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426372

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2015
	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	Pollinators
	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 she has made of the effectiveness of the National Pollinator Strategy since its publication in November 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	902034
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2015 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">We have established a programme of research to accurately assess our effectiveness, including a national framework for monitoring of pollinators. Over half of mid–tier applications to Countryside Stewardship contain the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package. Monitoring and evaluation of the scheme makes provisions for assessing the impact on pollinators. The Implementation Plan sets out details on progress with the Strategy and will be published shortly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have established a programme of research to accurately assess the effectiveness of our pollinator strategy. Over half of mid-tier applications to the new Countryside Stewardship scheme contain the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package.</ins></p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 05/11/2015 16:57:06 question first ministerially corrected 05/11/2015 18:03:06 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice previous answer version 27965 answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1047994

	registered interest
	date	25/01/2019
	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	Foie Gras: 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, whether he plans to ban foie gras imports after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	212612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p>We have some of the highest standards of animal welfare and the production of foie gras by force feeding is banned in the UK as it is incompatible with our domestic legislation. Once we leave the European Union, there will be an opportunity to consider whether the UK can adopt a different approach to foie gras imports and sales in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 31/01/2019 14:03:57 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1058949

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Non-native species
	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 Natural England plans to consult on the implementation of the Invasive Alien Species Order 2019 to create species action plans that allow a flexible and risk-based management approach to licensing the release of (a) grey squirrels, (b) muntjac deer and (c) other widespread species where their release poses no threat to native wildlife.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	219390
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>While the rescue of wildlife will not be illegal under the Order, the re-release of listed invasive species that have been taken from the wild will not be permitted.</p><p> </p><p>Neither grey squirrel nor muntjac deer are protected in the UK and both are highly invasive species which cause significant impacts on domestic ecosystems and protected species. Grey squirrels also have a negative impact on our forestry.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to allow the release of widespread invasive species listed under the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation 2014, except as part of a specific licenced activity aimed at supporting the control of the species.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is committed to reducing the impacts of invasive non-native species within our borders. The Invasive Aliens Species (enforcement and permitting) Order 2019 is part of fulfilling these commitments, as laid out by the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. The Order also fulfils our obligations under the EU regulation to manage our widespread invasive non-native species.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/02/2019 13:42:00 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

223607

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2015
	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 Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015
	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 her Department has made of the effect of the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Exemptions Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 on the owners of exempted dogs intending to go to university or who serve in the armed forces; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	225447
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2015 answer text <p>The Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 recognises that owning and keeping a prohibited dog is a significant responsibility. These dogs are bred for fighting and Parliament has agreed that there should be restrictions and conditions on their ownership in order to protect public safety. The court plays an important role in determining whether a prohibited dog is a danger to public safety and must take into account whether the person intending to be in charge of the dog is a fit and proper person. The expectation of Parliament is that the person approved by the court will have day-to-day responsibility for the dog. There is a limit on how long a prohibited dog can be kept away from its home under the supervision of the person approved by the court. This ensures that the dog is kept in suitable accommodation at premises known to the police and is under the supervision of the court-approved person at all times.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A public consultation exercise on a package of measures aimed at promoting more responsible dog ownership ran from 23 April to 15 June 2012. This included aspects of the 2015 Order including provisions to enable seized suspected prohibited dogs not considered by the police to be a danger to public safety to be returned to their owner, subject to conditions, pending a court judgment on the fate of the dog. These provisions were widely supported. The keepership elements the 2015 Order return the law more closely to the position agreed by Parliament before the judgment in</p><p> </p><p>R (Sandhu) v Isleworth Crown Court [2012] and address issues of public safety. The police were consulted on these provisions. Dogs Trust was consulted on the changes relating to insurance of owners of prohibited dogs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In its response to the EFRA Committee pre-legislative scrutiny report of the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill, the Government made clear it would be bringing forward an Order to prescribe the limited circumstances when transfer of keepership of a prohibited dog is permitted. The issue was also covered in the fact sheets accompanying the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Bill during its passage through Parliament.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 225446 question first answered 03/03/2015 13:58:10 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

223608

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2015
	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 Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015
	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 she consulted with (a) the British Veterinary Association, (b) the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (c) Dogs Trust, (d) Blue Cross and (e) the Kennel Club in drawing up the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Exemptions Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	225446
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2015 answer text <p>The Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 recognises that owning and keeping a prohibited dog is a significant responsibility. These dogs are bred for fighting and Parliament has agreed that there should be restrictions and conditions on their ownership in order to protect public safety. The court plays an important role in determining whether a prohibited dog is a danger to public safety and must take into account whether the person intending to be in charge of the dog is a fit and proper person. The expectation of Parliament is that the person approved by the court will have day-to-day responsibility for the dog. There is a limit on how long a prohibited dog can be kept away from its home under the supervision of the person approved by the court. This ensures that the dog is kept in suitable accommodation at premises known to the police and is under the supervision of the court-approved person at all times.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A public consultation exercise on a package of measures aimed at promoting more responsible dog ownership ran from 23 April to 15 June 2012. This included aspects of the 2015 Order including provisions to enable seized suspected prohibited dogs not considered by the police to be a danger to public safety to be returned to their owner, subject to conditions, pending a court judgment on the fate of the dog. These provisions were widely supported. The keepership elements the 2015 Order return the law more closely to the position agreed by Parliament before the judgment in</p><p> </p><p>R (Sandhu) v Isleworth Crown Court [2012] and address issues of public safety. The police were consulted on these provisions. Dogs Trust was consulted on the changes relating to insurance of owners of prohibited dogs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In its response to the EFRA Committee pre-legislative scrutiny report of the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill, the Government made clear it would be bringing forward an Order to prescribe the limited circumstances when transfer of keepership of a prohibited dog is permitted. The issue was also covered in the fact sheets accompanying the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Bill during its passage through Parliament.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 225447 question first answered 03/03/2015 13:58:10 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

223609

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2015
	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 Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the Dangerous Dogs Exemptions Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 does not give full effect to the court's ruling in R (Sandhin) v Isleworth Crown Court; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	225448
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2015 answer text <p>Dangerous dogs law is concerned with protecting the safety of the public. <em>The Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 </em>reflects the amendments made by section 107 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The intention is to remedy the situation created by the High Court decision in R (Sandhu) v Isleworth Crown Court [2012]. The 2015 Order returns the position on ownership of four types of prohibited dogs broadly to where it was before that judgment. The four types of dog are prohibited because they are of a type bred for fighting. The 2015 Order requires a court, when considering whether to exempt a prohibited dog, to take into account whether the intended keeper is a “fit and proper person” and other matters such as suitability of accommodation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 states that no person shall give away, sell, or exchange a prohibited dog. The Sandhu judgment was seen as allowing keepership of exempted prohibited dogs to be transferred to anyone else by the owner with no supervision by the courts or by the Index of Exempted Dogs (which maintains a register of exempted prohibited dogs and liaises with the police.) The 2015 Order prevents exempted prohibited dogs from being transferred in such a way but allows change of keepership where the existing owner has died or has become seriously ill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 04/03/2015 10:21:31 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

225901

	registered interest
	date	09/03/2015
	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, how many prohibited types of dogs have been exempted to named keepers in each month in each year since 2012; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	226683
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The number of prohibited dogs exempted to named keepers are detailed in the table below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Numbers of exempted dogs transferred to keepers for each month from January 2012 to February 2015</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>January</strong></p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>February</strong></p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>March</strong></p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>April</strong></p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>May</strong></p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>June</strong></p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>July</strong></p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>August</strong></p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>September</strong></p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>October</strong></p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>November</strong></p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>December</strong></p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>26</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>23</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>3</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 16/03/2015 16:52:48 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

349648

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	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	Pollinators
	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 frequently her Department plans to update the National Pollinator Strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	1928
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2015 answer text <p>The National Pollinator Strategy is a 10 year plan which sets out a framework for collective action to protect pollinators on farmland, towns, cities and the countryside, and to enhance the response to pests and disease risk. The Strategy also seeks to raise awareness of what pollinators need to thrive through a call to action message which sets out five simple actions that everyone can take to support pollinators (<a href="http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/Bees-needs" target="_blank">www.wildlifetrusts.org/Bees-needs</a>).</p><p>The Strategy is an important starting point and must be flexible, adapting to new data and understanding as this emerges. We will keep the Strategy under review, refreshing the aims by 2019 and identifying any necessary targets and additional policies to strengthen our response based on an improved understanding of the baselines, the impact of pressures and the role of pollinators. The review will also consider lessons learned from the initial policy actions and partnership working. We will coordinate the production of a one year progress report with key partners on implementation of the Strategy later this year.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 17/06/2015 11:02:34 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

381991

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2015
	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	Food: Exports
	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 plans to take to promote British food and drink exports.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	900422
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The agri-food sector is worth over £100bn and employs one in eight people. The food and drink manufacturing sector – largest in the UK - exported nearly £19bn last year, including chocolates to Belgium, pork to China and chillies to India.</p><p> </p><p>Supporting and encouraging businesses to take the opportunities that exporting presents is one of my Department’s top priorities. Officials are working with the industry and UKTI to develop a new Action Plan.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss grouped question UIN 900420 900421 question first answered 18/06/2015 15:26:06 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

416365

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	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	Pollinators
	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 support bees and pollinators.
	tabling member constituency	Crawley
	tabling member printed	Henry Smith
	uin	9045
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p>Defra recognises the importance of pollinators, including bees, and their value to food security and sustaining the natural environment. This is why Defra published the National Pollinator Strategy in November 2014:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pollinator-strategy-for-bees-and-other-pollinators-in-england" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pollinator-strategy-for-bees-and-other-pollinators-in-england</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Strategy is a ten-year plan to bring about the best possible conditions for pollinators to flourish across all land types. It identifies specific policy and evidence actions for government and others, and actions that everyone can take to help expand food, shelter and nest sites. The Strategy also seeks to address key gaps in our understanding about the status of pollinators.</p><p>To raise public awareness a ‘Call to Action’, “Bees’ Needs: Food and a Home” (<a href="http://www.beesneeds.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.beesneeds.org.uk</a>) was launched in July 2014. This is a simple message on the essential needs of pollinators and how to fulfil them.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/09/2015 10:24:44 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith