Every parliamentary written question tabled by Charlie Dewhirst this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 81–88 of 88 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 7016 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Official Cars, whether either of the two vehicles are electric cars.
For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued. The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles in the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code.
Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on (a) applications and (b) approvals for the Slurry Investment Scheme.
To date, the Rural Payments Agency has received 92 applications. Of these, 37 have been approved, 1 has been rejected due to ineligibility, 55 are still being appraised. The deadline to receive full applications is June 2025.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many slurry stores require updating to meet the previous Government’s target of six months of storage for slurry.
Defra recognises that sufficient storage is fundamental to good slurry management. The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) (England) Regulations 2010, also known as SSAFO, set the standards for slurry storage ...
Food and Rural Affairs, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) his officials have held with external stakeholders since 5 July 2024.
Details of ministers’ and senior officials’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the allocation of Government Car Service cars to senior officials; what the policy was on 24 May 2024; and which senior officials have been granted a
The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to Government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles. The arrangements relating to the using of vehicles in the GCS are set out in the Ci...
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 6 September 2024 to Questions 2306 and 2308 on Ministers: Official Cars, which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (i) been allocated a de
The Government Car Service offers vehicles to Government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles to its ministerial cadre/officials, as under previous administrations. Defra is currently ...
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential threat of an outbreak of African swine fever in the pig population.
Defra and its agencies keep the spread of African swine fever (ASF) under continuous review and is prepared to rapidly implement import restrictions based on changing scientific and risk data. A finding of ASF in a wild boar in western Germany in 2024 represented a further move in disease distribution towards the United Kingdom, following similar movements elsewhere in Europe. While we consider that the overall risk of entry of ASF virus into the UK from all combined pathways remains at medium, the particular pathway of human-mediated transport of non-commercial, infected products from the EU is considered to be high risk (please see the latest Animal and Plant Health Agency’s risk assessment from June 2024 for more detail: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/667444bb64e554df3bd0dbed/Update_ASF_in_Europe_35.pdf). UK safeguard measures are in place prohibiting live pigs, wild boar, or pork products from affected EU areas from entering Great Britain. There is also enforcement carried out by Border Force and Port Health Authority officers at seaports and airports. To further safeguard Britain's biosecurity and pig industry, travellers are no longer allowed to bring pork products weighing over two kilograms into Great Britain, unless they are produced to the EU’s commercial standards and commercially packaged with an identification mark. These measures help limit possibly infected pig meat being brought into Great Britain through various means, such as in passengers’ luggage or in vehicles.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government response to the consultation entitled Contractual practice in the UK pig sector, published on 6 April 2023, whether it is his policy to implement the next steps set out in that Government response.
We will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness for farmers. We recognise that fairness in the supply chain is critical for farmers across all sectors. We want all farmers to get a fair price for their products and are committed to tackle contractual unfairness where it exists. We will continue the work closely with the pig sector, and all farming sectors, on the best way to achieve this.