Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1183041

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing regulations on animal welfare standards for (a) animal sanctuaries and (b) re-homing organisations; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	25618
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Government greatly appreciates the valuable work that responsible animal sanctuaries and rehoming organisations do in caring for animals. Evidence provided by respondents to the consultation on banning commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens, reflected concerns about profit-driven activity and variations in welfare standards across the sector. The Government is committed to fully understanding the views of rescue and rehoming organisations themselves, and the possible impacts of introducing regulations to the sector and is currently engaging with the sector on assessing these issues. Any proposals to bring forward regulations on animal welfare standards for the sector will be subject to full public consultation.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 10/03/2020 17:05:01 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1183057

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare: Tour Operators
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the animal welfare guidelines for tour operators published by ABTA in December 2019.
tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
uin	25653
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>British Travel Agents (ABTA) for tour operators. I particularly welcome the guide on elephant experiences which sets out clearly what practices are acceptable and what are unacceptable. Whilst Defra has not assessed their effectiveness specifically, I am encouraged that the British travel industry recognise the importance of protecting animal welfare and of providing advice to travel providers for their suppliers and destination tourist boards.</p><p> </p><p>Tourists are becoming more aware of the impact tourism can have on both the environment and on animal welfare and can expect to question whether a particular animal-related experience is both animal welfare friendly and sustainable.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 10/03/2020 17:00:29 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch

1183093

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Dogs: Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to prevent the Pet Travel Scheme being used to illegally bring dogs into the UK.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	25660
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Government takes the welfare of all animals seriously, and that is why we have committed to cracking down on the illegal import of dogs and puppies. This is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to puppies and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk.</p><p> </p><p>All dogs entering the UK must be compliant with specific documentary and health preparations intended to safeguard their welfare and the biosecurity of this country. We have one of the most rigorous pet travel checking regimes in the world and any dogs found to be non-compliant with the Pet Travel Scheme rules may be refused entry or detained until compliant.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 10/03/2020 10:37:33 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1183112

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Coal: Heating
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the average cost or saving of switching from coal to other sold fuels, by region.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	25743
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>The Government Response to the consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood was published on 21 February this year. The accompanying Impact Assessment includes a table which provides a regional, energy efficiency adjusted cost analysis for coal and smokeless fuels. This indicates that savings will be made in all the regions considered if households switch from coal to the cheapest smokeless fuel.</p><p> </p><p>The Impact Assessment can be viewed at:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/867428/burning-wood-consult-ia.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/867428/burning-wood-consult-ia.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/03/2020 13:00:26 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1183135

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Game: Birds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the release of non-native gamebirds on wildlife and native birds in Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	25736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notification provides a key mechanism for the management of terrestrial European sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). This includes a consenting process for operations listed as requiring Natural England’s consent. General guidance on the consenting process is published on the GOV.UK website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest</a></p><p> </p><p>Additionally the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 include provisions to manage operations that may damage European sites.</p><p> </p><p>In response to a pre-action protocol letter from Wild Justice in July 2019, last September the Government accepted that in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds on, or affecting, SACs and SPAs is capable of constituting a “plan or project” requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive.</p><p>Whether they will do so in any given case will depend on whether they may have a significant effect on the specific SPA or SAC in question. This will depend in turn on the nature of the activities, the features and condition of the SPA or SAC, the distance from the SPA or SAC where the activities are carried out and the possible effects of the activities. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra committed to undertake a review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could be improved, as announced on 11 September 2019 (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites</a>).</p><p>The review is looking at the following areas:</p><ul><li>Consenting process: in conjunction with Natural England, Defra is reviewing the effectiveness of the process around Operations Requiring Natural England’s Consent on European sites in relation to gamebird release.</li><li>Special Nature Conservation Orders (SNCOs) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017: exploring the effective use of SNCOs in relation to gamebird release, which have to date been used as a last resort option designed to limit potentially damaging operations on or near European sites.</li><li>Legislative options: reviewing the current legislative arrangements that are of relevance to the release of non-native gamebirds on or around European sites, including considering whether any amendments to current regimes could provide further safeguards to European sites. Defra is also exploring other possible options for regulating such releases if current arrangements do not provide a solution.</li><li>Number of gamebirds released and their impact on European sites: examining available data to establish an estimate of the number of gamebirds that are released on or around European sites in England. In terms of their impact on European sites, considering available evidence including the findings from a literature review jointly commissioned by Natural England and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, expected to conclude in March 2020.</li></ul> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25737 25738 question first answered 10/03/2020 17:02:54 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1183137

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Game: Birds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many non-native gamebirds were released in the UK in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	25737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notification provides a key mechanism for the management of terrestrial European sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). This includes a consenting process for operations listed as requiring Natural England’s consent. General guidance on the consenting process is published on the GOV.UK website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest</a></p><p> </p><p>Additionally the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 include provisions to manage operations that may damage European sites.</p><p> </p><p>In response to a pre-action protocol letter from Wild Justice in July 2019, last September the Government accepted that in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds on, or affecting, SACs and SPAs is capable of constituting a “plan or project” requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive.</p><p>Whether they will do so in any given case will depend on whether they may have a significant effect on the specific SPA or SAC in question. This will depend in turn on the nature of the activities, the features and condition of the SPA or SAC, the distance from the SPA or SAC where the activities are carried out and the possible effects of the activities. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra committed to undertake a review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could be improved, as announced on 11 September 2019 (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites</a>).</p><p>The review is looking at the following areas:</p><ul><li>Consenting process: in conjunction with Natural England, Defra is reviewing the effectiveness of the process around Operations Requiring Natural England’s Consent on European sites in relation to gamebird release.</li><li>Special Nature Conservation Orders (SNCOs) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017: exploring the effective use of SNCOs in relation to gamebird release, which have to date been used as a last resort option designed to limit potentially damaging operations on or near European sites.</li><li>Legislative options: reviewing the current legislative arrangements that are of relevance to the release of non-native gamebirds on or around European sites, including considering whether any amendments to current regimes could provide further safeguards to European sites. Defra is also exploring other possible options for regulating such releases if current arrangements do not provide a solution.</li><li>Number of gamebirds released and their impact on European sites: examining available data to establish an estimate of the number of gamebirds that are released on or around European sites in England. In terms of their impact on European sites, considering available evidence including the findings from a literature review jointly commissioned by Natural England and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, expected to conclude in March 2020.</li></ul> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25736 25738 question first answered 10/03/2020 17:02:54 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1183138

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Game: Birds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) guidance and (b) regulations his Department has issued to ensure that there is no detrimental effect caused by the release of non-native gamebirds on local ecology and biodiversity.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	25738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notification provides a key mechanism for the management of terrestrial European sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). This includes a consenting process for operations listed as requiring Natural England’s consent. General guidance on the consenting process is published on the GOV.UK website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest</a></p><p> </p><p>Additionally the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 include provisions to manage operations that may damage European sites.</p><p> </p><p>In response to a pre-action protocol letter from Wild Justice in July 2019, last September the Government accepted that in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds on, or affecting, SACs and SPAs is capable of constituting a “plan or project” requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive.</p><p>Whether they will do so in any given case will depend on whether they may have a significant effect on the specific SPA or SAC in question. This will depend in turn on the nature of the activities, the features and condition of the SPA or SAC, the distance from the SPA or SAC where the activities are carried out and the possible effects of the activities. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra committed to undertake a review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could be improved, as announced on 11 September 2019 (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites</a>).</p><p>The review is looking at the following areas:</p><ul><li>Consenting process: in conjunction with Natural England, Defra is reviewing the effectiveness of the process around Operations Requiring Natural England’s Consent on European sites in relation to gamebird release.</li><li>Special Nature Conservation Orders (SNCOs) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017: exploring the effective use of SNCOs in relation to gamebird release, which have to date been used as a last resort option designed to limit potentially damaging operations on or near European sites.</li><li>Legislative options: reviewing the current legislative arrangements that are of relevance to the release of non-native gamebirds on or around European sites, including considering whether any amendments to current regimes could provide further safeguards to European sites. Defra is also exploring other possible options for regulating such releases if current arrangements do not provide a solution.</li><li>Number of gamebirds released and their impact on European sites: examining available data to establish an estimate of the number of gamebirds that are released on or around European sites in England. In terms of their impact on European sites, considering available evidence including the findings from a literature review jointly commissioned by Natural England and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, expected to conclude in March 2020.</li></ul> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25736 25737 question first answered 10/03/2020 17:02:54 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1182225

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Coal: Heating
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what forms of smokeless coal will be permissible under changes proposed in the Air quality: using cleaner fuels for domestic burning consultation response, published 21 February 2020.
tabling member constituency	Wentworth and Dearne
tabling member printed	John Healey
uin	24244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>As stated in the Government Response published on 21 February, we want to see a move from bituminous coal to less polluting fuels in the domestic setting. We will facilitate this transition by only allowing the sale of smokeless coal (or anthracite) and low sulphur manufactured solid fuels for the purpose of domestic combustion.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/03/2020 17:13:26 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	400 label Biography information for John Healey

1182261

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Coal: Heating
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of particulate emissions is generated by domestic coal burning.
tabling member constituency	Thurrock
tabling member printed	Jackie Doyle-Price
uin	24335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Details on emissions of particulate matter (PM) by fuel type are not available for the latest year’s emissions inventory (first published 14 February 2020). This information will be available later in the spring via the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory website. Levels and trends in annual emissions of particulate matter in the UK are available from the National Statistics on emissions of air pollutants. These can be found at the following URL:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/emissions-of-air-pollutants" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/emissions-of-air-pollutants</a></p><p> </p><p>Data from the previous year’s inventory (published in 2019) indicate that approximately 3% of all PM<sub>2.5</sub> emissions and 2% of all PM<sub>10</sub> emissions in the UK were attributed to the domestic burning of coal in 2017. This equates to 3.3 kilotons and 3.4 kilotons of PM<sub>2.5 </sub>and PM<sub>10</sub> emitted from domestic coal combustion in 2017, respectively. These figures include the burning of anthracite which is coal with a high carbon content.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/03/2020 17:12:03 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4065 label Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price

1182030

registered interest
date	02/03/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Public Footpaths
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities' maps are updated to identify unrecorded footpaths.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	23538
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Local highway authorities are responsible for recording public rights of way. We are planning to reform the process for recording rights of way to make it quicker and simpler to do so, enabling the maps to be updated more easily.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/03/2020 12:58:23 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord