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1471972

registered interest
date	21/06/2022
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 assessment he has made of the findings of the Animal Kindness Index 2022 published by the RSPCA and SSPCA.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	22467
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare seen in this survey and we are committed to the protection of animals.</p><p> </p><p>The <a href="https://defra.sharepoint.com/teams/Team1687/Lists/KeyResources/DispForm.aspx?ID=1&amp;e=GEoLce" target="_blank">Action Plan for Animal Welfare</a> demonstrates this Government's commitment to a brighter future for animals and upholds the public values seen in the RSPCA and SSPCA survey. This Government has recently delivered the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, measures to tackle illegal hare coursing in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and also supported the recent Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, Animals (Penalty Notices) Act 2022, and Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022. The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill has been reintroduced this session and will go even further to strengthen our animal welfare legislation.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 29/06/2022 16:59:27 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1642613

registered interest
date	07/06/2023
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 progress she has made on the Action Plan for Animal Welfare; and when she plans to publish a consultation on the keeping of caged farmed animals.
tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
tabling member printed	Holly Mumby-Croft
uin	188424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2023 answer text <p>We have delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan, which will deliver significant improvements for animals in the UK and abroad. We are firmly committed to maintaining our strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Our recent announcement on delivering the measures in the Kept Animals Bill through single measure Bills will help us to deliver two further commitments in the plan, including the ban on live exports. These are our key priorities. We do not consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms, being mindful of the challenges the sectors are facing. The market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to work with the sector to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer grouped question UIN 188176 question first answered 12/06/2023 17:17:14 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4867 label Biography information for Holly Mumby-Croft

1652859

registered interest
date	13/07/2023
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, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals on (a) livestock worrying, (b) puppy and kitten smuggling, (c) the import of dogs and cats with illegal mutilations and (d) cat and dog abduction.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	193851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2023 answer text <p>We are committed to taking forward measures formerly in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill individually through other means during the remainder of this Parliament. We have listened carefully to views expressed on these measures and this approach will enable us to take this feedback into further consideration when delivering these measures.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 21/07/2023 10:06:47 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1684097

registered interest
date	22/01/2024
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 his Department is taking to implement Section 8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	10884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2024 answer text <p>Causing an animal fight to take place, or attempting to do so, is an offence under section 8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which would normally be enforced by the Police or the RSPCA. It is also an offence to be present at an animal fight without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 increases the maximum sentence for such offences from six months to five years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. This strengthened penalty sends a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated and will enable our courts to take a firm approach to cases such as animal fighting.</p><p> </p><p>The Online Safety Act 2023 also requires social media firms to remove online content of animal welfare abuse such as animal fights.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 14/02/2024 09:56:57 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1626357

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
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 recent discussions she has had with representatives of the RSPCA on preventing the practice of ear cropping.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	184013
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence in England and Wales to carry out a non-exempted mutilation (e.g., where it is not carried out for medical purposes) including the cropping of a dog's ears. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food &amp; Rural Affairs has not met with representatives of the RSPCA to discuss the cropping of dogs’ ears</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/05/2023 13:24:25 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1543705

registered interest
date	18/11/2022
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 assessment she makes of the adequacy of the progress of implementing the Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
tabling member constituency	Gower
tabling member printed	Tonia Antoniazzi
uin	90862
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2022 answer text <p>We are committed to strengthening animal welfare standards and protections, and our Action Plan for Animal Welfare sets out our vision to introduce a wide range of ambitious improvements. We continue to drive forward this agenda through legislation as Parliamentary time allows, and through non-legislative reforms.</p><p> </p><p>The passing of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 realises the Government’s manifesto commitment to introduce tougher penalties for animal cruelty. The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 has delivered on the commitment to introduce new laws for animal sentience.</p><p> </p><p>We have also introduced new powers for police and courts to tackle the illegal and cruel sport of hare coursing through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and we also backed bills introducing penalty notices for animal welfare offences and to ban glue traps, all of which have received Royal Assent.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was reintroduced in May 2022 and will continue its passage through the Commons when parliamentary time allows. The Bill delivers key manifesto commitments to end the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter, crack down on illegal puppy smuggling, and ban the keeping of primates as pets. It will also update the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, introduce a new pet abduction offence following the work of the Pet Theft Taskforce and reform legislation to tackle livestock worrying.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 24/11/2022 18:38:15 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4623 label Biography information for Tonia Antoniazzi

1543971

registered interest
date	21/11/2022
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, how she plans to implement the (a) review of the use of cages, (b) introduction of animal welfare labelling for food and (c) other commitments of her Department's Action Plan for Animal Welfare; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
uin	92070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2022 answer text <p>Animal welfare is an important issue, and we are committed to strengthening standards and protections through our Action Plan for Animal Welfare which sets out our vision for a wide range of ambitious improvements.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to exploring the phasing out of confinement systems. Decisions on the timing of public consultation around this issue must be carefully considered in light of wider challenges Britain’s farmers are currently facing.</p><p> </p><p>Last year we ran an extensive call for evidence on the impacts, costs and deliverability of food labelling for animal welfare as part of our work on the new Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Based on the evidence provided, and as announced in our Food Strategy, we plan to consult on reforming mandatory labelling for animal welfare, and proposals are being co-developed with partners across the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to drive forward our animal welfare agenda through legislation as Parliamentary time allows, and through non-legislative reforms.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/12/2022 16:33:41 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1540097

registered interest
date	07/11/2022
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, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen animal welfare protections in (a) the UK and (b) abroad.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	80813
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2022 answer text <p>HM Government outlined our ambitious programme of legislative and non-legislative animal welfare reforms in our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published in May 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Animal welfare is a devolved matter and we continue to work closely with the devolved administrations to raise our already high standards of animal welfare across the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which extends to Scotland as well as England and Wales, was reintroduced in May 2022 and will continue its passage through the Commons when parliamentary time allows. The Bill delivers key manifesto commitments to end the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter, crack down on illegal puppy smuggling, and ban the keeping of primates as pets. It will also update the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, introduce a new pet abduction offence following the work of the Pet Theft Taskforce and reform legislation to tackle livestock worrying which goes back to the 1950s.</p><p> </p><p>Also on the domestic front, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 became law in the last Session and we are in the process of setting up the Animal Sentience Committee to advise HM Government on policies that impact on the welfare of animals. We have also introduced new powers for police and courts to tackle the illegal and cruel sport of hare coursing through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and we also backed bills to increase the maximum penalties for animal cruelty offences from six months to five years imprisonment, introduce penalty notices for animal welfare offences and to ban glue traps, all of which have received Royal Assent.</p><p> </p><p>For animals overseas, the Ivory Act 2018 came into force in June 2022 to ensure protection for elephants and we are backing private member bills to ban the trade in shark fins and the import of hunting trophies. We have also continued to explore options in order to prohibit the advertising and offering for sale, here, of unacceptably low welfare activities involving wild animals.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 16/11/2022 18:07:14 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1667930

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
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 her Department's planned timescale is for bringing forward legislative measures from the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	336
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2023 answer text <p>We are introducing the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill in this parliamentary session to deliver our manifesto commitment to end this trade. The Bill will ban the export of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain, stopping unnecessary stress, exhaustion and injury caused by exporting live animals. We remain dedicated to delivering our other manifesto commitments that were in the Bill. These are: to crack down on the smuggling of puppies, and to ban the keeping of primates as pets. We have already consulted on primate keeping standards and will bring forward legislation before the end of the year. We also look forward to progressing the non-manifesto measures which will deliver a new offence of pet abduction, update legislation to tackle livestock worrying, and raise standards in zoos. We would be supportive of single issue legislation when Parliamentary time allows. We believe this to be the quickest and most effective way of achieving these aims.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 14/11/2023 09:44:56 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1683105

registered interest
date	17/01/2024
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 he will make an assessment of the impact of his Department's publication entitled Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published on 12 May 2021, on animal welfare in (a) Dewsbury, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) the UK.
tabling member constituency	Dewsbury
tabling member printed	Mark Eastwood
uin	10295
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>The Government has an ambitious agenda for animal welfare and conservation reforms, which we continue to take forward during this Parliamentary session. We will continue to introduce and support legislative and non-legislative reforms where possible.</p><p /><p>Since the publication of the Action Plan, we have delivered on key manifesto commitments: we have increased the penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty, passed the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 and launched the Animal Sentience Committee. We have made cat microchipping compulsory and have announced the extension of the Ivory Act (2018) to cover five endangered species. In addition, we have provided for penalty notices to apply to animal welfare offences, introduced new police powers to tackle hare coursing, and banned glue traps.</p><p /><p>We are pleased to have introduced the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill to deliver our manifesto commitment to end this trade. The Bill will ban the export of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain, stopping unnecessary stress, exhaustion and injury caused by exporting live animals.</p><p> </p><p>In December 2023, the Government laid the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023 in Parliament and published the summary of responses to its 2023 consultation on Licensing of specialist private primate keepers in England.</p><p> </p><p>Defra maintains a close working relationship with the zoo sector, and we will continue to build upon this to identify non-legislative improvements.  We aim to publish updated zoo standards early this year, which we have developed in collaboration with the sector and the Zoos Expert Committee, which raise standards and support enforcement.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst no specific analysis has been undertaken for individual locations, policies regularly undergo evaluation or post implementation reviews to assess their effectiveness in meeting their animal welfare objectives.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 31/01/2024 13:51:52 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4807 label Biography information for Mark Eastwood