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Circuses: Animal Welfare | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Thu, 09/03/2017 - 00:00

Since its introduction in January 2013, only two circuses have been licensed under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012.

Costs to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for the day-to-day administration of the licensing scheme are covered by the application fee payable each year by a circus. The application fee is set at £389.36. For the period 2013 to 2017, APHA have received £3,893.60 in applications fees from the two licensed circuses.

Costs of inspections under the licensing scheme are also paid for by licensed circuses. Inspection fees are set at £72.53 per hour and inspectors can also claim reasonable travel and subsistence costs. For the period 2013 to date, the total costs of inspections incurred by the two licensed circuses are £23,555.76.

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

Thu, 09/03/2017 - 00:00

The Basic Payment Scheme payment window runs from 1st December to 30th June each scheme year. Since January 2016 the Rural Payments Agency has paid £5075m outside of the Basic Payment Scheme payment window and £2,430m within.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Thu, 09/03/2017 - 00:00

Defra’s Guidance to Natural England (NE) on licences to kill or take badgers for the purpose of disease control published in 2011 specified a duration of 6 weeks. In 2015, to increase the likelihood of achieving a significant reduction of the badger population and thereby disease control, Defra consulted on giving provision to NE to keep the duration of the cull period under review, without specifying in the licence an initial limit on its duration.

In December 2015, Defra published updated Guidance to this effect. The duration of the cull period must achieve a balance between sufficient intensity to achieve disease control and what is realistically deliverable by a cull company.

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

Thu, 09/03/2017 - 00:00

Under EU regulations, full responsibility for animal welfare and food safety in slaughterhouses rests with business operators who must meet legislative requirements in terms of slaughterhouse design, layout and equipment. Business operators are responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of the animals in their care are met.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA)’s’s key functions in England and Wales include monitoring the hygienic production of meat and ensuring animals are protected prior to and during slaughter. The FSA issues certificates of competence for slaughterers and other operatives working with animals, making sure they have the right training and competence for the types of animals they are handling and the duties they are carrying out. The FSA also enforces legislation relating to animal welfare at slaughter. This work is carried out on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in England, and the Welsh Government in Wales. In Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development carries out this function.

All official controls in the UK for food and feed production and animal health and welfare are subject to external audit by the EU Commission’s Food and Veterinary Audit division.

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

Thu, 09/03/2017 - 00:00

The Government has guaranteed that the agricultural sector will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under Pillar I of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) until the end of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework in 2020. The last payment window in this Multi-Annual Financial Framework will be that which opens on 1 December 2019 and runs until 30 June 2020.

We will be announcing details of future domestic agricultural policy as soon as possible in order to provide certainty for farmers

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

Thu, 09/03/2017 - 00:00
An error has been identified in the written answer given on 06 March 2017.
The correct answer should have been:

The Basic Payment Scheme payment window runs from 1st December to 30th June each scheme year. Since January 2016 the Rural Payments Agency has paid £5075m outside of the Basic Payment Scheme payment window and £2,430m within.

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

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

Defra works on the development of an oral bovine TB vaccine for badgers in partnership with the Irish and French governments, as well as the Devolved Administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland. This is through the form of a joint project board. The study in Ireland, which involved the administering of vaccine directly to anaesthetised badgers, contributed to that partnership work. Work is now being done in preparation for a further study by Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency later this year to assess the protection from infection that may be achieved through consumption by badgers of a candidate oral vaccine in bait, the results of which will help determine the extent to which such a vaccine may play a part in national TB programmes.

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

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

There are two medicines authorised for use in the UK containing oxalic acid for treating Varroa in bees.

The decision on whether to develop and market a veterinary medicine is a commercial one for those pharmaceutical companies wishing to invest the necessary capital.

In order to extend or change a licence for a medicine, the pharmaceutical company marketing it must provide sufficient data in support of the change to demonstrate that the product will remain safe and effective.

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

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

Core Defra did not incur any expenditure in respect of iPads and tablets in financial years 2012-13 to 2014-15. In 2015-16, spend was £5,400, and in 2016-17, spend to 28 February 2017 totalled £44,090.

Expenditure on paper is recorded on the Department’s finance system under the general heading of ‘Stationery and Printing’, along with all other stationery purchased. Identification of spend specifically on paper, as opposed to other items of stationery, could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

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

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

We, and other Departments, are working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union on all aspects of exiting the European Union.

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

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

The Departmental procurement spend since 2010 is set out in the table below.

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

398,693,030

346,033,392

352,275,296

382,613,452

401,165,784

382,030,970

Investment Returns: Agriculture | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

UK taxpayers support the agricultural sector in variety of ways: through the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), spending on agricultural research and development, including the Agri-tech Strategy, and indirectly through wider programmes such as on skills development. The benefit of each pound spent on the Agri-tech Strategy was estimated to be £9 (BIS Evaluation Plan 2016)[1]. The estimated benefit, on average, for funds spent in England under Pillar 2 of the CAP is over £3 per pound spent according to the Rural Development Plan for England Impact Assessment 2015[2], but less than £1 per pound spent for Pillar 1 according to a report on implementation of CAP in England in 2013[3]. As a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union there is a real opportunity to improve returns to taxpayer support for agriculture.

[1] BIS Evaluation Plan 2016

[2] The Rural Development Programme for England, 2014 to 2020: Final Impact Assessment (2015)

[3] Implementation of CAP reform in England 2013

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

Wed, 08/03/2017 - 00:00

There are 61 full time equivalent staff currently employed in Defra’s communications directorate, which includes internal communications, digital communications, speechwriting, public information campaigns, communications strategy and media relations. The estimated pay cost for communications staff for the past ten years is listed below. This cost includes salaries, National Insurance and pension contributions. This amount has fluctuated as the composition of the communications directorate within Defra has changed over time in response to departmental priorities.

Year

FTE

Total Pay £

2006/07

161

9,105,815

2007/08

118

6,741,240

2008/09

117

6,751,627

2009/10

118

6,878,114

2010/11

115

6,770,956

2011/12

101

6,006,733

2012/13

110

6,608,068

2013/14

105

6,371,415

2014/15

99

6,068,014

2015/16

55

3,405,171

Coast to Coast Walk | Westminster Hall debates

Tue, 07/03/2017 - 11:14

May I also say that it is a pleasure to see my hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Trudy Harrison) attending this debate, which is obviously of great importance to her constituency as the Coast to Coast walk starts there? I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Rishi Sunak) on securing this debate to highlight his long-running campaign for the well known Coast to Coast path. As he explained, the path was set out by the pioneering fell walker and author Alfred Wainwright in 1973, and my hon. Friend made a very strong case for it to become a national trail.

All hon. Members agree on the importance of the existing family of national trails in England, which were designated as such under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. They are long-distance routes that are maintained to a higher standard than other public rights of way, and they cover more than 2,000 miles in England. All have rights for walkers, and some are also open to horse riders and cyclists. I know that people care a lot about our national trails, and I recognise the value and the range of benefits that they bring. There can be no doubt that they are an important means of connecting people with nature. They are popular: there are at least 70 million visits each year to places that a national trail passes through. Visitors include local people, day visitors and international visitors to England. People come to enjoy some of our finest landscape and scenery, to get fresh air and hopefully to enjoy our finest weather. National trails are important to walkers and users, as they provide health and exercise benefits. They are also major tourism assets and attract a variety of visitors, who spend money that makes a significant contribution to local economies and rural regeneration.

My hon. Friend spoke of his campaign for the designation of the Coast to Coast path as a national tail. The path goes from St Bees to Robin Hood’s bay—a length of just over 190 miles. I am told it can be walked in about 11 to 15 days, although I wonder whether my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Rory Stewart) might do it slightly faster, given his enthusiasm for walking. It takes walkers from the north-west coast, through the Lake district and parts of the Yorkshire dales, and then finally through the north York moors before finishing on the east coast. About 70 miles of the total 190 miles is within the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks), which highlights its importance for him.

My hon. Friend said that local people have a long-standing interest in the designation of the path. I congratulate him on the local support he has obtained for his campaign and on the enthusiastic responses received from various local authorities whose areas the path crosses. He has also made it clear that every hon. Member representing a constituency along the route of the path supports his campaign.

As my hon. Friend is aware, the key responsibility for making any proposals to designate the Coast to Coast path as a national trail lies with Natural England, which is responsible for the provisions of the 1949 Act. Under section 51 of the Act, Natural England has a power to propose new national trails to the Secretary of State. To make such a designation, all the local authorities, including any national park authorities, within whose boundaries the route will pass have to be consulted. Natural England must then prepare a report setting out various matters such as the route, maintenance costs and likely capital outlay for creating a trail. The report is submitted to the Secretary of State, who may approve, modify or reject Natural England’s proposals.

My hon. Friend has been in contact with officials at Natural England since late 2015 or early last year, and he has met Natural England’s chairman, Andrew Sells, to discuss the matter further. Natural England has provided my hon. Friend with information about its powers under the 1949 Act with respect to national trails and the process for designating a path. Natural England has said that any proposal for a path to be designated as a national trail would need to secure a considerable amount of local support from all of the access authorities through which the new national trail would pass, as well as from landowners and land users.

As is often the case, and as my hon. Friend mentioned, money is the issue with the designation of new national trails. Natural England has indicated to him that while it supports the idea of designating the Coast to Coast path as a national trail, it has no plans to designate any new national trails. At the moment the Government’s priority is to develop coastal access proposals under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 for the England Coast path, which is to become a national trail as each stretch of the coastal walk is completed. Resources are now focused therefore on the delivery of the England Coast path, which we are committed to completing by 2020. To date, we have opened up public access along 338 miles of the English coast, along with additional spreading room for people to use for recreation and enjoyment. Once complete, the England Coast path will double the total length of national trails in England. Recently, I met local representatives of Natural England to discuss proposals to complete the coastal path around Cornwall.

My hon. Friend asked whether Natural England, working alongside the relevant authorities, would undertake a feasibility study to scope out the actual route of the Coast to Coast path and to see what is required for it to be designated as a national trail. As I have said, Natural England has no plans to designate any new national trails other than the England Coast path, and any such feasibility study might divert Natural England’s existing resources away from its work on that path. Once a decision is taken to designate, there is under the process provided for by the 1949 Act something akin to a feasibility study, including, for example, exhaustive consultation with local authorities and an assessment of the required maintenance costs. That is what I believe my hon. Friend is asking for, which would be the first stage of designation, rather than a separate feasibility study.

Once the England Coast path has been implemented in 2020, Natural England might be able to look at options for the Coast to Coast walk. I am sure that hon. Members with an interest in that will want to look at whether future party manifestos might include issues of this sort. In the meantime, I point out that other funds are available, such as those to promote tourism in rural communities. Perhaps alternative sources of funding can help to raise the profile of the Coast to Coast path in preparation for possible designation. It should also be remembered that nothing prevents local authorities along the path from increasing either their level of support for it or the amount they are willing to spend on its maintenance. There is no requirement to leave such activity to Natural England; in the interim, local authorities may invest in the path.

I recognise the value that users place on the experience of the Coast to Coast walk and the tourism value that it can bring to local communities. As I have pointed out, many other long-distance regional and trans-regional paths in England have the support of local communities and access authorities along their route in recognition of their value, although not all of them are national trails. I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) for his lively campaign, however and for setting out so ably the case for the walk to become a national trail. I hope that he understands that limitations on our budget mean that we cannot consider that yet, but I encourage him and other colleagues to maintain pressure on local authorities and perhaps, in a few years’ time, once we have completed the England Coast path, to revisit the issue with Ministers.

Question put and agreed to.

Sitting suspended.

Constitution of Farriers Registration Council and its committees | Farriers (Registration) Bill | Public Bill Committees

Tue, 07/03/2017 - 09:45

May I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Gower on bringing forward this Bill, which enjoys full Government support? As the shadow Minister pointed out, we held a consultation on this issue in 2013. The intention is, at the request of the Farriers Registration Council, to revisit the legislation to enable the council to modernise its procedures. The Farriers Registration Council is an important organisation. It was established by the 1975 Act to maintain a register of farriers, to determine who is eligible to practise and to approve farrier training. The Farriers Registration Council is a light-touch regulatory body that focuses on regulating the individual and leaves the farrier free to adopt the business model of their choice.

I will not rehearse the detailed intention behind each clause because my hon. Friend the Member for Gower has outlined that. In summary, first, the Bill establishes a new schedule that enables us to revisit the constitution of the Farriers Registration Council. I will return to that in a moment, given the points made my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle. Secondly, in order to establish a degree of independence that it was felt was wanted, the Bill makes changes to the constitution of the disciplinary committee and the investigating committee to ensure that members of those committees cannot also be members of the council. Thirdly and importantly, clause 2 establishes a power for us to revisit issues such as the constitution of the Farriers Registration Council and its committees through secondary legislation. Most of us here today would probably think it unnecessary to have primary legislation to make decisions about the constitution of a particular committee of the Farriers Registration Council.

The original 1975 Act sought to maintain some continuity with the very good work done by the Worshipful Company of Farriers, which can trace its origins right back to 1356. In fact, the company is No. 55 on the register of the City of London livery companies. The 1975 Act always intended to maintain a link between the Worshipful Company of Farriers and the Farriers Registration Council. That is why it charged the Worshipful Company of Farriers with the function of

“securing adequate standards of competence and conduct”

among farriers, and the duty of promoting, encouraging and advancing the

“art and science of farriery”.

As my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle pointed out, under the legislation, it is the role of the Worshipful Company of Farriers to provide three appointees to the Farriers Registration Council, but we are making a number of important changes.

I reassure my hon. Friend that I, too, have had meetings with farriers on both sides of the debate. I have met those who felt that the Worshipful Company of Farriers had too great a role. They raised two particular issues. First, they felt there should be 50% representation of working farriers. Secondly, they had concerns about the ability of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, under the original Act, to directly appoint a chairman of the Farriers Registration Council. I listened to those concerns, but I reassure him that they are not felt universally by all farriers. I have also had farriers contact me to say that they are perfectly happy with the current arrangements, that they have great confidence in the Worshipful Company of Farriers, and that they would not want to break that link.

We have therefore sought to build a compromise that addresses all of those concerns. First, we have made it clear that the Worshipful Company of Farriers will no longer directly appoint a chairman of its choosing. In future, the members of the council will decide who is their chairman. That does not prevent there being a convention, if it is the will of the members of the council, for the Worshipful Company of Farriers to advance options or nominations to be considered alongside others. However, it means that the worshipful company will no longer have the power to directly appoint a chairman.

The second change is that, of the three appointees the worshipful company must make, at least one must be a working farrier. It is possible for all three to be working farriers, meaning that, of the 16 members, a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine will be working farriers. It is likely that, more often than not, the majority of council members will be working farriers, which I think strikes the right balance. If the council were predominantly constituted of farriers and did not, as currently, have veterinary experts, representatives of the horse industry and other experts in the field, there would be the danger of regulatory capture. That is the counter-argument that has been made by others in the worshipful company. I hope that the compromises we have made strike the right balance in that regard and mean that hon. Members feel able to support the Bill.

Finally, I simply say that it is important that councils such as this have a collegiate manner and work together, based on the evidence of individual cases and particular problems. We do not want a system in which there is a bloc vote of working farriers versus the rest; that would clearly not be a healthy state of affairs. I hope I have reassured hon. Members about the changes we are making and the reasons for them. In doing so, we make no comment at all about the Worshipful Company of Farriers. It is an organisation with a proud history. I have met its representatives and have a huge amount of respect for them. The Bill will maintain the close link with the Worshipful Company of Farriers while, I hope, striking the right balance in other areas. I am happy to say that I support the Bill and hope it is passed quickly.

Avian Influenza: Eggs | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Tue, 07/03/2017 - 00:00

The measures that are in place to tackle the threat to poultry from Avian Influenza are based on the current situation and the latest veterinary and ornithological advice. They represent the best option to control disease, protect birds’ welfare and minimise the impact on the free range industry, while ensuring that consumers can buy free range products. We will nonetheless keep all measures under review.

Following the announcement on 24 February of a more targeted approach, most egg producers in England can now let their birds outside provided that they observe strict disease prevention measures. They can sell eggs as free range if they come from birds which meet all the other requirements for free range and are: (a) outside the Higher Risk Areas birds where birds are allowed into fenced outdoor areas providing clear biosecurity measures are undertaken; or (b) allowed into fully fenced areas which are fully covered by netting (inside or outside Higher Risk Areas).

Government policy is not to compensate for consequential losses resulting from a disease outbreak. It is a business decision for producers as to whether to bear the cost of netting in order to continue to market as free range.

Avian Influenza | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Tue, 07/03/2017 - 00:00

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) maintains a flexible response to safeguard animal and plant health. The number of individuals working directly on prevention and response to animal diseases varies according to the daily operational requirement.

The majority of expenditure directly attributable to avian influenza is incurred mounting a response to outbreaks of animal disease however the monthly data requested is not held. The estimated cost of avian influenza outbreaks in England over recent years is:

When

What / Where

Total

Nov 2014

H5N8 (highly pathogenic), Driffield, Yorkshire

£2.542m

Feb 2015

H7N7 (low pathogenic), Upham (Hampshire)

£0.211m

July 2015

H7N7 (highly pathogenic), Preston (Lancashire)

£1.440m

During the ongoing H5N8 Avian Influenza outbreak APHA are typically deploying 120-160 personnel on a daily basis, drawn from across the veterinary, technical, science, administrative and managerial staff. These are supported by Defra policy and other contracted functions related to services such as culling and disposal.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Tue, 07/03/2017 - 00:00

In line with the Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice, we consulted on the next steps for badger control in those areas that have successfully completed the first four years of intensive culling, the aim of which will be to continue to protect the hard work of farmers and ensure that the anticipated disease reduction benefits are sustained.

The Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-chief-veterinary-officers-advice-on-the-outcome-of-the-2016-badger-culls.

and further details of the consultation can be found at:

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/bovine-tb/supplementary-badger-disease-control/supporting_documents/Consultation%20Document.pdf.

The consultation closed on 10 February 2017 and the responses that were received are being considered.

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

Tue, 07/03/2017 - 00:00

Pesticides are tightly regulated in the UK and plant protection products can only be sold or used after they have been authorised. Authorised products are often subject to restrictions on the ways in which they are used, so as to ensure protection of human health and the environment. These restrictions can include application rates, timings and specific risk mitigation measures. There is also guidance for professional pesticide users which includes information on correct use, storage and disposal of plant protection products. Several schemes, such as cross-compliance requirements for rural payments and various farm assurance schemes, include inspections covering pesticide storage facilities, record-keeping and practices.

The UK has a National Action Plan which includes a range of measures to ensure the sustainable use of pesticides. The Government is advised on the progress with this Plan by a stakeholder group, the Pesticides Forum. The Forum considers a range of information, including the results of relevant Government monitoring schemes. Its latest Annual Report states that the UK's range of controls is effective and is ensuring that pesticides are being used in a more sustainable fashion.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers

Mon, 06/03/2017 - 00:00

We are taking strong action to deliver a long-term plan to eradicate the disease and protect the future of the UK’s dairy and beef industries. In addition to badger control in areas where TB is rife, our comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls and improving biosecurity on farm and when trading.

A summary of current measures and additional future measures or options is included in the Government’s Strategy for achieving Officially Bovine Tuberculosis Free status for England which can be found on the GOV.UK website.