Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 potential (a) economic and (b) environmental merits of widespread planting of deciduous woodland.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Trees and woodlands deliver a wide range of benefits – capturing carbon and delivering many other environmental outcomes, creating spaces for people and communities to enjoy, and providing food and wood products which support the economy.
In our recent consultation on proposals for a new England Tree Strategy, we outlined a need to address the biodiversity and climate crises together - planting a range of species to create varied habitats. We are currently considering the responses to this consultation and plan to publish the full England Tree Strategy early next year.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 (a) review and (b) amend the regulations on the burning of heather and protected blanket bog.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The government has always been clear of the need to phase out rotational burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these vulnerable habitats, and we are looking at how legislation could achieve this. Real progress is being made in promoting sustainable alternatives. We have urged landowners to adopt these and continue to work with them constructively.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 potential merits of extending support grants for the (a) dairy industry and (b) agricultural sector as the covid-19 outbreak continues.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
To support dairy farmers who have been significantly impacted by covid-19, Defra ran a Dairy Response Fund which closed for applications on 11 September. This has provided financial support to those eligible dairy farmers who suffered a reduction in the average price paid for their milk of 25% or more in April 2020, compared with February 2020. More detail can be found at the link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dairy-response-fund-2020
The passing of the spring production peak, combined with measures taken by the government on competition easements and promotion campaigns, alongside the partial re-opening of hospitality has seen the dairy market recover and commodity prices have largely recovered to their pre-covid-19 levels.
We will continue to work very closely with all agricultural industry stakeholders and the Devolved Administrations to assess and monitor UK agricultural markets including price, supply, and trade information. This will enable us to identify, and respond as appropriate to the impacts of the covid-19 outbreak across all of our agricultural sectors.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 is taking to further support value add to food manufacturing for dairy products.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
British dairy and other agricultural products are renowned around the world for their high standards of animal welfare, traceability and sustainability. Dairy is the UK's largest agricultural sector and, alongside our other agricultural sectors, the Government is determined to see the sector become more productive and competitive.
Through measures in our Agriculture Bill we will offer financial assistance to enable dairy and other farmers to invest in the equipment, technology, and infrastructure that they need to improve their productivity, provide more home-grown healthy high-quality produce, and manage the environment sustainably. Productivity improvements can help drive added value in the dairy supply chain.
We will also make use of the opportunities provided by our new independent trade policy to grow new and existing export markets around the world. The strong reputation of our products provides an excellent platform on which to further increase overseas demand and secure maximum value for British dairy products.
In June we announced a 'bounce back package' of trade support for food and drink exporters. This joint Defra and Department for International Trade package of short-term practical measures will support businesses to get their products back in front of international buyers and grow their exports. More information can be found on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/government/news/bounce-back-plan-for-agriculture-food-and-drink-industry-launched.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made with its hen harrier recovery programme.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Significant progress continues to be made on the actions set out in the hen harrier action plan. This includes Natural England carrying out an extensive nest and winter roost monitoring programme using a mix of staff and volunteers. Natural England and Forest Enterprise monitored 14 nests in 2020, all of which were successful. Another ten nests were monitored by the RSPB. In 2019 under the brood management trial one nest was brood managed and in 2020 two nests. To date, 13 birds have been reared in captivity and re-released back into the wild. Natural England has also fitted tags to 23 hen harrier chicks this year.
This year Natural England has recorded the best year for hen harrier breeding in England since Natural England’s hen harrier action plan was launched in 2016 with 19 successful nests and 60 chicks fledged.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hen harriers there have been in England in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The results from the most recent UK national survey in 2016 (Wotton, S. et al 2018) showed that in England, the hen harrier population was at least four recorded pairs. However, data on nesting attempts from recent years suggests a higher breeding population. The table below shows data on hen harrier breeding success in England from 2011 to 2020.
| Nesting Attempts | Successful Nests | Chicks Fledged |
2011 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
2012 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
2015 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
2016 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
2017 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
2018 | 14 | 9 | 34 |
2019 | 15 | 12 | 46 |
2020 | 24 | 19 | 60 |
Hen harrier numbers are normally monitored through breeding data. Obtaining a figure for non-breeding and over winter numbers would be very difficult and there is no centrally coordinated monitoring of non-breeding numbers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many breeding pairs of hen harriers there have been in England in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The results from the most recent UK national survey in 2016 (Wotton, S. et al 2018) showed that in England, the hen harrier population was at least four recorded pairs. However, data on nesting attempts from recent years suggests a higher breeding population. The table below shows data on hen harrier breeding success in England from 2011 to 2020.
| Nesting Attempts | Successful Nests | Chicks Fledged |
2011 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
2012 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
2015 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
2016 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
2017 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
2018 | 14 | 9 | 34 |
2019 | 15 | 12 | 46 |
2020 | 24 | 19 | 60 |
Hen harrier numbers are normally monitored through breeding data. Obtaining a figure for non-breeding and over winter numbers would be very difficult and there is no centrally coordinated monitoring of non-breeding numbers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional support is being considered for animal rescue organisations in response to the covid-19 outbreak to ensure those organisations are able to operate and protect the welfare of animals.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government greatly appreciates the important work that animal rescue and rehoming organisations do, often on a voluntary basis, to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals in the UK are offered the opportunity of a forever home.
Evidence provided by respondents to the 2019 consultation on commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens reflected concerns about profit-driven activity and variations in standards of animal welfare across this sector.
Defra has been engaging with rescue and rehoming organisations to understand their views and the possible impacts of regulating the sector. Any proposal to bring forward regulations, including for the introduction of any registration and licensing system, will be subject to a consultation and will reflect an awareness of the more recent impact that coronavirus has had on the sector.
Defra has been kept regularly updated on the sector’s analysis of the developing situation. It has been encouraging to see the sector working collaboratively to safeguard the welfare of animals in their care in the face of real financial hardship and uncertainty.
Organisations have been able to apply for the full range of coronavirus support measures that the government made available to businesses and charities: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support. The Charity Commission has also issued comprehensive guidance on running a charity during this period of economic uncertainty: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector.
Defra has worked closely with the sector through the Canine and Feline Sector Group and National Equine Welfare Council to agree and update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations to enable them to undertake core operations as far as possible, while maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Government remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 bring forward legislative proposals to regulate animal rehoming.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government greatly appreciates the important work that animal rescue and rehoming organisations do, often on a voluntary basis, to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals in the UK are offered the opportunity of a forever home.
Evidence provided by respondents to the 2019 consultation on commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens reflected concerns about profit-driven activity and variations in standards of animal welfare across this sector.
Defra has been engaging with rescue and rehoming organisations to understand their views and the possible impacts of regulating the sector. Any proposal to bring forward regulations, including for the introduction of any registration and licensing system, will be subject to a consultation and will reflect an awareness of the more recent impact that coronavirus has had on the sector.
Defra has been kept regularly updated on the sector’s analysis of the developing situation. It has been encouraging to see the sector working collaboratively to safeguard the welfare of animals in their care in the face of real financial hardship and uncertainty.
Organisations have been able to apply for the full range of coronavirus support measures that the government made available to businesses and charities: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support. The Charity Commission has also issued comprehensive guidance on running a charity during this period of economic uncertainty: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector.
Defra has worked closely with the sector through the Canine and Feline Sector Group and National Equine Welfare Council to agree and update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations to enable them to undertake core operations as far as possible, while maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Government remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 potential merits of introducing a registration and licensing system for animal sanctuaries and rehoming activities.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government greatly appreciates the important work that animal rescue and rehoming organisations do, often on a voluntary basis, to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals in the UK are offered the opportunity of a forever home.
Evidence provided by respondents to the 2019 consultation on commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens reflected concerns about profit-driven activity and variations in standards of animal welfare across this sector.
Defra has been engaging with rescue and rehoming organisations to understand their views and the possible impacts of regulating the sector. Any proposal to bring forward regulations, including for the introduction of any registration and licensing system, will be subject to a consultation and will reflect an awareness of the more recent impact that coronavirus has had on the sector.
Defra has been kept regularly updated on the sector’s analysis of the developing situation. It has been encouraging to see the sector working collaboratively to safeguard the welfare of animals in their care in the face of real financial hardship and uncertainty.
Organisations have been able to apply for the full range of coronavirus support measures that the government made available to businesses and charities: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support. The Charity Commission has also issued comprehensive guidance on running a charity during this period of economic uncertainty: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector.
Defra has worked closely with the sector through the Canine and Feline Sector Group and National Equine Welfare Council to agree and update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations to enable them to undertake core operations as far as possible, while maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Government remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.