Village News

Christmas Lights

Politics

Agriculture: Migrant Workers | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Defra is very aware that migrant workers from other EU countries will be one of the complex issues that will have to be resolved as part of our exit negotiation and future relationship with the EU.

We are currently working with colleagues across government to understand the issues and explore options.

Whales: Conservation | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

The transit of whale meat through UK and EU ports remains a point of concern for the UK. Alongside other EU Member States, we have continued to push the European Commission to look at the scope for collective action within the EU.

This is a complex issue involving complying with international trade rules, however, leaving the EU will present us with an opportunity to consider this issue from a different perspective.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Credit Unions | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

I can confirm my department currently does not have the facility to allow staff to join a credit union through payroll deductions. Staff can still make arrangements to contribute to a credit union via direct debit.

EU Trade: Import Duties | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

In leaving the EU, we will need to update the terms of our WTO membership where, at present, our commitments are currently contained in the EU’s schedule. We recognise the need to work with the EU and with other WTO Members in order to ensure a smooth transition which minimises the disruption to our trading relationships with other WTO Members, including developing country Members and our closest trading partners.

As the Secretary of State for International Trade said in his Written Ministerial Statement on 5th December “the Government will prepare the necessary draft schedules which replicate as far as possible our current obligations”. We do not intend to alter the scope of concessions currently enjoyed by WTO members. While this is largely a technical process, there are a number of areas where we will need to consult with other WTO members.

EU Trade: Import Duties | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

The EU currently notifies over 120 tariff rate quotas in agriculture and a further 19 non-agriculture tariff rate quotas. There can be several tariff rate quotas within a single sector such as beef or sugar, for different products and different countries which export to the EU and UK. We do not currently assess tariff rate quotas by economic value: they are defined and administered according to the volume rather than the value of imports. All tariff rate quotas which other countries use to export to the UK, however, will be important to them, and important to the industry affected.

EU Trade: Subsidies | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

The most recent notification for the EU domestic support in agriculture is for the marketing year 2012/13.

The total aggregate measure of support notified was €5.9bn. This is overwhelmingly market price support which is only calculated for the EU as a whole and not for individual member states. The products with the largest notified support are:

Product

Aggregate Measure of Support

Butter

€2,743m

Common wheat

€1,865m

Skimmed milk powder

€1,145m

Wine

€696m

Milk

€192m

Ethyl alcohol

€82m

Sugar

€59m

Bee keeping

€43m

Olive oil

€18m

Fibre flax and hemp

€7m

Dairy Farming: Health Education | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

We meet regularly at Ministerial and official level with representatives of the industry to discuss key issues and opportunities for the UK dairy sector.

I am aware of concerns regarding recommendations on the consumption of dairy products in the Eatwell Guide produced by Public Health England (PHE) in March 2016. PHE has prepared a report detailing the approaches, methods and decisions made in developing the Eatwell Guide. The report “From Plate to Guide: What, why and how for the Eatwell model” is available on the PHE website.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Equality | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Clare Moriarty (Permanent Secretary) is the diversity champion on Defra’s departmental board.

The Government introduced diversity champions as part of the Talent Action Plan (TAP) commitment to have champions in all departments. The Government uses diversity champions to provide an overall insight for all protected characteristics, including LGBT, Race, Religion or Belief, Gender, Disability, Social Mobility, Age, Carers, Gender Reassignment etc.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Yorkshire and the Humber | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Information on the total amount of current and capital expenditure on services by organisation in Yorkshire and the Humber is publicly available on gov.uk as part of the Country and Regional Analysis statistical release. This information covers 2011-12 through to 2015-16 and can be found at the following web link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/country-and-regional-analysis-2016

Information specifically on spend on staffing in Yorkshire and the Humber can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Food: Trade Promotion | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Defra is working with the Department for International Trade to deliver a shared International Action Plan, launched in October, to drive exports of British food and drink. This will be supported by a campaign under the ‘Food is GREAT’ pillar to encourage UK producers, throughout the supply chain, to export more and to build global recognition of UK excellence in food and drink.

Food: Prices | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Year on year food prices have continued to fall, with a 2% fall over the last 12 months, according to the most recent official Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figures released on 13 December. General inflation is 1.2 per cent, up from 0.9 per cent in October. Food prices rose by 0.4% in the month to November 2016. However, overall, food prices have fallen by 7% since their peak in February 2014.

Commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices are known to be the most important drivers of retail food price inflation.

This Government is committed to tackling poverty and disadvantage and to delivering real social reform, and we believe that economic growth and employment offer the best route to give people a better future. Household spend on food by households with the lowest 20% income is included in the Living Cost of Food Survey (LCFS) and has remained constant at around 16.5% for a number of years. The Government helps the most vulnerable afford and have access to nutritious food though initiatives such as the Healthy Start scheme and Free School Meals, and through the welfare system.

Cats: Sales | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

As part of the review of animal establishment licensing schemes, the Government is proposing to remove the licence exemptions in the Pet Animals Act 1951. These exemptions are for those in the business of selling either pedigree animals that have been bred by them or the offspring of an animal that has been kept by them as a pet, for instance, the offspring of their non-pedigree pet cat. We will be publishing our ‘Next Steps’ document on the proposals shortly.

Members: Correspondence | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

We received the letter to which the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West refers on 22 December, and you can expect a reply imminently.

Thu, 01/01/1970 - 00:00
Syndicate content