[{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"43700","proposer":"10096","edm":"2604","session":"2010-12","title":"Pesticide Use And Pollinator Populations","text":"That this House notes the publication of the scientific paper Multiple routes of pesticide exposure for honey bees living near agricultural fields, reporting the recent findings of researchers at Purdue University, Indiana and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in the USA; recognises that this work shows that bees are exposed to neonicotinoid pesticide pollution of air, soil and plants throughout their foraging period following the planting of treated crops; believes that this adds significantly to the growing body of scientific evidence linking use of neonicotinoid pesticides with the decline in honey bee and other pollinator population in recent years; and calls on the Government to suspend the registration of all neonicotinoid insecticides whilst an in depth review of their impact on invertebrate species is undertaken.","date":"2012-01-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"42838","proposer":"10521","edm":"1778","session":"2010-12","title":"Future Of Allotments","text":"That this House welcomes the strong support for allotments made by the Prime Minister during Prime Minister's Questions on 4 May 2011; acknowledges with approval his endorsement of the valuable role which allotments play in the life of the country, both in terms of leisure and growing produce; notes that there are currently around 300,000 allotment plots in England but recognises that there is a serious shortage with an estimated 100,000 people on waiting lists; congratulates the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners and the grow-your-own community organisation Landshare for raising the profile of allotments and highlighting possible threats to the future of this distinctive English way of life, and also praises The Independent on Sunday newspaper for its Dig for Victory campaign on behalf of allotment holders; and urges the Government to uphold the Smallholdings and Allotment Act 1908 which requires local authorities in England and Wales to provide sufficient plots for residents.","date":"2011-05-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"42820","proposer":"11707","edm":"1763","session":"2010-12","title":"Provision Of Allotments","text":"That this House notes that under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, a local authority has a statutory duty to provide a sufficient number of allotment plots to meet demand; further notes that under this legislation, should allotments be lost due to the development of that land, local authorities must provide an equal amount of land for use as allotments in its place; further notes that the Allotment Act 1908 has been included in the recent list of legislation to be reviewed; further notes that, despite this clear statutory obligation, the long and rapidly increasing waiting lists for allotments clearly show that local authorities are not discharging this duty; and therefore calls on the Government not to abandon the legislation but instead to ensure that it is properly enforced.","date":"2011-04-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"42739","proposer":"10096","edm":"1684","session":"2010-12","title":"Neonicotinoid Pesticides And Pollinating Insects","text":"That this House welcomes the decision of Professor Robert Watson, Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to initiatea review of all the scientific research relating to bee and other pollinator decline and the use of neonicotinoidpesticides; believes the evidence that this group of insecticides debilitates a range of invertebrates to the extent that they are susceptible to lethal infections is convincing; recognises that, as neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides that are carried throughout plants to which they are applied, including pollen and nectar, they pose a particular threat to pollinating insects; urges the Governments therefore, to withdraw all licences for neonicotinoid pesticide use on plants producing nectar and pollen pending the conclusion of Professor Watson's review.","date":"2011-03-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"41732","proposer":"24910","edm":"772","session":"2010-12","title":"Genetically Modified Organisms","text":"That this House is concerned that the European Commission has so far not implemented measures called for by the EU Council in 2008 to improve genetically modified organisms (GMO) risk assessments, prevent contamination of seeds and crops and to make the body authorised to release or market a GMO liable for any harm arising from it; notes that the recent Commission proposals give member states the right to ban genetically modified (GM) crop cultivation at a national level while keeping the current authorisation system for GM at EU level; is dismayed that the Government is not pushing for its own clear GM labelling regime; and calls on the Government to clarify with the Commission whether the UK will be legally permitted to declare itself GMO-free under the new proposals and whether member states will be able to reject a GM crop that is authorised at the EU level with legal certainty.","date":"2010-09-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"41647","proposer":"10521","edm":"687","session":"2010-12","title":"Waiting Lists For Allotments","text":"That this House welcomes the big increase in home-grown vegetables, with seed sales up 14 per cent. last year; is pleased that the number of people wanting an allotment has increased by 20 per cent. in thepast 12 months; is concerned that according to the National Society for Allotment and Leisure Gardeners there are 100,000 people on waiting lists for an allotment; and calls on the Government, local authorities, other public bodies and private landlords to make land available for new allotments.","date":"2010-09-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"41634","proposer":"10521","edm":"675","session":"2010-12","title":"Allotments And The National Trust","text":"That this House congratulates the National Trust for its inspirational policy of establishing allotments at several of its properties; and urges other organisations and landowners including those in the public sector to make land available for new allotments.","date":"2010-09-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39879","proposer":"11374","edm":"319","session":"2009-10","title":"Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs","text":"That this House notes that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has failed to reject the findings of a report authored by Dr Alan Dangour and Dr Sharon Friel which states that UK meat consumption should be reduced by up to a third in order to prevent climate change; believes that if this were to happen it would have a devastating effect on British farming; further believes that it is the responsibility of DEFRA to promote and defend British farming interests; has lost confidence in the ability of the Department to serve British agriculture effectively; and calls on the Government to create a cabinet level department separate from the Environment with a Secretary of State whose role will be to defend British agriculture.","date":"2009-12-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39772","proposer":"10790","edm":"229","session":"2009-10","title":"Livestock And Climate Change","text":"That this House welcomes the report from World Watch called Livestock and climate change: what if the key actors in climate change are cows, pigs and chickens?, which builds on the report published in 2006 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Livestock's Long Shadow, both of which demonstrate that breeding livestock for human consumption contributes at least 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and probably at lot more; therefore calls upon the Government to respond to these reports and incorporate an analysis of livestock greenhouse gas emissions in its climate change policy development; further calls upon the Government to introduce pro-vegetarian policies; and calls on the Climate Change Committee to consider how to address livestock emissions in its future advice to the Government.","date":"2009-11-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39775","proposer":"10616","edm":"232","session":"2009-10","title":"Palm Oil And Deforestation","text":"That this House recognises the manifold value of rainforests; notes that palm oil requires a humid equatorial climate to be profitable, hence the current collision between the expansion of oil palm plantations and rainforests, their communities, carbon stores and endangered wildlife such as orangutans; further notes remarks by Friends of the Earth International that sustainability certification of palm oil by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil is no solution as it does not halt deforestation, it does not halt the expansion of damaging oil palm plantations and it does not benefit local communities; further notes that with high oil prices, palm oil growth for bioenergy poses a grave threat to rainforests around the tropics; therefore urges the Government and world community to make it a priority to stop expansion of palm oil monocultures and other industrial-scale farming and agroforestry onto rainforest land, in particular by acting to control consumption of the respective commodities; and to achieve an effective, equitable agreement to curb the loss of natural forest and carbon sinks, in a manner that ensures justice for forest peoples.","date":"2009-11-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39734","proposer":"10222","edm":"194","session":"2009-10","title":"Deforestation, Climate Change And Livestock","text":"That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and is currently the most significant driver of biodiversity loss worldwide; further notes that the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats into croplands for the production of animal feeds such as soy for intensive livestock farming is a cause of particular concern; recognises the associated impacts on small farmers and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; urges the Government to undertake an assessment of the scale and impact of this trend and the UK's role in it, and to gauge whether the UK's livestock industry has become overly dependent on soy-based animal feed which has such an unwelcome and unsustainable impact upon the environment; and calls on the Government to bring forward the measures necessary to reduce the UK's impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from the livestock sector whilst avoiding the export of these impacts overseas and supporting a viable, sustainable and thriving UK farming industry.","date":"2009-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39607","proposer":"11245","edm":"70","session":"2009-10","title":"Livestock Sector And Sustainability","text":"That this House notes that livestock grazing occupies over a quarter of the Earth's terrestrial surface and that expansion of grazing land for livestock is a key factor in deforestation; recognises that livestock are responsible for almost a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions, a bigger share than that of transport; expresses concern that livestock production impacts heavily on the world's water supply, accounting for more than eight per cent. of global human water use, mainly for the irrigation of feed crops, and is the largest sectoral source of water pollutants; expresses further concern that the sheer quantity of animals being raised for human consumption also poses a threat of the Earth's biodiversity; and calls on the Government to bring forward the measures necessary to reduce the UK's impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from the livestock sector whilst avoiding the export of these impacts overseas and whilst supporting a viable, sustainable and thriving UK farming industry.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39225","proposer":"10080","edm":"1996","session":"2008-09","title":"Licensing Of Aminopyralid","text":"That this House notes the petition on the Number 10 website which raises concerns that the hormone weed killer aminopyralid was used on grassland, taken up by grazing animals and remained in manure which, when applied to the land, caused the failure of a wide range of crops including beans, peas, potatoes and tomatoes, soft fruits and flowers; further notes that aminopyralid attaches itself to organic matter and that the length of time it takes to break down completely is as yet unknown; is concerned that the potential for contamination by aminopyralid and clopyralid is causing growers to lose confidence in peat-free composts as receivers of contaminated material are burdened with a problem of disposing of toxic waste; further notes that after widespread protests aminopyralid was withdrawn in August 2008 but that an application has been made for its reinstatement; believes that, taking into account improved stewardship, the use of this chemical cannot be adequately controlled; and calls on the Government not to reinstate aminopyralid.","date":"2009-10-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"39228","proposer":"11309","edm":"1999","session":"2008-09","title":"Re-Licensing Of Aminopyralid","text":"That this House notes with disappointment the decision to re-licence two products containing the herbicide aminopyralid on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides; sympathises with the thousands of innocent allotment holders and gardening enthusiasts who have seen their produce devastated by manure contaminated with aminopyralid; and calls on the Government to reconsider its decision to approve authorisations for products containing aminopyralid.","date":"2009-10-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"37680","proposer":"11923","edm":"630","session":"2008-09","title":"Sources Of Pollution In Nitrate Vulnerable Zones","text":"That this House notes the impact of the implementation of the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Directive on farmers in those zones, including increased costs and huge inconvenience; further notes that higher nitrate levels in many bodies of water may originate from non-farming sources such as utility companies whose sewerage outlets may be responsible; and urges the Government to delay implementing the Directive until the sources of pollution can be determined and to ensure that utility companies and others who are responsible, carry the appropriate costs.","date":"2009-01-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"37421","proposer":"10123","edm":"406","session":"2008-09","title":"Manufacturers Of Gm Foodstuffs And Agent Orange","text":"That this House expresses concern for the implications for food and the environment of Government discussions with companies of the Agriculture Biotechnology Council which includes Monsanto and Dow Chemicals; notes that these were two of the manufacturers of Agent Orange used by US forces in Vietnam, and are at present before the US Supreme Court for the damage done by Agent Orange; and, whilst remaining unconvinced that genetically-modified crops are safe environmentally for the long-term, is concerned that they could damage biodiversity, and currently are inadequately labelled on products containing such ingredients; and believes that these two companies should not be in cosy discussions with the Government on this matter whilst still not properly fulfilling their compensatory responsibility to the people of Vietnam.","date":"2009-01-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"37188","proposer":"10295","edm":"194","session":"2008-09","title":"Sustainable Farming","text":"That this House calls on the Government to adopt policies on the procurement and purchasing of food supplied by farmers to the supermarkets and shops in their local area; recognises the quality of locally-grown and reared produce; further calls for efforts to ensure less environmental damage by reducing the number of food miles; further calls for the creation of sustainable communities by bringing together farmers and buyers; and further calls for the establishment of local farm co-operatives to help build relationships between food outlets and their neighbourhood farmers.","date":"2008-12-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"37157","proposer":"10295","edm":"165","session":"2008-09","title":"Provision Of Allotments","text":"That this House recognises the importance of encouraging people to grow their own produce; notes the level of demand for allotments amongst people of all ages; realises that in many areas there is a shortage of land for allotments despite the fact that local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide allotments for local residents; and calls on the Government to ensure that all local authorities honour this statutory obligation in relation to allotments.","date":"2008-12-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"36672","proposer":"10173","edm":"2304","session":"2007-08","title":"Plant Protection Products","text":"That this House notes that plant protection products are essential to the gardening industry and that the use of pesticides is highly regulated; recognises that if the European Parliament's amendments to the Proposal for a Regulation Concerning the Placing of Plant Protection Products on the Market are included in the final regulation, up to 85 per cent. of the 286 active substances assessed by the UK Government Pesticide Safety Directorate could be lost in the UK leading to a negative impact on the country's 20 million domestic gardens; further notes with concern that this would pose a major threat to the British ornamental horticulture industry, much of which is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas employing around 300,000 people; and calls on the Government to insist that the European Commission carries out an EU-wide impact assessment of this Regulation prior to its implementation.","date":"2008-10-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"36527","proposer":"11923","edm":"2176","session":"2007-08","title":"Counterfeit Pesticides","text":"That this House recognises that there is an increasing presence of counterfeit pesticides on the European market; notes with concern that fake pesticides pose a significant threat to the health of farmers, consumers and the environment; further notes with concern that the reputations of food producers and farmers are tainted by replica pesticides; expresses concern at their negative economic impact; and calls on the Government to recognise the extent of the problem and reassess the current legal mechanisms used to regulate their use.","date":"2008-10-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"36384","proposer":"10295","edm":"2042","session":"2007-08","title":"Support For Sustainable Farming","text":"That this House calls for procurement policies on the purchasing of food supplied by farmers to supply the supermarkets and shops in their local area; recognises the quality of locally-grown and reared produce; further calls for efforts to ensure less environmental damage by reducing the number of food miles; further calls for the creation of sustainable communities by bringing together farmers and buyers; and further calls for the establishment of local farm co-operatives to help build relationships between food outlets and their neighbourhood farmers.","date":"2008-07-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"36373","proposer":"11245","edm":"2032","session":"2007-08","title":"Palm Oil And Acacia Plantations","text":"That this House notes that the expansion of palm oil production threatens rainforests around the tropics; further notes that some 3,200,000 hectares of oil palms in Indonesia and Malaysia are grown on peatland; further notes that such cultivation on deep peat releases many more times greenhouse emissions than the palm oil can save when used in biodiesel, yet such biodiesel can be labelled as making a carbon saving according to the Department for Transport's carbon and sustainability reporting requirements published in January 2008; further notes that EU palm oil imports are being used to replace vegetable oils in for-bioenergy generation; further notes also that the expanding cultivation of acacias for woodpulp on peatlands erodes the peat even faster; further notes the WWF report which indicates that these industries are causing an alarming decline in Sumatran elephants and tigers, and that most future forest clearances in Sumatra will be on deep peatland; therefore urges the Government and the international community to press the Indonesian government to rescind all concessions for new plantations on peatland; further urges the Government to end the labelling of biofuels as saving emissions where this is a false statement; and further urges the Government and the EU to take action to stop the destruction of forests and to be honest about the overall impact of their biofuel policy for reducing carbon emissions.","date":"2008-07-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"35696","proposer":"10616","edm":"1435","session":"2007-08","title":"Human Displacement By Monocultures","text":"That this House notes with interest the Friends of the Earth report Losing Ground on the many adverse human rights and environmental effects of large-scale palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia; further notes the widespread reports from the global South of human rights abuses and harm to local environments amid the advance of monocultures associated with the present commodities shock and biofuel drive, including of palm oil elsewhere and of soya, cotton, sugarcane and jatropha; further notes that 11,000 villagers are being displaced in Tanzania by jatropha plantations cultivated for the UK firm Sun Biofuels; urges that British and European decision-makers consult more actively with Southern non-governmental organisations when devising trade and energy policies; and also recognises the need to reduce the UK's ecological footprint in its national choice of energy sources, and the value of individuals doing so within a balanced diet by reducing consumption of animals.","date":"2008-04-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34968","proposer":"10022","edm":"804","session":"2007-08","title":"Livestock Production And Greenhouse Gas Emissions","text":"That this House notes that a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations shows that livestock production is responsible for 18 per cent. of human-induced global greenhouse gas emissions which is a higher share than transport; further notes that the UK's consumption of meat and dairy products accounts for some 8 per cent. of UK consumption related greenhouse gases; further notes that the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the livestock sector are mainly in the form not of carbon dioxide but of methane and nitrous oxide; believes that the failure of the Climate Change Bill to set reduction targets for methane and nitrous oxide will make it difficult to address the emission of greenhouse gases by the livestock sector; and urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the Climate Change Bill to include reduction targets for methane and nitrous oxide.","date":"2008-01-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34870","proposer":"11489","edm":"713","session":"2007-08","title":"Institute For Biological, Environmental And Rural Sciences","text":"That this House notes that agricultural and land-based environmental research in Ceredigion has a long and proud history, which can be traced back to the formation of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station (WPBS) in 1919; notes that the WPBS first received government funding in 1956, and that ever since research at the site has played an essential part in informing government environmental and agricultural policy; pays tribute also to the work of the current Institute in researching the potential of crops for energy; recognises the significant contribution that manipulating animal diets and obtaining energy from biomass could make to reducing methane and carbon dioxide emissions; further notes that the new Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) is set to become a world renowned centre of excellence for teaching, research and enterprise, building on the established reputations of Aberystwyth University and the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research and re-establishing a historical link between the two; urges the Government to ensure that future research at IBERS is fully funded, in view of its stated commitment to tackle climate change and support sustainable farming; and further urges the new IBERS to maintain the excellent farm research facilities at Trawscoed.","date":"2008-01-16","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34451","proposer":"11923","edm":"333","session":"2007-08","title":"Restrictions In Nitrate Vulnerable Zones","text":"That this House notes the implementation of restrictions in nitrate vulnerable zones and expresses concern that they will lead to hardship for farmers in those zones because of the requirements for farms to have six months' storage capacity for slurry, a reduction in stock numbers and to observe a ban on spreading slurry during winter months; and calls upon the Government to take into account the additional costs and reduced income for farms that these restrictions will entail and to act to ensure that this does not become another financial blow to the farming industry.","date":"2007-11-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34241","proposer":"11923","edm":"151","session":"2007-08","title":"Biofuels","text":"That this House recognises the need for standards to be set regarding the manufacture of biofuels to restrict levels of deforestation and destruction of valuable wildlife habitats; further recognises that the objective of the use of biofuels is to reduce overall greenhouse emissions, a process which would be hampered by the significant destruction of rainforests; notes that the setting of standards would boost British farmers who wish to grow crops for the purpose of manufacturing biofuels; and urges the Government to begin setting standards for the manufacture of biofuels.","date":"2007-11-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34249","proposer":"10177","edm":"82A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Genetically Modified Organisms And Cross-Contamination","text":"leave out from `reconsider' to end and add `outline its clear intention to hold to its stated commitment to further consultation on the environmental liability directive.'.","date":"2007-11-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34107","proposer":"10470","edm":"17","session":"2007-08","title":"Bioenergy","text":"That this House recognises the important role bioenergy can play in tackling climate change while encouraging energy security and increasing opportunities for farmers and rural communities; regrets that bioenergy represents only 1.5 per cent. of the total UK energy supply; is nevertheless alarmed by the environmental threat posed by the production for bioenergy of palm oil, sugar cane and soya in South East Asia and South America, the expansion of which is leading to a destruction of tropical forests and other highly prized ecosystems, such as the Cerrado in Brazil; calls on the Government to introduce as a matter of urgency a carbon and sustainability assurance scheme that reflects the impact of bioenergy throughout its life-cycle; urges the European Union to follow suit in developing Europe-wide assurance schemes; and calls on the Government to encourage a sustainable bioenergy sector through an ethical Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Agriculture and environment","id":"34172","proposer":"10006","edm":"82","session":"2007-08","title":"Genetically Modified Organisms And Cross-Contamination","text":"That this House notes that the science of genetically modified organisms is still being debated and the commercial and environmental dangers posed by the risk of cross-contamination are a matter of serious public concern; and calls on the Government to reconsider its implementation of the Environmental Liability Directive which is intended to protect biodiversity, land and water from environmental harm.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"}]