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1051290

registered interest
date	30/01/2019
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	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 his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a ban on tethering animals in unsafe locations including (a) roundabouts (b) roadsides and (c) other public land.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	214548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2019 answer text <p>Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of animal welfare including in relation to tethering. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) it is an offence to fail to provide for an animal’s welfare or to cause it any unnecessary suffering. The 2006 Act is backed up by the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids (the Code). The Code provides owners and keepers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their animals and includes a specific section on how to tether a horse and other animals are covered. The code makes it clear that the site should not allow animals’ access to a public highway or public footpaths. If anyone is concerned about the way a horse or other animal has been tethered they should report the matter either to the relevant local authority or to 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. Defra considers that this legislation and guidance provides the right safeguards in respect of tethering.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 07/02/2019 17:31:45 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

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

657872

registered interest
date	13/12/2016
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 assessment she has made of animal welfare standards in animal sanctuaries; what plans she has to provide for regulatory oversight of animal sanctuaries; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	57474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2016 answer text <p>The welfare of animals in sanctuaries is provided for under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal or to fail to provide for an animal’s welfare needs. The Government supports moves by the sector to apply minimum standards in addition to the code of practice for the operation of animal sanctuaries and rehoming centres which the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes has developed. The Government does not currently have plans to make animal sanctuaries subject to specific regulations.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 20/12/2016 11:35:50 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1348695

registered interest
date	20/07/2021
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, what steps he is taking to ensure animal welfare legislation is enforced in response to the reduction in the RSPCA's animal welfare inspectorate.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	36604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2021 answer text <p>Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), local authorities, the Animal &amp; Plant Health Agency and the police all have powers to investigate allegations of animal cruelty or poor welfare (including power of entry to inspect premises).</p><p> </p><p>Under the 2006 Act, anyone is able to take forward a prosecution, and it is on this basis that the RSPCA has been enforcing animal welfare legislation in this country. The RSPCA currently successfully prosecutes 800 to 1,000 people each year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the valuable work the RSPCA does to improve the welfare of animals. Defra remains committed to continuing its engagement with the RSPCA, and other organisations involved in enforcement activities, so that our high animal welfare standards are maintained and offenders are subject to appropriate penalties.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 28/07/2021 15:18:37 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1125667

registered interest
date	09/05/2019
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, whether the Government has plans to improve animal rights after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Welwyn Hatfield
tabling member printed	Grant Shapps
uin	252554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2019 answer text <p>We will maintain and enhance our high animal welfare standards as we leave the EU.</p><p> </p><p>We recently laid legislation to ban travelling circuses from using wild animals and to tackle puppy farming by ending third party sales. We have made CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses and are introducing one of the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales to protect elephants from poaching. Each of these measures goes further than EU rules require.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/05/2019 16:03:41 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1582 label Biography information for Grant Shapps

1141969

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	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps he is taking to prevent animal cruelty.
tabling member constituency	Walsall North
tabling member printed	Eddie Hughes
uin	912197
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2019 answer text <p>This Government is leading the way in promoting animal welfare by bringing forward legislation that will increase the maximum custodial penalty for animal cruelty in England from 6 months’ to 5 years’ imprisonment. We have also made it a requirement for all slaughterhouses to have CCTV; updated and improved the laws regulating dog breeding and pet sales; and banned the third party sale of puppies and kittens.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 912192 question first answered 25/07/2019 15:37:14 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4635 label Biography information for Eddie Hughes

421713

registered interest
date	15/10/2015
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	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 she will bring forward legislative proposals for stricter laws dealing with people who abuse animals.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	12027
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>There are a number of existing laws, most notably the Animal Welfare Act 2006, that already provide enforcement agencies and courts with suitable powers to investigate and deal with people who are found to have abused animals.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 20/10/2015 16:15:13 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

922408

registered interest
date	12/06/2018
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	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, when he last met with representatives of the RSPCA to discuss animal welfare.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	152707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2018 answer text <p>Ministers meet the RSPCA regularly to discuss animal welfare issues. Most recently, Lord Gardiner met them on 11 June 2018. I also attended their parliamentary drop-in on 13 June 2018.</p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 22/06/2018 09:14:06 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1015225

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	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 information his Department holds on how many local authorities have not appointed animal welfare inspectors with training to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 2006 with respect to equine welfare.
tabling member constituency	Thornbury and Yate
tabling member printed	Luke Hall
uin	195692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>Defra does not hold records of how many local authorities have not appointed or trained inspectors to enforce equine welfare issues.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are required to enforce <em>The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 </em>which includes the licensing of businesses that hire out horses for riding or instruction in riding and which requires inspectors to be suitably qualified. We would expect most local authorities, therefore, to have inspectors trained in enforcing equine welfare more generally.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 04/12/2018 17:05:54 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall

1015226

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	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 are taking are to encourage local authorities to appoint animal welfare inspectors.
tabling member constituency	Thornbury and Yate
tabling member printed	Luke Hall
uin	195693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2018 answer text <p>Defra does not hold records of how many local authorities have not appointed or trained inspectors to enforce equine welfare issues.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are required to enforce <em>The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 </em>which includes the licensing of businesses that hire out horses for riding or instruction in riding and which requires inspectors to be suitably qualified. We would expect most local authorities, therefore, to have inspectors trained in enforcing equine welfare more generally.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 04/12/2018 17:09:02 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall