Question time briefing: Environment, food and rural affairs

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ePolitix.com reports on Thursday's environment, food and rural affiars questions, in which ministers are quizzed on flooding, bees and fishing.

Flooding

Hilary Benn today referred to the positive progress being made to defend against UK flooding.

The environment secretary highlighted comments from Sir Michael Pitt that state the government was reacting well to his inquiry.

The UK's preparedness for future flooding, in response to the Pitt Review, was the main issue at Parliamentary questions today.

Responding to a question from Graham Stuart (Con, Beverley and Holderness) on the progress of UK flood defences since the Pitt Review, Benn commented that the government was publishing six monthly progress reports which would begin this June.

On the issue of the cabinet committee set up to provide executive leadership on flooding, Benn deflected the fact that the committee was yet to meet. He referred instead to the practical advancements being made in setting up defences.

He said the department had overseen the signing of six new contracts in the realm of surface water management, agreed three demonstration projects into land management and spent millions on addressing the threat of flooding.

Benn also referred to the introduction of moveable defences purchased by the National Grid, to provide protection from flooding for public utilities.

Anne McIntosh, shadow environment minister, asked for clarification on the implementation of measures recommended by the Pitt Review.

Benn commented that specifics would be provided in the June report but that Pitt himself had endorsed the government’s performance.

Ann Cryer (Lab, Keighley) asked about the progress being made to obtain renewed insurance for those properties affected by the flooding of 2007.

Benn referred Cryer to the renewal of the statement of principles, made by the government and the Association of British Insurers, and the understanding that insurance to properties against flooding would be made on the quid pro quo basis that the government increase investment to bolster against flooding.

Benn also discussed catchment flood management plans and the flooding of agricultural land to alleviate risk to domestic properties.

The session then moved to the inquiry being conducted into droughts, by Professor John Beddington.

Benn called for a joined-up strategy with synergy between flood-management, water conservation and droughts.

Fishing

On the issue of fishing and fish discarding, Huw Irranca-Davies, Parliamentary under-secretary for environment, food and rural affairs, commented that the UK’s strategy must be seen to fit in with European Union protocol.

He discussed conservation credit schemes as one potential measure by which progress could be made.

Honey bees and wildlife diseases

Benn said that £4.3 m, including £2m of research, had been allocated to tackle the issue of bee health and the varroa mite virus.

He also said that the department was coordinating with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to develop new treatments for tackling the disease, that national bee units were being mobilised up and down the country, and that a bee-breeding program was a potential mechanism by which bee populations could be sustained.

The water industry, charges and metering

David Amess (Con, Southend West) raised the issue of surface water charging adversely affecting scout groups and other charitable organisations. These organisations were on the same rates, proportionately, as multinationals, he commented.

Lindsay Hoyle (Lab, Chorley) recommended legislating to protect such companies and referred to the poor record of United Utilities in its treatment of such groups in the North West.

Davies referred to the moratorium which was being implemented by United Utilities, in response to criticism over surface drainage water charges.

Nick Herbert, shadow rural affairs rural secretary, called for a new regulatory approach so that water companies became more incentivised to conserve water.

Benn accepted that it was important that water companies have the right incentives and that the government’s water resources program was seeking to encourage a more efficient use of water.

Derek Twigg (Lab, Halton) said that Ofwat needed to oversee the reduction of leakages in the water system.

Benn said that water companies balance a difficult path between reducing leakage and investing in improvements to their water supply.

Benn defended Ofwat’s performance.

Topical questions

Graham Stuart (Con, Beverley and Holderness) introduced the subject of illegal logging and the need to take action against it.

Benn said that only timber from legitimate sources was being used on the government estate and that the UK was behind a European Union prohibition against illegally logged timber being put on the market.

Michael Moore, Liberal Democrat shadow spokesperson for international development, called for flexibility in the new regulations on electronic tagging of sheep, saying that the current regulations will badly affect hill-farming communities.

David Drew (Lab, Stroud) raised the issue of vaccinating against bovine TB.

Benn: said that the department has received a positive reaction from the farming community regarding its projects into vaccinating against TB. He said that it is difficult to detect between infected and clean badgers in the wild.

Herbert said that Defra’s performance targets on biodiversity were terrible and referred to 386 sub targets (9/10 of the targets put forward) which the government had failed to meet on biodiversity.

Davies accepted that the government needed to recalibrate its targets but said its agri-environment schemes and Coastal Access Bill were making good progress on the issue of biodiversity.

David Chaytor (Lab, Bury North) called for more public awareness on the issue of water conservation, in line with awareness on energy conservation.

Laurence Robertson (Con, Tewkesbury) raised the issue of high animal welfare standards in the UK and the way in which British farmers were faring unfavourably against cheaper EU imports which are not governed by the same standards.

Benn referred to the rising demand for free-range products, such as eggs, and said the key was in better food labelling to alert consumers to the provenance of meat products.