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1127469

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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	Horses: Animal Welfare
	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 is taking to ensure horse owners comply with his Department's tethering guidelines.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	256224
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>Following representations from some equine bodies, I will be meeting a number of groups, including the British Horse Council who coordinate the views of the sector, to discuss the issue of tethering. Information on how to tether a horse is contained within the statutory <em>Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids</em>, which sets out guidance to keepers on how to provide for the welfare needs of their equidae, as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The RSPCA, World Horse Welfare and local authority inspectors carry copies of the Code of Practice with them when called out to investigate complaints about the welfare of horses. They inform owners, by referring to the relevant part of the code, how to care for their animals including in relation to tethering.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 23/05/2019 11:12:16 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1127482

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit
	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 officials in his Department have been seconded away from their normal duties to work on the UK's withdrawal from the EU; and what effect that secondment of staff has had on the effectiveness of his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Tottenham
	tabling member printed	Mr David Lammy
	uin	256200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2019 answer text <p>Over 80% of Defra’s agenda is affected by the UK’s departure from the EU and as a result many roles across the Defra group are now supporting exit related work, either directly or indirectly.</p><p> </p><p>Departments continually review workforce plans and reprioritise and assess changing needs, which includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. The Civil Service as a whole is working to ensure that exit implementation is carried out to a high standard without impacting public service delivery across the whole of Government.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 29/05/2019 16:15:39 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	206 label Biography information for Mr David Lammy

1127527

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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: Smuggling
	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 the Government is taking to tackle the unlawful smuggling of dogs and puppies.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	256263
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>Defra takes the issue of the smuggling of dogs and puppies seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to the smuggled dogs and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk.</p><p> </p><p>We are working hard to tackle the problem, targeting both the supply and demand of illegally imported dogs. This approach includes enforcement through increased resourcing and partnership working at ports, international engagement, and sales and licensing. We are also helping the public to understand how they can responsibly buy or adopt a dog.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 23/05/2019 12:49:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1127540

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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
	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 is taking to help ensure that local authorities have the resources to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	256270
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, local authorities, in common with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the police, have powers of entry to inspect complaints of suspected animal cruelty and take out prosecutions where necessary. Local authorities are able to make decisions based on local needs and the arrangements that work best for them, and it is for local authorities to determine how to prioritise their resources. The Government is investing in Britain’s future, and this year’s local government finance settlement includes extra funding for local services. Local authorities will have access to £46.4 billion this financial year (2019/20) to meet the needs of their residents. This is a cash increase of 2.8% and a real terms increase which will strengthen services and support for local communities.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 22/05/2019 15:59:51 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1127633

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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	Birds: Animal Welfare
	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 potential merits of banning the practice of caging agricultural birds; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	256217
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare and the welfare of our farmed livestock in all systems is protected by comprehensive and robust legislation. This is backed up by statutory species specific welfare codes, which encourage high standards of husbandry and which keepers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with. Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors and local authorities conduct inspections on farms to check that the animal welfare standards are being met.</p><p> </p><p>Whatever the system of production, the most important factor in determining animal welfare is good stockmanship and the correct application of husbandry standards. This reflects the advice of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee.</p><p> </p><p>We have already banned cages or close confinement systems where there is clear scientific evidence that they are detrimental to animal health and welfare. For example, we banned the use of conventional (‘battery’) cages for laying hens in 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The new statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Laying Hens and Pullets, which came into force last year, provides improved and up-to-date guidance on welfare legislation and reflects the latest scientific and veterinary advice. I am aware that all major supermarkets have said they will stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cages by 2025.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 23/05/2019 11:19:32 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1127696

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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	Greyhounds: China
	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 accuracy of reports that UK-born and trained greyhounds are being kept in poor conditions for breeding in China; whether his Department has plans to prevent the future export of greyhounds from the UK to China; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
	tabling member printed	Jim Fitzpatrick
	uin	256194
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government takes the welfare of all racing animals very seriously, including once their racing careers have ended.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA), which grants certification for the commercial exports of dogs and records information regarding the commercial movement of animals, has confirmed that they do not have any records of greyhounds being exported to China for commercial purposes during 2017 or 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Greyhound Board of Great Britain have made clear that they do not support the export of greyhounds to countries where welfare standards cannot be verified. They keep records of all dogs running and once a dog is retired the owner or trainer is required to state where the dog will be relocated to.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 28/05/2019 15:02:17 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	197 label Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick

1127329

	registered interest
	date	17/05/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Secondment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2019 to Question 237159 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Secondment, how many staff have been seconded to his Department from the Environment Agency (a) since June 2016, (b) in the last 12 months and (c) in the last month.
	tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
	tabling member printed	Layla Moran
	uin	255696
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>The information provided is taken as at 30 April 2019.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of Secondments from EA</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Of which are still working in the department* </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>a) June 2016 – All secondments from EA to Defra from June 2016 to April 2019.</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>74</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>12</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>b) Last 12 Months – Those whose secondments started between May 2018 and April 2019. These are included in the number above.</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>7</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Less than 5</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>c) April 2019 – Those whose secondments started in April 2019. These are included in both figures above.</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*These are the number of staff whose secondments have not yet come to an end, and are therefore still working in Defra. Those whose secondments have come to an end will have returned to the Environment Agency.</p><p> </p><p>Secondments usually last for two years, however we would expect there to be some variation in length dependant on business needs.</p><p> </p><p>We have chosen to withhold the information relating to the number of staff still in the department whose secondments started in the last 12 months in line with GDPR regulations, as it relates to less than 5 members of staff and therefore there is a risk they may be identified.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 23/05/2019 13:16:32 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1126871

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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	Private Rented Housing: New Forest
	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 consultation in accordance with the Minister's Mandate preceded changes in the policy of letting dwellings in the New Forest administrated by the Forestry Commission; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest West
	tabling member printed	Sir Desmond Swayne
	uin	254708
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The Minister’s Mandate, which is mainly concerned with the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Crown lands of the New Forest, does not contain any references to the provision or the letting of dwellings.</p><p> </p><p>The principles guiding the Forestry Commission’s approach to housing in the New Forest are unchanged. The Commission aims primarily to meet its operational requirements in respect of housing for its own workforce, some of whom are also Commoners, but also continues to offer discounted residential rents to other Commoners in the New Forest. The Commission plays a vital role in the life of the New Forest, and over the past 25 years has done much to support commoning through its land management and property policies. This includes substantial public subsidy on the basis of the benefits to commoning and maintaining the traditions of the New Forest, but this has to be balanced with the need for financial sustainability in managing the local housing stock and the cost to the taxpayer of caring for the nation’s forests.</p><p> </p><p>I would expect the Forestry Commission to seek approval from Ministers before any fundamental change in approach is implemented.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 22/05/2019 16:19:42 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne

1126873

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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	Dangerous Dogs
	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 is taking against dog owners whose dogs have attacked (a) other dogs and (b) people; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	254725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 makes it an offence to allow a dog, of any breed or type, to be dangerously out of control. This includes instances where dogs attack other animals including dogs, as well as people. We have discussed this application of the 1991 Act with the police.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:40:48 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1126882

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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: Imports
	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 dogs were imported (a) in total and (b) from each country of origin using the Balai Directive in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham North
	tabling member printed	Alex Norris
	uin	254872
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The numbers of dogs that were imported in total and from each country of origin using the Balai Directive in 2018 were as follows:</p><p> </p><p>The total number of dogs imported in 2018 was <ins class="ministerial">37,144</ins><del class="ministerial"><strong>20,845</strong></del>.</p><p> </p><p>The breakdown of this figure by country is as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Country Of Origin</p></td><td><p>Dogs</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Austria</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins><del class="ministerial">10</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Belgium</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins><del class="ministerial">4 </del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Bulgaria</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">216</ins><del class="ministerial">61</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Croatia</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">265</ins><del class="ministerial">149</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Cyprus</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3566</ins><del class="ministerial">3156</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Czech Republic</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">63</ins><del class="ministerial">115</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> <ins class="ministerial">Denmark</ins></strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1 </ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Estonia</strong></p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Finland</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>France</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">72</ins><del class="ministerial">19</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Germany</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">13</ins><del class="ministerial">4</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Greece</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">107</ins><del class="ministerial">125</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Hungary</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1585</ins><del class="ministerial">519</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Ireland (Rep. of)</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">7828</ins><del class="ministerial">4896</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Italy</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">26</ins><del class="ministerial">24</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Latvia</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Lithuania</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">6</ins><del class="ministerial">9</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Malta</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">4</ins><del class="ministerial">6</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Netherlands</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">111</ins><del class="ministerial">19</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Poland</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">881</ins><del class="ministerial">420</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Portugal</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">173</ins><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Romania</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">17189</ins><del class="ministerial">7461</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Slovakia</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">23</ins><del class="ministerial">9</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Slovenia</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Spain</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">4995</ins><del class="ministerial">3816</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sweden</strong></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">9</ins><del class="ministerial">8</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Switzerland</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>UK</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">3</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong><ins class="ministerial">37,144</ins><del class="ministerial">20,845</del></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The data for commercial imports covers the number of animals imported into the UK, and was extracted from TRACES through the Qlikview facility by searching for imports of dogs and their commodity codes in 2018 to the UK by country of origin. These figures cover all commercially imported dogs, including commercial puppies, rescue dogs, research dogs and unaccompanied pets.</p><p> </p><p>The information that the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has provided is a true reflection of the information that is held. APHA cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data, as the information has been entered into TRACES by a third party.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:25:58 question first ministerially corrected 04/06/2019 10:12:38 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley previous answer version 119293 answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4641 label Biography information for Alex Norris