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1061347

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	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	Zoos: Safety
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the safety systems and processes in UK zoos to protect staff, customers and animals.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL13727
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that zoos are safe places to work and visit, and that there are high standards of welfare for all animals.</p><p> </p><p>The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 sets out comprehensive licensing and inspection requirements for zoos. Responsibility for administering these requirements rests with local authorities. Defra supports this by providing the Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, which sets out minimum standards that zoos are expected to meet, covering welfare and safety.</p><p> </p><p>The standards are kept under review by Defra’s Zoos Expert Committee, a group of independent experts that advises Defra on zoo issues. Zoos must also comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which ensures the safety of staff.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 27/02/2019 12:54:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

710991

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2017
	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	Zoos: Regulation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department last conducted a review of the framework for the statutory regulation of zoos.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	67817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2017 answer text <p>The Zoos Expert Committee (ZEC) provides independent, technical advice to the UK Governments on zoo matters. The ZEC keeps the operation and implementation of the zoo licensing system in the UK under review and advises Defra and devolved governments of any legislative or administrative changes that may be required. Membership of the ZEC includes representatives of local authorities who provide ongoing advice on the operation of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The ZEC will also, if necessary, seek and receive representations from any local authority with knowledge of enforcing the zoo licensing system. Defra commissioned a study in 2010 to review the effectiveness of local authorities’ implementation of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The report was published in 2011 and found no strong evidence of a need for legislative change.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following the recent case in Cumbria, Lord Gardiner will be discussing, with ZEC, whether any further steps need to be taken to ensure animal welfare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 67818 question first answered 20/03/2017 16:14:36 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

710992

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2017
	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	Zoos: Regulation
	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 representations her Department has received from local authorities on the effectiveness and scope of current zoo regulations.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	67818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2017 answer text <p>The Zoos Expert Committee (ZEC) provides independent, technical advice to the UK Governments on zoo matters. The ZEC keeps the operation and implementation of the zoo licensing system in the UK under review and advises Defra and devolved governments of any legislative or administrative changes that may be required. Membership of the ZEC includes representatives of local authorities who provide ongoing advice on the operation of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The ZEC will also, if necessary, seek and receive representations from any local authority with knowledge of enforcing the zoo licensing system. Defra commissioned a study in 2010 to review the effectiveness of local authorities’ implementation of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The report was published in 2011 and found no strong evidence of a need for legislative change.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following the recent case in Cumbria, Lord Gardiner will be discussing, with ZEC, whether any further steps need to be taken to ensure animal welfare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 67817 question first answered 20/03/2017 16:14:36 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

792918

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2017
	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	Zoos: Licensing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the adequacy of the provisions of (1) the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, and (2) SI 2002/3080 which implemented EC Directive 1999/22/EC.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL3442
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2017 answer text <p>Under zoo licensing legislation zoos are subject to an annual inspection and must comply with the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. These are detailed standards for zoo management, including animal health, welfare and husbandry. The standards are kept under review by Defra’s Zoos Expert Committee (ZEC) which includes leading animal welfare experts.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers have tasked the ZEC with considering whether any changes need to be made to the zoo licensing system. The Department will consider the recommendations when they are received in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 30/11/2017 15:08:36 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

710989

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2017
	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	Zoos: Closures
	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 a zoo containing more than 1,000 animals has been closed by a local authority in the last 30 years.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	67816
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2017 answer text <p>This information, on closures, would be held by local authorities and not collected centrally. Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, there is no requirement for local authorities to report the closure of a zoo of any size to the Department.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 67815 question first answered 20/03/2017 16:13:57 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

710990

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2017
	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	Zoos: Closures
	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 times zoos have been closed by local authorities in the last 20 years; and for what reasons those zoos were closed.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	67815
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2017 answer text <p>This information, on closures, would be held by local authorities and not collected centrally. Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, there is no requirement for local authorities to report the closure of a zoo of any size to the Department.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice grouped question UIN 67816 question first answered 20/03/2017 16:13:57 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

1135836

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Zoos: Birds of Prey
	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 extend Government guidance on the tethering of owls and vultures in zoos to all birds of prey.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	271369
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice already set clear requirements for the tethering of all birds of prey used for demonstrations in zoos. The zoo standards require that tethered birds of prey should be flown at least four times a week unless tethered for medical treatment; that no bird of prey should be tethered permanently, and that all birds of prey should be given the opportunity to fly or move around freely during part of the year. Resting birds of prey should also be provided with sufficient aviary space. Defra’s Zoos Expert Committee is currently considering revisions to the zoo standards as a whole.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 08/07/2019 15:17:23 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

709466

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2017
	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	Zoos: 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 her Department is taking to ensure that zoos across the UK have sufficient levels of animal welfare.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	67169
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2017 answer text <p>The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 sets out comprehensive licensing and inspection requirements for zoos. Responsibility for administering these requirements rests with local authorities, which undertake annual inspections to ensure that zoos have sufficient levels of animal welfare.</p><p>Defra supports this by setting out minimum standards that zoos are expected to meet, via the Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, and by maintaining a list of qualified zoo licensing inspectors who undertake periodical inspections of zoos for local authorities. These inspectors are competent to inspect animals in zoos and to advise on their management and on their welfare. Where there are concerns, local authorities have powers to impose conditions and to take further action where necessary.</p><p>Defra has also established a Zoos Expert Committee, which provides UK Ministers with independent technical advice, with a focus on the role of zoos in conservation, education and scientific research and on the operation and implementation of the zoo licensing system in the UK</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 14/03/2017 13:44:21 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

746326

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2017
	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	Zoos: 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 his Department is taking to ensure that animal welfare standards are maintained at a high standard in zoos and animal reserves; and what lessons have been learned from the incidents at South Lakes Safari Zoo.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	1819
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2017 answer text <p>The welfare of animals kept in zoos in England is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The 2006 Act allows action to be taken where there is evidence of cruelty to an animal or a failure to provide for its welfare. The 2006 Act applies to zoo animals. Further to these general provisions, the welfare of animals in zoos in Great Britain is specifically covered by the 1981 Act.</p><p> </p><p>Under the 1981 Act zoos must comply with comprehensive animal health, welfare and husbandry standards, and be subject to an annual local authority inspection. Zoos have to be inspected at least every year by a local authority, with an inspection every two to three years using inspectors drawn from a list of qualified zoo inspectors kept by Defra. Defra also maintains the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. These are detailed standards for zoo management with which zoos are expected to comply. The standards are kept under review by Defra’s Zoos Expert Committee (ZEC) which includes leading animal welfare experts.</p><p> </p><p>The ZEC’s role is to provide independent, technical advice to UK Governments on zoo matters. ZEC’s remit includes keeping the operation and implementation of the zoo licensing system in the UK under review, and to advise, or make recommendations to, Defra or devolved governments, in relation to any legislative or administrative changes that may be necessary. Following the recent case in Cumbria, Lord Gardiner has tasked the ZEC with considering whether any further steps need to be taken to ensure animal welfare in zoos.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 06/07/2017 14:30:13 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

77809

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2014
	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	Zoos
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implementation of the European Union's Zoos Directive 1999 in the United Kingdom through the zoo inspection system.
	tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
	uin	HL1106
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Zoo Licensing Act 1981, which sets out comprehensive licensing and inspection requirements for zoos, implements the EC Zoos Directive in Great Britain. Responsibility for administering these requirements rests with local authorities, which have powers to check compliance with zoo licences, to impose conditions and to take action. Ultimately this could mean closing part, or all, of a zoo if the requirements of the legislation are not met. This in turn ensures our compliance with the Directive.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In response to concerns about how local authorities were carrying out this role, Defra commissioned research into local authority implementation of the Act. The 2011 report, which looked at the period 2008-2010, found no serious problems and indeed there was evidence of significant improvements in a number of areas during this time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The report made suggestions for further improvements, such as updating guidance and zoo inspection report forms. These, together with the majority of the suggestions, have been actioned and we continue to work to make further improvements.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 22/07/2014 14:41:46 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
	tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison