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65874

	registered interest
	date	04/07/2014
	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	Apprentices
	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 apprentices have been employed by contractors and sub-contractors to his Department in each year since 2010-11; and what proportion of the total workforce of such contractors is made up by apprentices.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	204063
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2014 answer text <p>The information requested is not held by the Department.</p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 09/07/2014 09:48:09 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1015184

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2018
	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	Tree Felling
	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 9 May 2018 to Question HL7215, whether the figures on area licensed since 2015 refer to England alone; and how those figures for each quarter and year are calculated.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	195572
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>Forestry is a devolved matter and the figures provided in HL72154 were, as noted, for England only. The Forestry Commissioners are responsible for the control of tree felling under the provisions in Part II of the Forestry Act 1967 (as amended) and the area licenced was taken from records held by the Forestry Commission. The volume for timber produced was taken from annual statistics produced by the Forestry Commission. More details on how the statistics are produced can be found at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/12/2018 12:00:53 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1128524

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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	Poultry: 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, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that supermarkets which have committed to stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cages by 2025 meet that target.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	257735
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>I am aware that all major supermarkets have committed to stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cages by 2025. This is a voluntary initiative and as a result it is not necessary for the Government to take steps to help ensure they meet that target. 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.</p><p> </p><p>Consumers can make an informed choice as, under Commission Regulation (EC) 589/2008 laying down detailed rules as regards marketing standards for eggs, it is a requirement to include an indication of the farming method on the packs and the eggs themselves.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 257736 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:16:19 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1128525

	registered interest
	date	23/05/2019
	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	Poultry: 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 the Government is taking to encourage supermarkets to stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cages before 2025.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	257736
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>I am aware that all major supermarkets have committed to stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cages by 2025. This is a voluntary initiative and as a result it is not necessary for the Government to take steps to help ensure they meet that target. 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.</p><p> </p><p>Consumers can make an informed choice as, under Commission Regulation (EC) 589/2008 laying down detailed rules as regards marketing standards for eggs, it is a requirement to include an indication of the farming method on the packs and the eggs themselves.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 257735 question first answered 10/06/2019 14:16:19 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1141967

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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	Climate Change
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What steps the Government is taking to ensure that domestic climate change adaptation policy does not disproportionately affect low-income households.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	912194
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government considers the distributional impact of its interventions on different groups, including low income households, and our National Adaptation Programme sets out the steps the Government will be taking, until the next five year plan in 2023, to further adapt to climate change. Its central aim is to build resilience across the economy, and draws from across a large body of cross-Government work. To take just one example, the Government’s capital investment programme in flooding and coastal erosion is expected to provide over a ten-fold economic return on the initial outlay.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/07/2019 15:47:59 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1132840

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	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	Inland Waterways and Rivers: Pollution Control
	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 clean up rivers and waterways to ensure that they are safe habitats for (a) wildlife and (b) recreational swimmers.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	266165
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>Current updated River Basin Management Plans, published in 2016, provide the framework for protecting and improving the water environment for wildlife, people and the economy for the period up to 2021. Plans for England confirm over £3 billion of investment by 2021, leading to improvements in at least 680 water bodies, with an overall target to enhance at least 5000 miles of waters by 2021. These plans will be reviewed and updated in 2021 to take account of progress that has been made and what can be achieved by 2027.</p><p> </p><p>Over the last two decades there have been significant improvements in water quality in rivers. Independent analysis of Environment Agency (EA) data by the University of Cardiff in 2014 showed that wildlife such as Atlantic salmon, mayflies, and dippers dependent on cleaner waters have been progressively recolonising in England's urban rivers over this 20 year period. However, there is still more to do to improve river habitats and to protect the environment from deterioration in the future.</p><p> </p><p>For recreational swimmers, there are over 400 locations in England formally designated as bathing waters which are managed to meet stringent water quality standards to protect health. The EA monitors these waters throughout the bathing season (May to September), investigates pollution sources and works with partners to reduce pollution risks. The EA also issues daily forecasts of bathing water during the bathing season on the internet to help inform bathers of pollution risks. In 2018, 97.9% of bathing waters met minimum standards sufficient for bathing and 67.1% met even more stringent standards.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 24/06/2019 14:31:59 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1384604

	registered interest
	date	03/12/2021
	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 plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to ban the practice of horse tethering.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	86558
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2021 answer text <p>This Government is committed to upholding our high standards of animal welfare, including in relation to tethering. The welfare of all animals is protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation. Defra has a series of statutory animal welfare codes, which encourage high standards of husbandry.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the Act) makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal. The Act is backed up by farmed animal welfare legislation which includes a prohibition on tethers for certain farmed species. All owners and keepers of animals must provide for the welfare needs of their animals.</p><p> </p><p>Tethering can be a useful temporary management tool when it is used appropriately. The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids (the Code) provides owners and keepers with general welfare information, including a specific section on the tethering of a horse and other animals. The Code states that tethering is not a suitable method of long-term management of an animal, but may be useful as an exceptional short-term method of animal management.</p><p> </p><p>If anyone is concerned about the way a horse or other animal has been tethered, they should report the matter to the relevant local authority, the RSPCA or World Horse Welfare who can investigate. If a horse or other animal is found not to be tethered appropriately, it could lead to a prosecution under the 2006 Act.</p><p> </p><p>Defra considers that the current legislation and guidance provide the right safeguards and powers in respect of animal tethering. However, we will continue to engage with key stakeholders to see if more can be done to promote best practice among horse owners and to optimise partnership working to tackle the issue of inappropriate horse tethering. With the current Animal (Penalty Notice) Bill passing through the parliamentary process we are keen to work with key stakeholders to consider if the use of financial penalty notices will help redirect offenders away from the inappropriate use of tethering.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 86560 question first answered 10/12/2021 11:52:34 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1384605

	registered interest
	date	03/12/2021
	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, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory duty for local authorities to employ an Animal Welfare Officer.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	86559
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2021 answer text <p>Local authorities are responsible for enforcing certain animal-related activities which are licensed, such as pet selling, dog breeding and selling, animal boarding, riding schools and the exhibiting of animals. Therefore, every local authority at district level will have access to officers who enforce animal welfare standards. Local authorities have powers, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, to investigate allegations of animal cruelty or poor welfare. Local authorities must be allowed to decide how to enforce the 2006 Act based upon local priorities and resources.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 13/12/2021 15:12:48 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1384606

	registered interest
	date	03/12/2021
	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	Domestic Animals: 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, if his Department will introduce measures to ensure that a person is not permitted to keep an animal where the only method of doing so is through the use of a tether.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	86560
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2021 answer text <p>This Government is committed to upholding our high standards of animal welfare, including in relation to tethering. The welfare of all animals is protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation. Defra has a series of statutory animal welfare codes, which encourage high standards of husbandry.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the Act) makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal. The Act is backed up by farmed animal welfare legislation which includes a prohibition on tethers for certain farmed species. All owners and keepers of animals must provide for the welfare needs of their animals.</p><p> </p><p>Tethering can be a useful temporary management tool when it is used appropriately. The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids (the Code) provides owners and keepers with general welfare information, including a specific section on the tethering of a horse and other animals. The Code states that tethering is not a suitable method of long-term management of an animal, but may be useful as an exceptional short-term method of animal management.</p><p> </p><p>If anyone is concerned about the way a horse or other animal has been tethered, they should report the matter to the relevant local authority, the RSPCA or World Horse Welfare who can investigate. If a horse or other animal is found not to be tethered appropriately, it could lead to a prosecution under the 2006 Act.</p><p> </p><p>Defra considers that the current legislation and guidance provide the right safeguards and powers in respect of animal tethering. However, we will continue to engage with key stakeholders to see if more can be done to promote best practice among horse owners and to optimise partnership working to tackle the issue of inappropriate horse tethering. With the current Animal (Penalty Notice) Bill passing through the parliamentary process we are keen to work with key stakeholders to consider if the use of financial penalty notices will help redirect offenders away from the inappropriate use of tethering.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 86558 question first answered 10/12/2021 11:52:34 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1172883

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2020
	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	Veolia Environment: Conduct
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received on the conduct of Veolia management in Harlow.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	7192
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>Defra has not received any representations on the conduct of Veolia management in Harlow.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 28/01/2020 10:44:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon