Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects construction work to commence on the Flood Alleviation Scheme for Tadcaster.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency has accelerated work on the Tadcaster Flood alleviation scheme following flooding in 2020. This includes completion of small scale work to existing flood defences and accelerating modelling, feasibility and design, alongside ongoing community engagement. Further formal public engagement will take place in March 2023. This will influence the Outline Business Case which is scheduled for submission in April 2023. The application for planning permission and detailed design will follow and construction is still scheduled to commence in early 2024.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of used cooking oil in generating carbon-neutral electricity.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Defra has not made any specific assessment of the potential benefits of used cooking oil in generating carbon-neutral electricity.
There are restrictions on the disposal of used cooking oil and energy recovery for the production of electricity is one of the available options for managing such waste. As with other biodegradable materials, the energy recovered from used cooking oil is classed as ‘renewable energy’ and counts towards renewable energy targets aimed at decarbonising energy generation.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
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 potential effect of proposals to limit emissions from diesel generators on the bio power sector.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
No specific assessment has been made of the potential effect of these proposals on the bio power sector but we are seeking further information on their impact through the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department submitted the final information required by the Chinese authorities to approve the export of pigs' trotters to China to those authorities.
Answered by George Eustice
We have worked with the UK pork industry to collate the necessary data and information requested by the Chinese authorities. The last set of information from all companies involved was submitted at the end of June and we continue to work with the Chinese authorities as they review this information to ensure they have everything they need to finalise the agreement.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what length of time there was between her Department receiving information from Cranswick plc that was required for the approval of the export of pigs' trotters to China before her Department provided that information to the Chinese authorities.
Answered by George Eustice
The Chinese authorities requested information relating to the whole UK pork industry, involving the collation of information from a number of different companies. Once the necessary information was received from all pork companies involved, via AHDB, this was reviewed and verified by Defra and submitted to the Chinese authorities with accompanying competent authority assurances. The information was submitted to the Chinese authorities as soon as it was ready, following review and verification by Defra, meaning that it was sent in four separate tranches. Information relating to Cranswick specifically was first received on 21 December 2015 and submitted the following morning. The second tranche was received on 26 January and contained a large amount of detailed information from all the companies involved. This required extensive review and verification by Defra and was sent on 3 March. The third set of information was received on 24 March and once the necessary verification had taken place was submitted on 4 April. The final set of information was received on 24 June and submitted to the Chinese authorities on 27 June.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the reasons are for the time taken to begin trade with China in pigs' trotters since the protocol on such trade was signed in November 2015.
Answered by George Eustice
The signing of the protocol was an important stage in reaching agreement for the export of UK pigs’ trotters to China. We are now completing the additional requirements as part of the normal process of finalising the agreement with China.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the most recent meeting took place between the UK Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration; whether approval for the export of pigs' trotters to China was discussed at that meeting; and what the outcome of that meeting was.
Answered by George Eustice
The UK Agriculture, Food and Drink Counsellor in Beijing meets with the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) on a regular basis to raise the importance of reaching agreement on the export of pigs’ trotters to China. The most recent meeting took place in the week of 11 July where agreement was reached on some additional information required by CNCA on which Defra is working as a priority.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
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 names of all insurers which have Flood Re-compatible products available to consumers on the day of launch of the Flood Re-scheme before that day.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Flood Re is on target to start operating on 4 April. Flood Re will publish a list of participating insurers shortly before its launch.
For the first time it offers the prospect of available and affordable flood insurance to households at high flood risk.
The insurance market will continue to adapt after Flood Re is launched - it will be important for people to continue to shop around for the best deal.
Asked by: Nigel Adams (Conservative - Selby and Ainsty)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many properties built after January 2009 were flooded in winter 2013-14; and what guidance his Department issues to homeowners who are declined insurance by their provider because of risk of flooding. [R]
Answered by Dan Rogerson
We do not collect information on the number of properties built after January 2009 which were flooded in the winter of 2013-14. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a “Guide to obtaining flood insurance in high risk areas” on the GOV.UK website, which sets out steps for households in flood risk areas to access appropriate insurance.