milk buyers and milk processors are eligible. In addition, the new Bounce Back Loan scheme, which applies to businesses operating in agriculture, ensures that the smallest businesses can access loans up to £50,000. To give lenders the confidence they need, we have provided them with a 100% guarantee on each loan and will cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees.
Public intervention for skimmed milk powder (SMP) and butter continues to be available in the UK. Alongside this we have also ensured the availability to UK dairy processors of private storage aid for cheese, butter and SMP. These measures will help to underpin prices, providing a floor in the market by reducing the volume of product coming on to the market.
We will continue to engage with the dairy industry throughout this period of disruption to monitor the impact of the range of financial and other measures we have implemented, ensuring that the sector continues to have the support that it needs.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 (a) introduce penalty points for roadside littering and (b) bring forward legislative proposals to require delivery and haulage companies to equip vehicles with bins for use by employees.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is a criminal offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit litter, whether from a vehicle or otherwise. It is up to employers to determine whether they need to provide specific equipment or facilities to their employees to enable them to comply with the law.
With effect from April 2018, we have introduced new powers enabling councils in England (outside London) to issue civil fixed penalties of between £65 to £150 to the keepers of vehicles from which litter is thrown. Councils in London already had similar powers. This enables them to take action against the offence, even when the precise offender cannot be identified beyond reasonable doubt.
We have no plans to introduce penalty points (endorsements) for littering offences, nor to require employers to provide bins in vehicles.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local authorities have been awarded an air quality grant for 2019 to 2020; and how much each local authority has been awarded.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Air Quality Grant Scheme is competitive and a total value of £2 million is available to award to successful English local authorities. The 2019 grant awards are currently under evaluation and decisions will be finalised in due course.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 has been made of the equity of the cost to consumers of Flood Re insurance cover.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The premiums charged by Flood Re to insurers are capped based on council tax bands. This is in order to target support to low income households and address the issue of affordability of flood insurance. Prices start at £213 per policy, per annum in council tax bands A and B for a combined (buildings and contents) policy, rising to £1,218 for a band H home. During Flood Re’s first 18 months of operation, there has been a fairly even split between council tax bands A to E for the 140,000 policies backed during this time. The exact distribution is set out below.
Council tax band | % Split between council tax bands |
A | 16% |
B | 19% |
C | 22% |
D | 18% |
E | 12% |
F | 7% |
G | 5% |
H | 1% |