Every parliamentary written question tabled by Sarah Dyke this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 81–89 of 89 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, what position the UK will take on (a) chemical recycling and (b) a mass balance approach in negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty.
At the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a new UN Plastics Treaty, the UK will align with our domestic policy on any provisions related to chemical recycling, including mass balance. Therefore, where relevant we will ...
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty in South Korea.
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2024 to Question 9584 on Plastics: Treaties, what level of (a) production and (b) consumption of primary plastic polymers is sustainable.
The UK supports measures under the proposed Global Plastics Treaty to reduce the production and consumption of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels, and the Government recognises that further work will be needed to establish what those sustainab...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the number of (a) polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles, (b) glass bottles and (c) metal beverage containers littered annually in the UK.
Across the UK, it is estimated that approximately 4 billion plastic and 2.5 billion metal drinks containers are not recycled every year – a significant amount being littered. Once the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers is introduced, the De...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential environmental benefits of including (a) PET plastic bottles, (b) glass bottles and (c) metal beverage containers within the proposed
The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across all four nations will include single-use drinks containers from 150ml to 3 litres. In England and Northern Ireland, materials included in DRS are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel,...
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support businesses in rural areas.
Rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. Over half a million business are registered in rural areas, with the rural economy contributing over £315 billion a year to England alone. The Government is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in rural areas, so that we can realise the full potential of rural business and communities. To achieve this, we are ensuring that the needs of people and businesses in rural areas are at the heart of policymaking. That starts with delivering a new deal for farmers including cutting energy prices by setting up GB energy, ensuring future trade deals are fairer for British farmers, and procuring more British produce in Government.
Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of eligible applicants to the Farming Recovery Fund have received full compensation; and what his planned timetable is for delivering outstanding compensation payments.
To date all eligible farmers identified in the original Farming Recovery Fund announced in April 2024 have been offered the payment in line with the published criteria. In May, Defra announced a further expansion to the fund and further information on that will be available soon.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with representatives of the (a) Agriculture Horticulture Development Board and (b) Agriculture Development and Research Service on the potential merits of providing Government funding to those bodies.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is a Non-Departmental Public Body and is funded through a statutory industry levy collected from farmers, growers and processors. AHDB delivers its work through sector plans that are formed through consultation with its levy payers. From 1 April 2024 levy rates have been raised by up to 25%, increasing AHDV’s annual budget by up to £10 million and boosting the level of support to the farming industry. Levy payers greatly value AHDB’s independence and industry focus. This independence stems from the fact that AHDB does not receive direct funding from Defra. Defra officials continue to work closely with AHDB to ensure it is meeting its statutory obligations. There are ongoing discussions regarding opportunities for Defra and AHDB to co-fund mutually beneficial projects through a specific partnership arrangement. The Agricultural Development Advisory Service (ADAS) is a privately owned agricultural and environmental consultancy and research business. It has access to Government funding through tendering on a commercial basis for Defra research and consultancy contracts – a recent example being ADAS securing the contract for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme monitoring programme.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ability of the UK’s fertiliser production capacity to meet domestic demand.
Fertiliser is a global market. Ensuring a resilient supply chain involves maintaining diverse sources, domestically and through international imports. The UK sources fertiliser from a wide range of countries and both produces and imports ammonium nitrate to meet demand. Defra actively monitors fertiliser prices and supply chains, including domestic production, through regular engagement with key manufacturers and wider stakeholders.