Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 impact of changes to labelling requirements from 1 October 2024 on the financial viability of dairy businesses.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A public consultation on not for EU labelling requirements was held earlier this year and closed on 15 March. The evidence is now being analysed, including feedback on potential costs, and we expect to publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 impact assessment of changes to labelling costs for dairy businesses after 1 October 2024.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A public consultation on not for EU labelling requirements was held earlier this year and closed on 15 March. The evidence is now being analysed, including feedback on potential costs, and we expect to publish a response in due course.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is on the procurement of (a) food and (b) drinks produced in Britain for use in its canteens and restaurants.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP’s FM supplier has investigated the sourcing of food and drink in its canteens and restaurants. They confirm that all food and drink has to meet the Government Buying Standards, as well as their catering sub-contractor’s (Compass) own non-negotiable standards that have to be met in relation to animal welfare and quality assurance.
In order to achieve this, Compass have a set of strict food sourcing standards that their suppliers have to adhere to. These are split up between:
• Dairy and eggs
• Fruit and Veg
• Animal Products
• Fish and Seafood
• Meat sourcing
• Grocery and Savoury
For instance, for dairy liquid milk they state it must be from British Origin and red tractor assurance. All our eggs are cage free (liquid and shell). All shell eggs are from the UK.
Compass have set the net zero target of 2030, so have banned air freight in their business.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk posed by avian flu, given its spread through the US cattle herd and reports that many infected cattle are asymptomatic; what monitoring is being carried out on UK cattle and other farm animals, wild mammals, and the humans that come into contact with them; and what additional biosecurity measures they are planning or developing.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is in close contact with counterparts in the United States on the incidents of influenza of avian origin in cattle in the USA. We know that the strain of virus (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) strain B3.13) involved has not been detected in the UK.
Defra is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Food Standards Agency, the Cabinet Office and with international partners on risk assessments to consider the routes of incursion, animal to animal spread and animal to human spill-over and to review our well-tested surveillance mechanisms and preparedness activities in light of this emerging situation.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has assessed the risk to Great Britain of this outbreak in the USA of Influenza A (H5N1) of avian origin in livestock to our own livestock as very low (event is very rare but cannot be excluded). The assessment has been published on gov.uk Avian influenza in cattle in USA (publishing.service.gov.uk) (see attached). The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have assessed the risk to UK consumers from HPAI strain B3.13 in imported milk, dairy products, colostrum and colostrum-based products originating from US dairy cattle as very low with medium uncertainty (Rapid Risk Assessment: Risk to UK consumers from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 B3.13 in US dairy products | Food Standards Agency) (see attached).
In response to the unprecedented global outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in wild and kept birds, the UK's avian influenza national reference laboratory at the Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge laboratory has increased its surveillance in both wild birds and wild mammals and genome analysis of the virus itself while keeping a close eye on its spread in global populations of wildlife. In addition, we have published an ‘Influenza A (H5N1) infection in mammals: suspect case definition and diagnostic testing criteria’ on gov.uk to support veterinary professionals and others in knowing when to report suspicion. The UK case definition for influenza of avian origin in mammals has been updated and now includes a case definition for ungulates including dairy cattle, this in response the emerging situation in cattle in the USA and will be kept under regular review as further information becomes available.
We are monitoring the situation closely but at this time have no reason to suspect the virus is circulating in our cattle, nor is this strain of the virus circulating in Europe. We have had no recent cases of avian influenza in kept birds, or findings of influenza of avian origin in kept or wild mammals, and the risk level from wild birds is low. We have discussed the need for surveillance in wildlife, domestic animals and humans with DHSC and UKHSA and are considering the case for additional surveillance for influenza of avian origin in cattle and how best such animal health surveillance could be undertaken.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the House of Commons' policy is on the procurement of (a) food and (b) drinks produced in Britain for use in its canteens and restaurants.
Answered by Charles Walker
The House of Commons complies with UK legislative standards when procuring food and drinks from suppliers. Its procurement approach supports and where possible prioritises the purchase of food and drink produced in Britain. For example:
Certain regulations, such as the Government’s Procurement Policy Note of December 2020 and increased use of the UK-based Catering Framework, have allowed for additional freedom for spend on goods and services below certain price thresholds. Within the limits of these regulations, the House where possible seeks to hold competitions which only target producers within the UK.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the introduction of import controls does not result in lengthy administrative processes for businesses.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) has been designed with traders and consumers at the forefront. Our global risk-based approach harnesses data and technology to help reduce administrative burden for businesses. Further, most fruit and vegetables are currently treated as low risk and will not require any additional paperwork or checks. A limited number of meat and dairy products have been categorised as medium-risk. For these, simplified and streamlined certification is available.
Through the BTOM, we are piloting world-first Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Trusted Trader schemes. These will allow businesses, including some SMEs, to utilise their own processes to provide us with the assurance normally achieved through border controls, reducing administrative burden, time and costs. Further pilots that allow some traders to be approved to carry out their own checks at point of destination are now being rolled out.
Central to our support for businesses is our commitment to deliver a Single Trade Window (STW) with a further milestone this autumn. When fully operational, the STW will provide one digital gateway for users, where they can provide all the data once that is needed to fulfil their border obligations.
We continue to explore new ways to harness technology and streamline trade. Through the Ecosystem of Trust pilots, which developed theoretical models for ‘frictionless’ trade, the government partnered with industry to test new approaches to the use of technology and data at the border. These new approaches are now being taken forward via what we are calling “Border Trade Demonstrators” - aimed at improving border processes through better information sharing and improved governance.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 potential impact of Not for EU labelling requirements in the dairy sector on levels of (a) food and (b) packaging waste.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A public consultation on not for EU labelling requirements was held earlier this year. The evidence is now being analysed and we expect to publish a response in due course. Excessive wastage of food or packaging were not raised as a significant concern in these responses or in any wider industry forums.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Table 1.2 of his Department's national statistics entitled Farm business income in England 2023/24 forecast, updated on 14 March 2024, whether his Department plans to provide financial support to dairy farmers in the context that their average farm business income in real terms is forecast to decrease by the greatest percentage among all farm types from financial year 2022-23 to financial year 2023-24.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has a resilient and dynamic dairy sector which operates in an open market where the value of dairy commodities, including farmgate milk price, is established by those in the supply chain. The average Farm Business Income is at a 20-year high in 2022/23 following a previous 20-year high in 2021/22. The forecast decrease for 2023/24 would bring average Farm Business Income for dairy farm businesses back closer to historic trends. Through a range of government schemes, there is support for investment in dairy businesses through the Sustainable Farming Incentive, the animal health and welfare pathway and various productivity and innovation grants.
We have also recently introduced new legislation, The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which creates new rules for dairy contracts covering issues such as pricing provisions, unilateral changes to contracts and notice periods. Ensuring fairer contracts will provide greater certainty for farmers and help the dairy industry thrive into the future.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what subscriptions to (a) newspapers, (b) magazines and (c) online journals his Department has paid for in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The following is a combined list of subscriptions that the Defra Library and Communications have paid for over the last three financial years. Some are in print and some are online. Not everything on the list was purchased in all three years – subscriptions change on demand and to reflect usage. Information on any subscriptions from other team budgets is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Defra Library purchases magazines and journals for Defra, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Natural England staff to support them in their role. The Communications team purchases newspapers for monitoring the media coverage of issues in Defra’s remit.
Angling Times magazine | Environmental Finance | Lyell Collection |
Animal Health Research Reviews | Estates Gazette | Materials Recycling World |
Argus Fertilizer Europe | Ethical Consumer | Microbiology Society |
Avian Pathology | Executive Support magazine | New Zealand Veterinary |
BioOne | Farmers Guardian | Planning Resource |
Bird Study Pack | Farmers Weekly | Privacy and Data Protection |
Bloomberg | Financial Times | Professional Update |
British Archaeology magazine | Fishing News Weekly | Responsible Investor |
British Poultry Science | Freedom of Information Journal | Royal Forestry Society |
British Wildlife Magazine | Fresh Produce | Sunday Times |
Conservation Land Management | Geoheritage | Telegraph |
Daily Express | Goat Veterinary Journal | The Economist |
Daily Mail | Guardian | The Grocer Magazine |
Daily Mirror | Habitats Regulations Assessment | The Sun |
Daily Telegraph | Harvard Business Review | The Times |
Dairy Industry Newsletter | Horticulture Week | UK Livestock magazine |
Dods People and Monitoring | I | Veterinary Pathology |
Econlit | ICES Journal of Marine Science | Washington Trade Daily |
Elsevier Freedom Collection | iNews | Water Report |
Ends Europe | Inside Housing | Wiley STM Collection |
Ends Report | Insurance Post | Yorkshire Post |
Ends Waste & Bioenergy | Nature.com |
|
Environment Complete | Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation |
|
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on forests and land use. what steps he has taken to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At COP26 in Glasgow, over 140 world leaders committed to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. This commitment was reiterated at COP28, marked by the conclusion of the first Global Stocktake of the world’s efforts to address climate change under the Paris Agreement. The UK Government committed to tackling illegal deforestation in UK supply chains through the Environment Act in 2021 and announced further details of the secondary legislation at COP28 in December 2023.
This law will make it illegal for organisations with a global annual turnover of more than £50m to use key forest risk commodities produced on land illegally occupied or used. Initial secondary legislation will focus on four commodities identified as key drivers of deforestation: cattle products (excluding dairy), cocoa, palm oil and soy. Organisations in scope will also be required to undertake a due diligence exercise on their supply chains and to report on this exercise annually. Organisations using 500 tonnes or less of each regulated commodity in the reporting period will be able to submit an exemption. Businesses in scope that do not comply with these requirements may be subject to fines and other civil sanctions.
The secondary legislation, which is part of a wider package of measures, will be laid in the near future.