Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 is taking to prevent priority habitat grasslands from being destroyed by being entered into the Sustainable Farming Incentive herbal ley action (CSAM3) in future years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The published Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) CSAM3 herbal ley guidance protects priority habitat grassland by explicitly stating that the only eligible land types are arable, temporary grassland and improved permanent grassland. It also notes that Priority Habitats are protected by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations, and that permission would be needed from Natural England before undertaking any activities which ‘increase the productivity of 2 hectares or more of uncultivated land or semi-natural areas – such as ploughing, applying fertilisers, sowing seed, converting grassland to arable, and clearing scrub or vegetation’.
We estimate that 202ha (0.15%) of species-rich priority habitat grassland and 720ha (0.91%) of good quality semi-improved grassland have herbal leys somewhere within the land parcels. There is some uncertainty in this estimate as it will depend at more detailed scale whether a portion of a land parcel contains priority grassland. Implementing herbal leys on part of a land parcel which is not priority habitat could be done without damaging a different part of the same land parcel which is priority habitat grassland. Where the existing priority habitat sward contains the mix of species required for a herbal ley it is entirely possible the existing management is continuing, avoiding any damage to the priority habitat.
We continue to monitor the situation while developing improved guidance for where and how to implement herbal leys, as well as signposting to more appropriate SFI actions for grasslands with potential to become species rich.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the total land entered into the Sustainable Farming Incentive herbal ley action (CSAM3) has been on priority habitat grassland; and how many hectares of priority habitat grassland is this.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The published Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) CSAM3 herbal ley guidance protects priority habitat grassland by explicitly stating that the only eligible land types are arable, temporary grassland and improved permanent grassland. It also notes that Priority Habitats are protected by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations, and that permission would be needed from Natural England before undertaking any activities which ‘increase the productivity of 2 hectares or more of uncultivated land or semi-natural areas – such as ploughing, applying fertilisers, sowing seed, converting grassland to arable, and clearing scrub or vegetation’.
We estimate that 202ha (0.15%) of species-rich priority habitat grassland and 720ha (0.91%) of good quality semi-improved grassland have herbal leys somewhere within the land parcels. There is some uncertainty in this estimate as it will depend at more detailed scale whether a portion of a land parcel contains priority grassland. Implementing herbal leys on part of a land parcel which is not priority habitat could be done without damaging a different part of the same land parcel which is priority habitat grassland. Where the existing priority habitat sward contains the mix of species required for a herbal ley it is entirely possible the existing management is continuing, avoiding any damage to the priority habitat.
We continue to monitor the situation while developing improved guidance for where and how to implement herbal leys, as well as signposting to more appropriate SFI actions for grasslands with potential to become species rich.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 is taking to help ensure the enforcement of the single-use plastics ban.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had discussions with His Majesty's Treasury on the Government's response to the consultation on Plastic Packaging Tax - chemical recycling and adoption of a mass balance approach, published on 18 July 2023.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Yes. Officials in Defra work closely with HM Treasury colleagues. We are aware that the Treasury has committed to publishing a response to the consultation before the end of this year.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 is taking to reduce food waste; and what discussions he has had with industry representatives on the best way to tackle the issue.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department will hold discussion with the supply chain on a range of issues including how to prevent waste.
We remain committed to the programme of work led by The Waste and Resources Programme (WRAP) to drive down surplus and waste across the supply chain, with the aim to halve food waste by 2030.
The guidance Food and drink waste hierarchy: deal with surplus and waste - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) offers tools and advice to food businesses.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 is taking steps to support the application of the food and drink waste hierarchy for surplus food.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department will hold discussion with the supply chain on a range of issues including how to prevent waste.
We remain committed to the programme of work led by The Waste and Resources Programme (WRAP) to drive down surplus and waste across the supply chain, with the aim to halve food waste by 2030.
The guidance Food and drink waste hierarchy: deal with surplus and waste - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) offers tools and advice to food businesses.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 make an assessment of the merits of introducing mandatory food waste reporting.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The previous Government held a consultation wherein stakeholders were asked about their views on the scope of any reporting requirements. It can be found at Improved food waste reporting by large food businesses in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Waste and Resources programme (WRAP) led voluntary Food Waste Reduction Roadmap supports business to target, measure and specifically act on reducing food waste. The roadmap includes guidance and templates for reporting developed by industry in collaboration with WRAP and the Institute of Grocery distribution (IGD) with funding from DEFRA. WRAP regularly reports on the progress of the roadmap and works closely with businesses to quality assure reported data and ensure that it is fit for purpose.
Ministers will consider any mandatory food waste reporting requirements in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 plans to take steps to ensure that mandatory food waste reporting will take into account companies who (a) are aligned with existing reporting requirements under the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap and (b) already report their food waste as part of global ESG reporting.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The previous Government held a consultation wherein stakeholders were asked about their views on the scope of any reporting requirements. It can be found at Improved food waste reporting by large food businesses in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Waste and Resources programme (WRAP) led voluntary Food Waste Reduction Roadmap supports business to target, measure and specifically act on reducing food waste. The roadmap includes guidance and templates for reporting developed by industry in collaboration with WRAP and the Institute of Grocery distribution (IGD) with funding from DEFRA. WRAP regularly reports on the progress of the roadmap and works closely with businesses to quality assure reported data and ensure that it is fit for purpose.
Ministers will consider any mandatory food waste reporting requirements in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 ensure that food waste reporting requirements on businesses are (a) effective and (b) not overly burdensome.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The previous Government held a consultation wherein stakeholders were asked about their views on the scope of any reporting requirements. It can be found at Improved food waste reporting by large food businesses in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Waste and Resources programme (WRAP) led voluntary Food Waste Reduction Roadmap supports business to target, measure and specifically act on reducing food waste. The roadmap includes guidance and templates for reporting developed by industry in collaboration with WRAP and the Institute of Grocery distribution (IGD) with funding from DEFRA. WRAP regularly reports on the progress of the roadmap and works closely with businesses to quality assure reported data and ensure that it is fit for purpose.
Ministers will consider any mandatory food waste reporting requirements in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to his Department was of ministerial severance payments in each year from 19 December 2019 to 30 May 2024; which Ministers received a severance payment; and how much each Minister received.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The details of any ministerial severance payments can be found in our Annual Report & Accounts.