Asked by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help support farmers in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) Louth and Horncastle constituency.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For this government, food security is national security.
That is why this Government will introduce new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen Britain's food security.
Furthermore, the new Government are fully committed to the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. Government will restore stability and confidence amongst farmers and will not overturn the applecart by overhauling the schemes.
Instead, we will optimise schemes and grants in an orderly way, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers, food security and nature’s recovery in a just and equitable way.
The best way to do all of this effectively is to listen to farmers and others with a stake in our food system, countryside and nature. The Government is doing this as well as assessing data and information about what’s working and what isn’t before setting out detailed plans.
Asked by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to announce funding levels for agriculture in each year of this Parliament.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The budget for farming and agriculture beyond this year will be part of the government’s spending review.
Asked by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to increase the agriculture budget by inflation for each year of this Parliament.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The budget for farming and agriculture beyond this year will be part of the government’s spending review.
Asked by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)
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 she has made of the scientific evidence on the safety of glyphosate to humans and its continued use in farming.
Answered by George Eustice
In November 2015, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reassessed glyphosate to take into account scientific developments since it was approved and identified no safety concerns. UK experts agree that glyphosate meets the safety standards required to be approved for use in farming.
Asked by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)
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 (a) extent of the increase in numbers of North American mink in the river systems and waterways of the marshes of East Lindsey and (b) effect of that increase on (i) the water vole and (ii) other native wildlife species.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Since 2008, the Water Vole Database and Mapping Project has managed and stored water vole survey records, as well collating data on American mink. This has enabled mapping of this data and effective use of the datasets for the benefit of water vole populations. The map on page 66 of the 2014 report, found at http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/watervole-project, indicates a thriving population of water vole in the Lindsey Marshes. The data for East Lindsey can be requested from the Lincolnshire Environmental Records Centre.
The project does not itself involve assessing the effect of one species on another but the presence of American mink is the most significant factor in the decline of the water vole. Ongoing control of the mink at a catchment scale is therefore a priority for water vole conservation.