Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing subsidies to UK flower producers after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government has not explicitly made an assessment of the potential merits of providing subsidies to UK flower producers after the UK leaves the EU.
We have made clear that we propose to phase out the concept of farm subsidies and replace them with a new system that rewards and encourages the delivery of public goods, principally environmental goods. The Government is currently consulting on a new domestic agriculture policy, including a new environmental land management system, to be introduced in the next Parliament.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
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 total amount allocated to UK aquaculture through the European Fisheries Fund for the period 2007 to 2013.
Answered by George Eustice
The total amount allocated to UK aquaculture through the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) for the period 2007 to 2013 was £6,332,265. EFF funding was co-financed with £4,026,108 of national funding (UK Exchequer) along with private investment of £17,644,734, resulting in total investment in the aquaculture sector of £28,003,107.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the presence of plastic particles in bottled water.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The UK has world-leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework. The Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (England) Regulations 2007 set strict chemical and microbiological limits and minimum quality criteria for different types of bottled waters. Local Authority Trading Standards departments are responsible for enforcing the regulations on bottled waters and are required to carry out routine monitoring checks and sampling.
The Government is committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and quality for bottled waters to protect UK consumers.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to regulate the aquaculture sector after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill ensures that, so far as possible, the same rules and laws will apply on the day after we have left the EU as on the day before. This will provide the maximum possible certainty and continuity to businesses, workers and consumers across the UK.
Aquaculture sector policy is a devolved matter. In England, any future changes to the regulatory framework for aquaculture will need to be considered and consulted upon carefully. Any such changes should build on the success of existing initiatives and collaborations, such as those achieved as part of the Seafood 2040 plan, whilst working towards achieving the Government’s commitment within the 25 Year Environment Plan to achieve good environmental status in our seas while allowing marine industries (such as aquaculture) to thrive.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) quantum and (b) value of finfish (i) landed at (A) Portavogie, (B) Ardglass and (C) Kilkeel ports and (ii) produced through aquaculture in Northern Ireland between 2007 and 2017.
Answered by George Eustice
Landings of demersal and pelagic species into specified Northern Irish Ports by all vessels (UK and foreign) between 2007 and 2016 | |||
Port | Year | Quantity (tonnes) | Value (£) |
|
|
|
|
Ardglass | 2007 | 8,376 | £3,489,510 |
2008 | 8,408 | £3,325,027 | |
2009 | 6,875 | £2,753,290 | |
2010 | 9,448 | £4,309,981 | |
2011 | 9,265 | £6,534,563 | |
2012 | 6,338 | £4,532,077 | |
2013 | 6,663 | £3,162,364 | |
2014 | 8,056 | £4,391,489 | |
2015 | 4,100 | £1,815,755 | |
2016 | 3,108 | £1,971,925 | |
|
|
|
|
Kilkeel | 2007 | 909 | £1,257,164 |
2008 | 1,006 | £1,361,656 | |
2009 | 689 | £880,623 | |
2010 | 901 | £1,169,573 | |
2011 | 736 | £1,019,243 | |
2012 | 699 | £860,484 | |
2013 | 976 | £1,003,762 | |
2014 | 741 | £1,203,688 | |
2015 | 955 | £1,038,491 | |
2016 | 1,069 | £1,428,862 | |
|
|
|
|
Portavogie | 2007 | 591 | £1,080,025 |
2008 | 635 | £1,266,315 | |
2009 | 593 | £1,033,793 | |
2010 | 457 | £897,536 | |
2011 | 273 | £534,050 | |
2012 | 162 | £283,047 | |
2013 | 268 | £265,893 | |
2014 | 215 | £194,163 | |
2015 | 366 | £252,197 | |
2016 | 392 | £341,676 | |
Figures for 2017 are not currently available. Provisional UK wide fisheries statistics will be published on Friday 23rd February.
Quantum and Value of Finfish produced through aquaculture in Northern Ireland between 2007 and 2016 | ||
Year | Quantity (tonnes) | Value (£m) |
2007 | 830 | £2.1 |
2008 | 584 | £1.5 |
2009 | 1120 | £3.3 |
2010 | 1155 | £4.6 |
2011 | 1060 | £3.9 |
2012 | 945 | £4.1 |
2013 | 896 | £4.3 |
2014 | 1117 | £5.1 |
2015 | 1136 | £4.3 |
2016 | 1069 | £4.1 |
Figures for 2017 are not currently available.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to consult the aquaculture sector on the effect of the UK leaving the EU; and what plans his Department has to minimise the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the aquaculture sector.
Answered by George Eustice
Through a number of fora, we have actively engaged with, and will continue to listen to, industry representatives, trade organisations, processors, Non-Government Organisations and the public as the UK leaves the EU. Devolved Administrations will remain fully engaged in the process and we will work with them to deliver a deal that works for the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
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 the representatives of the Northern Ireland Assembly on soil and water pollution from intensive pig and poultry farms.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
None. This is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to increase the capacity of smaller farms to compete with large intensive farms.
Answered by George Eustice
There will continue to be a place in UK agriculture for all sustainable production systems that meet our high environmental and welfare standards. We are committed to working with the industry to ensure a vibrant and productive future for all agricultural sectors as we prepare to leave the European Union. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop policies that support innovation, increase agricultural productivity, and improve the efficiency with which we use natural resources.