Food Waste Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con) 1. What
steps his Department is taking to help reduce food waste. (900502)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Steve Barclay) The UK is an international leader in tackling food
waste, which has fallen by 17% since 2007 or the equivalent of 26
kg per person. This year, over £2 million will go to our food waste
prevention programme and we have a groundbreaking industry...Request free trial
Food Waste
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
1. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce food waste.
(900502)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
The UK is an international leader in tackling food waste, which
has fallen by 17% since 2007 or the equivalent of 26 kg per
person. This year, over £2 million will go to our food waste
prevention programme and we have a groundbreaking industry
initiative, helping to redistribute more food than ever
before.
As I understand it, a third of all food is wasted, which
contributes around 9% of greenhouse emissions and costs our
economy about £20 billion a year. Will the Secretary of State
consider introducing policies that reduce food waste across the
supply chain, such as improved food waste reporting from
industry, so that we can target, measure and act on food waste
for the sake not only of our economy, but our planet?
My hon. Friend raises an extremely important point. Some 60% of
food waste is wasted in the home, but the Courtauld commitment
includes a groundbreaking voluntary agreement with industry that
has doubled the amount of food redistributed in the last two
years.
(Strangford) (DUP)
As the Secretary of State rightly says, if we are going to reduce
food waste, that starts with everybody participating, including
people at home and retail businesses. In Strangford, Asda, Tesco
and Lidl all redistribute food waste to local community groups
before it goes bad and becomes unpalatable. Does the Secretary of
State welcome that? It underlines the fact that everyone needs to
participate in the reduction of food waste, starting with the
supermarkets, people in their houses and the Government?
The hon. Gentleman is right that the issue applies to all
parties, which is why we fund Love Food Hate Waste and the Food
Waste Action Week campaigns to raise awareness. Food waste is
down 17% since 2007 and we have doubled the amount of food
redistributed since 2019, so significant progress has been made,
but there is more to do and those information campaigns play a
key role in getting that message across.
Madam Deputy Speaker ( )
Question 2 is in the name of , but I see that he is not present. Will the Minister
answer Question 7, which is grouped with it?
Fly-tipping
(North Warwickshire)
(Con)
7. What steps his Department is taking to tackle fly-tipping.
(900508)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
The Government’s fly-tipping grants are helping councils across
the country put a stop to fly-tipping at hotspots, by spending
£1.2 million on the issue and a further £1 million will be
awarded in the spring. In July, we increased the maximum penalty
councils can issue from £400 to £1,000. From April, all income
from those penalties will be reinvested in enforcement and
cleaning up fly-tipping in local areas.
I welcome the Minister to his place. Fly-tipping is a huge
problem across North Warwickshire and Bedworth, with thousands of
incidents every year, particularly in rural areas where the
farming community is left to bear the brunt of many of the costs.
We are lucky to have a dedicated rural crime team, who do amazing
work helping to tackle the issue, but will the Minister give an
update on the progress of the national rural crime unit in
tackling the scourge on our communities?
I am very happy to pay tribute to the dedicated Warwickshire
rural crime team, which does fantastic work in that area, and
especially to Carol Cotterill, who leads on it. The Government
are funding a new fly-tipping post in the national rural crime
unit to optimise the role that the police can take in tackling
fly-tipping in rural areas. We have also confirmed reforms to
waste carrier registration, the introduction of digital waste
tracking, and the abolition of DIY local waste tips.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Does the Minister agree that a real problem with fly-tipping is
skips? Unscrupulous and dodgy skip companies allow their skips to
be filled and then, mysteriously, those skips do not end up in a
legitimate place for waste. Will he look at the new technology we
could have? I believe that every skip should have a gizmo that
tracks where it came from and where it is going. Using technology
in that way would solve problems, and I know that he would get a
lot of cross-party support for it.
I will, of course, always welcome innovation when it comes to
dealing with waste crime. The Government are already taking
action on that by awarding £1.2 million to help more than 30
councils to purchase equipment specifically to tackle
fly-tipping. Our digital waste tracking system will make it
easier for authorities to identify waste that does not reach the
next stage. I will absolutely be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman
if he has any ideas on this issue so that we can take them
forward.
(Angus) (SNP)
Angus is the garden of Scotland—the Minister is familiar with
Angus, as we all know—but we also have a fly-tipping blight that
is deeply concerning for our communities. Farmers do their best
to clear up those messes, but it is not just commercial
fly-tippers taking an opportunity to make a fast buck; other
people are avoiding proper refuse centres. Can the Minister
assure the House that £1.2 million is enough? The Barnettised
share of that for Scotland does not amount to very much. Will he
redouble those efforts? Let us get a grip on this blight.
I do know Angus very well. Like me, the hon. Gentleman will be
incredibly frustrated when he sees fly-tipping taking place in
our beautiful countryside. When it comes to rural crime, we are
working with likes of the National Farmers Union, our
counterparts in Scotland and others to share good practice. As I
have said, we have already funded a post within the national
crime unit to explore how the police’s role in tackling
fly-tipping can be optimised. That will specifically help rural
areas such as Angus.
Air Pollution
(Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)
3. What steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of PM2.5
air pollution. (900504)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
PM2.5is the most harmful pollutant for human health. Our action
to date on transport, industrial and domestic sources has seen
PM2.5 fall by 10% since 2010. This year, we went further by
setting new targets to drive down PM2.5 concentrates, and the
Government will deliver on our air quality and net zero goals by
supporting businesses to innovate.
Manchester has some of the highest air pollution levels in the
country, with thousands of children being seen in A&E this
year alone because of asthma and the impact of air pollution. I
recently met children from St Margaret’s CofE Primary School to
hear about how they are asthma-friendly and doing everything they
can to reduce air pollution at their school so that all pupils
are safe and healthy. Labour’s proposal for a clean air Act would
establish a legal right for everyone to breathe clean air,
abiding by World Health Organisation clean air guidelines. Why
will the Government not commit to that?
It seems to me that no action is being taken at the moment by the
Labour Mayor of Manchester. The Government take air pollution
incredibly seriously, which is why we have awarded £53 million to
English local authorities since 2010 to support the delivery of
more than 500 local projects specifically to tackle air
pollution. We have also put an additional £10.7 million—granted
to 44 local authorities in 2023 alone—into tackling the negative
implications of air quality specifically.
(Buckingham) (Con)
Research shows that PM2.5 can be 3% to 8% higher in electric
versions of heavier applications, such as buses and trucks, than
in their internal combustion engine equivalents. Does my hon.
Friend agree that, in order to get clean air and cut down PM2.5,
we need an eclectic future that embraces all technology and our
great innovators, not just battery-electric?
As I have said, I will always welcome innovation when it comes to
improving air quality, not only in transport but in the
implications of industry and commercial operators. It is clear
that, through the Environment Act 2021, the Government introduced
the legally binding targets to reduce PM2.5. We have a set goal
to reduce exposure to PM2.5 by 35% by 2040.
Madam Deputy Speaker ( )
I call the shadow Minister.
(Newport West) (Lab)
From Bournemouth to Bolton, Hull to Newcastle-under-Lyme, people
are crying out for action to clean our air, but the air quality
targets the Minister just mentioned, which were eventually set
under the much-delayed Environment Act, are at twice the World
Health Organisation limit and do not have to be met until 2040.
So does he accept the judgment of his Government’s own Office for
Environmental Protection that, on clean air, Tory Ministers are
unambitious and lacking the urgency we need?
This Government, through our landmark Environment Act, have set
key targets that we will be delivering on—many Opposition Members
did not support all of its measures. As for supporting local
authorities, as I have said, we are investing £53 million to
support them in delivering more than 500 projects to specifically
tackle air pollution and air quality issues.
Food Security
(Luton South) (Lab)
4. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
helping to ensure food security. (900505)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
Strengthening food security by supporting world-class farmers and
food producers is a top priority for this Government. We produce
60% of the food we consume, and food is one of the UK’s 13
critical national infrastructure sectors, which we regularly
discuss with Cabinet colleagues.
I recently visited Tom, a farmer from my constituency, at the
family farm in Pepperstock, where we spoke about the importance
of UK food sustainability—growing, harvesting and eating domestic
produce. That is at risk without a well-functioning seasonal
worker scheme. The National Farmers Union recommends improving
the current scheme by securing it for five years, with annual
reviews, and by increasing the visa period to nine months, to
cover longer harvests. Does the Secretary of State agree that
those potential reforms could support greater food security in
the UK and mean less reliance on food imports?
I agree with the hon. Lady on the importance of food productivity
and the sustainability of our farming sector, which is why we
held the “UK Farm to Fork” summit in May, chaired by the Prime
Minister, where we discussed food security with representatives.
It is also why just in this past week we announced £45 million to
support our farming and rural sector in getting innovation to
farms and to help with costs, such as for solar, as part of that
investment.
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
I welcome my right hon. Friend to his new role and, in
particular, the experience of negotiating with the European Union
that he brings to it, which will become more and more important
in the months ahead. I welcome his remarks about supporting the
farming industry, but I ask him not to forget the seafood
industry and its importance in providing food security—I am sure
he will not. As he also knows, he has an open invite, as the new
Environment Secretary, to visit my constituency, which is a major
fishing constituency in the UK. While he is there, if not before,
through a virtual meeting, will he meet me and members of the
seafood industry to discuss the way forward, because as much as
we welcome the measures announced earlier this week to tackle
abuse of legal migration, there are concerns as we transition
away from freedom of movement?
Obviously, I am happy to give a commitment to meet my hon. Friend
to discuss those important issues. He will be interested to know
that just this week I had a series of meetings with fishing
leaders to discuss some of the issues, including not only the
2026 negotiation, but the interaction with other areas of
Government, not least in respect of the offshore wind sector and
the pressure on space. We also discussed the work going on in our
marine protection zones and how that interacts with the fishing
industry, which I am absolutely committed to supporting.
Madam Deputy Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Cambridge) (Lab)
I, too, welcome the new Minister, the Under-Secretary of State
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for
Keighley (), and the new Secretary of
State—I believe he is the fifth during my time in the shadow
Environment team. The fish our fishers catch is vital to our food
security, but the recent antics of the Maritime and Coastguard
Agency, which is, in the name of safety, implementing new medical
rules, are leaving many inshore fishers at their wits’ end. Can
it really be right that a fisherman in the prime of his working
life risks losing his livelihood because he was brave enough a
few months ago to admit to a doctor that he felt anxious? I do
not think it is, so will the Secretary of State corner his
colleague the Transport Secretary in order to get him to do
better than a temporary pause on this and to look urgently at
exemptions for smaller boats, as other countries have sensibly
done?
It is great to have Cambridgeshire so well represented on these
important issues of fishing and farming. The shadow Minister
raises an important point, because there have been concerns in
the fishing sector. The Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries
and I have been in touch with Department for Transport colleagues
on this issue. There have been amendments to the regulations as a
result of those discussions, which are ongoing. However, we
should not alarm people either, and the way that the shadow
Minister characterised this—suggesting that someone went to their
GP and raised an issue, and that prevented them from following
their livelihood—is not what the regulations do. I recognise that
there have been concerns in the sector. We are looking at them
closely and following them up, but the situation is not as he
characterised it. That would cause undue harm to those in the
fishing sector.
(Coatbridge, Chryston and
Bellshill) (SNP)
Post-Brexit attempts to recruit domestic workers into
agricultural jobs have not managed to fill existing vacancies,
leaving firms unable to produce at pre-Brexit levels. New
Government rules on migration now put the minimum income
requirements for immigrant workers far higher than the level
currently earned by an agricultural worker in the UK. In that
context, what assessment is he and his Department making of the
impact that his Government’s draconian immigration policies will
have on the security of domestic food production and on the cost
and availability of food for consumers as they continue to battle
the cost of living crisis to put food on their tables?
Of course we will work with colleagues in the fishing industry to
discuss the impacts of the Home Office
announcement—[Interruption.] Perhaps the hon. Member would like
to hear the answer, having asked the question. That is part of
the discussions that we will have. It is worth reminding the
House that, for farming, the seasonal agricultural workers scheme
is separate and is not part of the announcement from Home Office
colleagues this week. However, there will be questions from the
fishing industry, and we stand ready to work with it on
those.
Red Tractor Assurance Scheme
(Tewkesbury) (Con)
5. Whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of
supermarkets on their proposed changes to the Red Tractor scheme.
(900506)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
The Red Tractor assurance scheme is independent and its
relationship with food retailers is a commercial matter for it.
Separately, the Government will launch a review of the fresh
produce sector to understand issues relating to fairness in the
supply chain. It is important that consumers know about the food
they buy.
Mr Robertson
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. As he will be
aware, although farmers in this country want to comply, they are
a bit concerned that they may be disadvantaged compared with
foreign producers who do not work to the same standards. What
assurance can he give to British farmers that he will do
everything he can to make sure that supermarkets do not
disadvantage them?
I can give my hon. Friend a very strong assurance on that front.
Supporting British farmers is my No. 1 priority. Indeed, with the
Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries in the Department, we
have someone who has a lifetime’s experience of working as a
farmer. We should be proud of the Red Tractor scheme, which is
known around the world for being a high-quality mark of British
produce. I recognise, however, that concerns have been raised and
we will launch a review soon into fairness in the horticulture
supply chain, but if necessary, I will not hesitate to use the
powers in the relevant Act to introduce legislation to tackle
contractual unfairness, wherever that exists.
Climate Change: Impact on Food Prices
(Bristol East) (Lab)
6. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for
Energy Security and Net Zero on the impact of climate change on
food prices. (900507)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
Food prices depend on a range of factors, which have recently
included Russia’s war in Ukraine and the subsequent energy price
rises. Supporting our world-class farmers and food producers and
driving down inflation are top priorities for the Government.
I thank the Secretary of State for his response. The Energy and
Climate Intelligence Unit reports that energy costs and climate
change have pushed up food bills by an average of £605 over the
past two years, with climate change driving 60% of that increase.
We already import £8 billion-worth of food from countries
struggling with extreme weather. Obviously, we want to support
those countries on an international level with climate
adaptation. In terms of our food security here, will the
Secretary of State review his predecessor’s decision to secretly
scrap the horticulture strategy, which could have helped domestic
growers and made us more resilient to the impact of climate
change on food security and food prices?
The hon. Lady raises an important point about the impact of
climate change on food prices in the future. That is exactly why
the Government passed the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding)
Act 2023 to help to unlock innovation and strengthen food
security by enabling our leading scientists to develop crops that
will best resist climate change. It is why the Government
published the third national adaptation programme as recently as
July, and it is why we have our farming innovation programme—with
£270 million of funding—which is focused on driving productivity
and ensuring that there is sustainability in the environmental
and farming sectors.
Food Prices
(Glasgow North) (SNP)
8. What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of
food prices.(900509)
The Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries ()
October’s consumer prices index price inflation was 10.1%, down
from 12.1% in September and the lowest figure since June 2022.
Industry analysts expect food price inflation to continue to
decrease, and the Government are providing an average of £3,300
per household to help with the cost of living this year and
next.
The Minister, like the Secretary of State before him, forgot to
mention one of the biggest drivers of food inflation in this
country. I will give them a clue: it starts with “Br” and ends in
“exit”. The reality is that the UK is the only G7 country where
food price inflation remains above 10%, and the average across
OECD countries is 7.4%. If this Government are not going to
follow the SNP’s proposals for price controls on food, what are
they going to do to finally get a grip on increasing food
prices?
I think the hon. Gentleman is mistaken. If we compare prices in
the European Union with prices here in the UK, we see that the
price of a basket of goods here in the UK is substantially lower
than it is for our friends in the European Union. If Brexit were
the problem here, surely those prices would be higher in the UK
than they are in the European Union. I think he is barking up the
wrong tree.
British Food Producers
Mr (Delyn) (Ind)
10. What steps he is taking to support British food
producers.(900511)
The Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries ()
The Government are committed to supporting British food
producers. We are investing £2.4 billion a year in England’s
farming sector, and we will also look to support more growers
through the replacement of the fruit and vegetables aid scheme
for England in 2026. The Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs also sponsors small and medium-sized enterprise
masterclasses to signpost and support those businesses.
Mr Roberts
I thank the Minister for his answer. Having gone through a
difficult time during covid, in which it had to reduce staffing
numbers, the Oscar Mayer factory in my constituency has now taken
on additional product lines and is looking to expand and create
significant new employment opportunities. It uses traditional
methods and fresh ingredients to make healthy and affordable meal
options. I know it is watching these proceedings and would be
delighted if the Minister confirmed that he will visit the
factory in Flint to see the huge improvements it has made in
changing the ready meal sector, which has historically been
poorly regarded?
The hon. Gentleman will be surprised to know that I would be
delighted to visit a food factory. I am also delighted to hear
about the success of Oscar Mayer. North Wales has a strong food
and drink footprint, represented by many large and small
businesses. Should my diary allow, I would be delighted to visit.
I will make sure that my colleagues in the Wales Office also know
that they have an open invitation.
Several hon. Members rose—
Madam Deputy Speaker ( )
Question 11 is in the name of , who is not in his place. I
would be grateful if the Secretary of State answered the
question, as the shadow Minister has indicated that he would like
to ask a supplementary question.
Flooding: Management of Waterways
(Gainsborough) (Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking to manage waterways to
help reduce the risk of flooding.(900512)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
The Government are investing £5.2 billion in flood protection
between 2021 and 2027. This builds on the previous six-year
investment of £2.6 billion, showing the increased investment that
the Government are making in flood protection.
Madam Deputy Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
I am grateful for your generosity, Madam Deputy Speaker. We are
just grateful that at least some Conservative Members have turned
up.
On 20 October over 500 homes in Chesterfield, like hundreds
across the UK, were flooded, leading to the tragic death of Mrs
Gilbert on Tapton Terrace. Less than a month later, with the
impeccable timing that only this accident-prone Government are
capable of, the National Audit Office announced that the
Government had cut by 40% the number of homes that will be
protected from floods by 2027. Will the Secretary of State at
least promise the House that he will never again say to a flood
victim that the Government are doing all they can?
I am sure the whole House extends our condolences on the sad loss
of Mrs Gilbert. Our investment in flood asset maintenance is up
by £220 million. As I said, the previous six-year investment was
£2.6 billion. Between 2021 and 2027, we are now investing £5.2
billion. Yes, there have been pressures on the programme through
inflation and covid, as the National Audit Office report shows,
but what is not in doubt is the increased funding that this
Government are putting into flood protection—the £5.2 billion
indicates that—alongside the increased funding for flood
maintenance.
Raptor Persecution
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
12. What steps he is taking to tackle raptor
persecution.(900513)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
The Government take raptor persecution very seriously. It is a
national wildlife crime and there are strong penalties in place
for offences committed against birds of prey. In 2022, DEFRA more
than doubled its funding for the national wildlife crime unit to
£1.2 million over three years, in part to target crimes of raptor
persecution.
I thank the Minister for his response. There are many
long-standing traditions that are worth preserving in our
countryside, but raptor persecution is definitely not one of
them. It is a vile practice and we need to do much more to
protect our majestic birds of prey. Have the Minister and the
Department considered whether introducing vicarious liability
would act as a deterrent to rogue landowners who direct their
gamekeepers to commit wildlife crime?
As I said, the Government take raptor persecution very seriously,
and those found guilty of wildlife crimes should be subject to
the full force of the law. DEFRA is working with the national
bird of prey crime priority delivery group, which brings together
the police, the Government, local authorities and stakeholders to
make sure we are doing as much as we can to tackle this type of
crime.
Topical Questions
(East Kilbride, Strathaven
and Lesmahagow) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900519)
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
May I begin by thanking and paying tribute to my predecessor, my
right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Dr Coffey), for
her work as Secretary of State? Having represented for over 13
years a rural constituency that, with the Cambridgeshire fens, is
well known for its farming and water management, I am delighted
to be appointed as Secretary of State at DEFRA and to be working
with a strong ministerial team, including the new Under-Secretary
of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley ().
In the next few days I will be travelling to COP28 to continue
the work that was put centre stage at Glasgow on ensuring that
nature is at the heart of our approach to tackling climate
change. My priority for the Department is to back British farming
and fishing, champion rural communities and protect our
environment for generations to come.
Dr Cameron
I welcome the Secretary of State to his place. My constituents
are particularly keen that the UK has the best possible animal
welfare standards internationally, and they wrote to ask the
Secretary of State what progress is being made, particularly on
livestock and equine welfare.
Animal welfare is an extremely important issue. That is why we
introduced the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill in the
King’s Speech. We were only able to do that because of our exit
from the European Union. It is right that we put in place a ban
to stop the export of livestock and horses for slaughter. My hon.
Friend will also be aware of the two private Members’ Bills that
are being taken forward to tackle the important issues of pet
smuggling and pet theft, which I know are concerns to Members on
both sides of the House.
(Croydon North) (Lab/Co-op)
I welcome the Secretary of State to his place. He will have seen
the BBC “Panorama” investigation that exposed how this
Conservative Government have turned a blind eye to corruption and
cover-ups at the heart of the water industry. Consumers are left
facing higher water bills, while water bosses profit from
pollution. Will the Secretary of State now back Labour’s plan to
let the regulator block any bonuses for water bosses who are
responsible for the tidal wave of sewage pouring into our
rivers?
We can go one better than that, in that we have already brought
forward measures that allow the regulator, Ofwat, to take action,
alongside tougher penalties, now with unlimited fines. In
addition, all storm overflows will be monitored 100% by the end
of this year, and there will be a much tougher approach on
regulation, as the House heard in the strong response to the
debate earlier this week.
(Bury North) (Con)
T2. The Mayor of Greater Manchester’s proposal for a 493 square
mile clean air charging zone would have been a disaster for
businesses in my constituency. Can my right hon. Friend provide
an update on the Government’s response to the current Greater
Manchester clean air proposal?(900520)
I can try, but the task of finding clarity in the position of the
Mayor of Greater Manchester in this regard is somewhat confusing.
First he says he is in favour of tackling the issue of air
quality—and, indeed, we have heard from Opposition Members how
important that is—and then, when he has powers to take action, he
seems to look to Westminster and expect us to act on his behalf.
Of course I will follow up my hon. Friend’s request and seek
clarity from the Mayor, but the ability to do so has, to date,
been rather limited.
(Slough) (Lab)
T3. Why have the Secretary of State and this Conservative
Government allowed water companies to increase my constituents’
bills substantially and pay out millions in executive bonuses,
while failing to regulate the industry’s rampant pollution and
the dumping of raw sewage in our waterways, in stark contrast to
Labour’s commitment to hold those companies
accountable?(900521)
Let us look behind the rhetoric. Given that the Leader of the
Opposition keeps telling us that he wants the Labour Government
in Wales to be his blueprint, it is probably worth our taking a
look at Labour’s record in this respect. [Interruption.] The hon.
Gentleman asked the question, but he does not seem to want to
hear about Labour’s record, which is not surprising. Under Labour
in Wales, the average number of spills from storm overflows last
year was 66% higher than the average in England. We have
introduced unlimited fines and tougher regulation, and we have
set strong targets in legislation. We can see what Labour in
power would deliver—we can see it in Wales: a 66% increase in
storm overflows.
(Penrith and The Border)
(Con)
T5. Can the Minister give me an update on the investigation by
the Department and the UK Health Security Agency of the recently
confirmed human case of influenza A(H1N2)v, which is similar to
influenza viruses currently circulating in pigs in the UK? Does
he agree that infectious diseases such as this with a zoonotic
potential underline the importance of the Animal and Plant Health
Agency to our national biosecurity and public health, and that we
should definitely be investing in the long-term redevelopment of
its headquarters in Weybridge?(900523)
The Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries ()
Swine influenza is endemic in the UK pig population. It generally
causes only mild illness, but the Health Security Agency’s
investigation, with support from DEFRA, is ongoing. We are
committed to upholding the UK’s high level of biosecurity, and
work is under way, with £200 million in the current spending
review, to safeguard the long-term future of Weybridge as a
centre for scientific excellence in tackling high-risk diseases
such as this.
Several hon. Members rose—
Madam Deputy Speaker ( )
Order. We have not much time, so could we go a bit faster, with
shorter questions and shorter answers?
(North Tyneside) (Lab)
T4. What steps has the Department taken to deliver the measures
proposed in the national food strategy to encourage the
reformulation of food and drink products?(900522)
That is one of the issues that I look forward to dealing with in
the weeks ahead, and I shall be happy to drop a note to the hon.
Lady.
(Harrow East) (Con)
I apologise for not being here earlier, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Fly-tipping is the No. 1 issue in my constituency. Will my hon.
Friend join me in praising Conservative-run Harrow Council for
introducing free bottle waste collections and 24-hour notice of
fly-tipping clear-ups, and indeed increasing the number of fines
for fly-tipping from 60 per year—under Labour—to 600 last
year?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
I commend the great work that Conservative-run Harrow Council is
doing, and I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for bringing those
points to our attention. The new fly-tipping league tables allow
central and local government, and indeed members of the public,
to identify councils that are taking a proactive approach to
enforcement—instead of simply cleaning up after fly-tippers—at
fly-tippers’ expense.
(Motherwell and Wishaw)
(SNP)
T6. A successful healthy and sustainable food system requires a
number of factors, including a consumer base that can afford it.
Recent surveys show that 25% of people have removed healthy and
organic food from their diet to save money. How does the
Secretary of State plan to cultivate a consumer base that will
enable people to buy good, healthy food?(900524)
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has set out a whole range of
methods to support consumers with the cost of
living—[Interruption.] Just as the hon. Lady raises her hands on
that, it is also worth remembering that, under the Barnett
consequentials, Scotland receives more per head than those
consumers in England. So those in Scotland are better able to
meet those cost-of-living pressures—[Interruption.] SNP Members
do not seem to like the facts, but it is a fact that under
Barnett consequentials the funding in Scotland is higher per head
that the funding in England, which allows consumers to meet those
cost of living pressures and to make those choices, should they
so wish.
(Waveney) (Con)
Over the past six weeks, the Suffolk and Norfolk coast has taken
a real battering. Homes have tragically been lost to the sea, not
least in Pakefield in my constituency. Will my right hon. Friend
review the support provided to such households and businesses, to
ensure that they receive parity of support with those impacted by
pluvial and fluvial flooding?
As a fellow east of England MP, I know what a fantastic champion
my hon. Friend is for his constituents and how rigorously he will
ensure that those points are made. He, as an experienced
parliamentarian, will also know that many of those fiscal issues
are for colleagues within the Treasury, but I am very happy to
have discussions with him and to make representations where
required.
(Oxford West and Abingdon)
(LD)
T7. Oxford was proud when Port Meadow was given bathing water
status, yet just last week the water quality was again rated
poor. With the Secretary of State meet me to discuss how we can
hold Thames Water to account for its continual failure over
dumping raw sewage in Oxfordshire?(900525)
I am happy, as the Minister responsible for water quality, to
meet with the hon. Lady, but I will also say that, from the
bathing water classifications we saw this week, 95.7% of bathing
waters in England are rated good or excellent. That is up from
2010, when just 76% across England were rated good. This
Government are taking water quality seriously, and I will
endeavour to make sure that we go even further.
Madam Deputy Speaker ( )
That concludes questions to DEFRA Ministers. We all welcome the
new DEFRA team.
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