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1058990

	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	Circuses: Wildlife
	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 applications were received from travelling circuses to use wild animals in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019; and (i) how many animals and (ii) of which species were listed in each application.
	tabling member constituency	Workington
	tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
	uin	219475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>(a) In 2018 there were two separate applications.</p><p> </p><p>The first license application was for a total of five animals and included the following stocklist:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>One zebra (equus burchelli chapmani)</p></li><li><p>Two camels (camelus bactrianus)</p></li><li><p>Two reindeer (rangifer tarandus)</p></li></ul><p>The second license application was for a total of fourteen animals and included the following stocklist:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>One camel (camelus bactrianus)</p></li><li><p>Four reindeer (rangifer tarandus)</p></li><li><p>One fox (vulpes vulpes)</p></li><li><p>Three raccoons (procyon lotor)</p></li><li><p>Three zebras (equus burchelli chapmani)</p></li><li><p>One zebu (bos indicus)</p></li><li><p>One blue and gold macaw (ara ararauna)</p></li></ul><p>(b) In 2019 there has been one application to date.</p><p> </p><p>This license application was for five animals and included the following stock list:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>One zebra (equus burchelli chapmani)</p></li><li><p>Two camels (camelus bactrianus)</p></li><li><p>Two reindeer (rangifer tarandus)</p></li></ul> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/02/2019 16:56:40 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1058993

	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	Circuses: 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 will bring forward legislative proposals to end the use of wild animals in circuses in England; and what form that legislation will take.
	tabling member constituency	Workington
	tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
	uin	219476
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>I refer the honourable member to the answer given to the honourable member for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran, on 16 October 2018 to PQ 176633.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/02/2019 11:55:21 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1082130

	registered interest
	date	05/03/2019
	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	Food: Safety
	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 the Government will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that the UK aligns with the package of regulations set out under the EU's smarter rules for safer food proposals after the UK has left the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Workington
	tabling member printed	Sue Hayman
	uin	228681
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK has been influential in the development of the Smarter Rules for Safer Food regulations since their inception and we are broadly supportive of them. Our approach to these regulations is guided by our commitment to maintaining both the highest standards of biosecurity in the UK and frictionless trade at the border.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>If Parliament approves the deal negotiated by the Government, the EU Plant Health and Official Controls regulations will start to apply in the UK during the implementation period, on 14 December 2019. The Animal Health regulation will apply in the EU from April 2021, after the end of the proposed implementation period, so it would not apply directly to the UK. In this situation, while we support the overall principles, we would review the final details to determine our overall approach to alignment.</p><p> </p><p>If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, our approach on alignment will be determined by taking account of the final details of the three regulations, including the associated tertiary legislation which is still being negotiated.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/03/2019 14:47:20 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4395 label Biography information for Baroness Hayman of Ullock

1082672

	registered interest
	date	06/03/2019
	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	Horse Passports: EU Law
	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 will publish his Department’s plans on how to implement EU Equine Passport Regulation – (EU) No. 2015/262; and whether his Department has developed alternative proposals for when the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton North East
	tabling member printed	Emma Reynolds
	uin	229186
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>The EU Equine Passport Regulation, (EU) No. 2015/262, applies directly to the UK. Secondary legislation supplements and makes provision for its enforcement. Defra was responsible for introducing The Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018, SI 2018 No. 761, which came into force on 1 October 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Since then, the Equine Identification (England) (EU Exit) regulations 2018 (SI 2018 No. 1409) and The Equine (Records, Identification and Movement)(Amendment)(EU Exit) Regulations 2019 have been introduced in order to make the necessary technical changes to retained EU legislation so that equine records, movements and identification remain operable upon the UK leaving the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/03/2019 14:51:47 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds

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

1110824

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	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	Food: Prices
	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 contingency plans the Government has in place to support vulnerable people in the event food prices rise significantly in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
	tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
	uin	242750
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK has a high degree of food security, built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case when we leave the EU, with or without a deal. The size and diversity of the industry is a key factor in enabling the food sector to remain resilient to food supply chain disruptions.</p><p>The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry to minimise potential disruption. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG), which allows Government and industry to work together to plan for and respond to any food supply disruption. This industry group’s membership is drawn from across the agri-food chain sector and includes other relevant government departments, Devolved Administrations and agencies.</p><p> </p><p>On food prices, we have observed that the most important drivers of change in the cost of food are global food commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices. This will continue to be the case once the UK has left the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 242751 question first answered 16/04/2019 15:20:01 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1110826

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	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	Food Supply
	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 (a) minimise food disruption and (b) consider the possible effects food shortages could have on vulnerable groups in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
	tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
	uin	242751
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK has a high degree of food security, built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case when we leave the EU, with or without a deal. The size and diversity of the industry is a key factor in enabling the food sector to remain resilient to food supply chain disruptions.</p><p>The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry to minimise potential disruption. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG), which allows Government and industry to work together to plan for and respond to any food supply disruption. This industry group’s membership is drawn from across the agri-food chain sector and includes other relevant government departments, Devolved Administrations and agencies.</p><p> </p><p>On food prices, we have observed that the most important drivers of change in the cost of food are global food commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices. This will continue to be the case once the UK has left the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 242750 question first answered 16/04/2019 15:20:01 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1123238

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2019
	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	Game: Birds
	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 game birds are kept in barren cages; and what legal recourse is available in relation to people caught keeping game birds in those cages.
	tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
	tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
	uin	247714
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare and the welfare of our farmed livestock is protected by comprehensive and robust legislation.</p><p> </p><p>The welfare of gamebirds is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering. This is backed up by the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes, which recommends that barren cages should not be used for breeding birds. Keepers are required by law to have access to, and be familiar with this code, which encourages the adoption of high standards of husbandry. Failure to observe the provisions of a code may also be used in support of a prosecution.</p><p> </p><p>Whatever the system of production, the most important factor in determining animal welfare is good stockmanship and the correct application of husbandry standards. This reflects the advice of our expert body, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee.</p><p> </p><p>Data on numbers of gamebirds kept in barren cages is not held centrally by Defra.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:47:58 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

1123239

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2019
	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	Game: Birds
	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 inspections of game bird farms were undertaken by (a) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (b) local trading standards in 2018; and how many of those visits resulted in an animal welfare prosecution.
	tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
	tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
	uin	247715
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>a) The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not undertake routine inspections of game bird establishments, however inspections will be carried out if specific welfare issues are reported.</p><p> </p><p>During the year 2018 APHA completed 23 welfare inspections on game bird farms in England, Scotland and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>The breakdown is as follows:</p><p> </p><p><strong>England 8</strong></p><p><strong>Scotland 13</strong></p><p><strong>Wales 2</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Total</strong> <strong>23</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>b) APHA is unable to provide a response on behalf of local authorities. Local authority trading standards services do not have a statutory duty to undertake inspections of game bird facilities, although they may undertake some based on their internal risk analysis and local decision making. In order to ascertain the number of inspections carried out, it would be necessary to approach each individual local authority in England and request this information.</p><p> </p><p>Prosecutions made under the Animal Health Act 1981 and incidences of disease are published in Section 80 of the Act. These also include all prosecutions made by local authorities under farmed animal welfare legislation. The report for 2018 can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-80-report-for-2018-under-the-animal-health-act-1981" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/section-80-report-for-2018-under-the-animal-health-act-1981</a></p><p> </p><p>Brief details of successful prosecutions are contained in Annex 1, but they do not detail any prosecutions against game bird farms specifically.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:21:52 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

1110203

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit
	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 his Department has deprioritised any Statutory Instruments in relation to the UK leaving the EU; and if he will publish the criteria his Department uses to deprioritise those Instruments.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall South
	tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
	uin	242118
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>Our objective has always been to have a functioning statute book in place by Exit Day and to ensure that the most critical secondary legislation was made by this point.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra requires 125 SIs to be in force for Exit day of which 122 have been laid and the other 3 SIs will be laid before Exit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Each SI that is planned to be laid after 12 April has been carefully considered to ensure that this would not have legal or other consequences that cannot be addressed by temporary non legislative arrangements. In most cases the SIs would apply only very minor technical corrections to current legislation which would not impact operability or transfer functions from the EU which would not be required in the immediate period after Exit. We have also consulted the Devolved Administrations in reaching these conclusions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As a consequence of this due diligence, Defra will have laid all critical secondary legislation immediately required for EU Exit. The laying of EU Exit SIs allows Parliament to fulfil its essential scrutiny role. The exact nature of this scrutiny, and the steps required before an SI completes its passage, is dependent on the type of SI and determined under the relevant primary powers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/04/2019 12:24:57 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

1087190

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	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	Coeliac Disease: Food
	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 on the effect on the supply chains of coeliac produce of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	231369
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK has a high degree of food security, built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case whether we leave the EU with or without a deal.</p><p>Our Food Security and Resilience team have been meeting weekly with industry and retailers to make sure we are prepared for all scenarios. The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry to minimise potential disruption and we are using these to support contingency planning.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/03/2019 11:43:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1124375

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Secondment
	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 civil servants in his Department have been seconded to (a) the Department for Exiting the European Union and (b) the Department for International Trade in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	249907
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>Between June 2016 and March 2018 a total of 11 civil servants have been loaned to the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for International Trade. These staff were loaned on two year contracts, some of which have already come to an end. All the outstanding DExEU loans are due to end in 2018/19, with the DIT loans due to end in 2020/21.</p><p> </p><p>Civil servants are loaned between other Government departments rather than seconded.</p><p> </p><p>Both departments were only formed in July 2016, therefore there is no data prior to this date.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 13/05/2019 16:57:12 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1127469

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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	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 steps he is taking to ensure horse owners comply with his Department's tethering guidelines.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	256224
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>Following representations from some equine bodies, I will be meeting a number of groups, including the British Horse Council who coordinate the views of the sector, to discuss the issue of tethering. Information on how to tether a horse is contained within the statutory <em>Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids</em>, which sets out guidance to keepers on how to provide for the welfare needs of their equidae, as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The RSPCA, World Horse Welfare and local authority inspectors carry copies of the Code of Practice with them when called out to investigate complaints about the welfare of horses. They inform owners, by referring to the relevant part of the code, how to care for their animals including in relation to tethering.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 23/05/2019 11:12:16 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1077255

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2019
	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	Food: Sales
	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 encourage people to purchase locally-sourced food.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	225467
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government is keen to see an increase in the amount of locally grown seasonal produce consumed in the UK. The Plan for Public Procurement, published under the 2010-2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition Government, includes a balanced scorecard to help define the criteria of bids for food and catering contracts.</p><p>The scorecard rewards tenders which commit to serve locally sourced food and those that highlight the benefits of seasonal increases in the availability of certain types of produce. Use of the balanced scorecard is mandatory for central Government departments and executive agencies, and Defra is working to increase its uptake in the wider public sector.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/03/2019 10:32:30 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1077258

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2019
	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	Food: Storage
	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 his Department plans to maintain funding for Private Storage Aid schemes after the UK has left the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	David Simpson
	uin	225470
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>European regulations concerning private storage aid are being retained under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, should the Secretary of State choose to operate a scheme in England after we leave. This is a devolved matter and similar powers to operate private storage aid will exist for Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh Ministers.</p><p> </p><p>The Agriculture Bill contains powers which would allow the Secretary of State to amend the retained EU legislation on private storage aid, with the aim of eventually phasing the schemes out in England. It also gives the Secretary of State the ability to amend the schemes’ general operation, so they can be run in a way appropriate for the domestic market while the Government consults on phasing the scheme out. While for the most part there is a weak economic case for market intervention, there may be very specific circumstances in which granting private storage aid will make overall economic sense. For this reason, powers to use private storage in response to exceptional market conditions are being retained in the Bill.</p><p> </p><p>The Agriculture Bill extends similar powers to Welsh Ministers and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government is able to rely on the retained EU legislation regarding public intervention and private storage aid.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with all the devolved administrations on common UK frameworks where coordination would be necessary or desirable and, with the agreement of the devolved administrations, we expect market intervention schemes of this nature to be part of such a framework.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/03/2019 10:28:52 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1059850

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2019
	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	Slaughterhouses: 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 bring forward legislative proposals to ban the non-stun slaughter of animals; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	220058
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but respects the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their beliefs.</p><p> </p><p>The European Council Regulation 1099/2009, on the protection of animals at the time of killing sets out the main requirements for slaughter including a requirement that all animals are stunned by a permitted method before slaughter. The EU Regulation includes a derogation from stunning for religious slaughter but also allows individual Member States to impose stricter national rules for religious slaughter. In England, The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 (WATOK) enforce the EU requirements and contain stricter national rules that apply when animals are slaughtered by either the Jewish or Muslim method.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to maintaining a derogation from stunning for religious slaughter in our domestic legislation once we leave the EU.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 28/02/2019 14:22:32 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1126873

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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	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, what steps he is taking against dog owners whose dogs have attacked (a) other dogs and (b) people; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	254725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 makes it an offence to allow a dog, of any breed or type, to be dangerously out of control. This includes instances where dogs attack other animals including dogs, as well as people. We have discussed this application of the 1991 Act with the police.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:40:48 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1127633

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	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	Birds: 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 potential merits of banning the practice of caging agricultural birds; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	256217
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>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. This is backed up by statutory species specific welfare codes, which encourage high standards of husbandry and which keepers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with. Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors and local authorities conduct inspections on farms to check that the animal welfare standards are being met.</p><p> </p><p>Whatever the system of production, the most important factor in determining animal welfare is good stockmanship and the correct application of husbandry standards. This reflects the advice of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee.</p><p> </p><p>We have already banned cages or close confinement systems where there is clear scientific evidence that they are detrimental to animal health and welfare. For example, we banned the use of conventional (‘battery’) cages for laying hens in 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The new statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Laying Hens and Pullets, which came into force last year, provides improved and up-to-date guidance on welfare legislation and reflects the latest scientific and veterinary advice. I am aware that all major supermarkets have said they will stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cages by 2025.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 23/05/2019 11:19:32 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1052211

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2019
	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	Meat: Overseas Trade
	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 all current trade agreements that include the export of meat specify that animals have be stunned before slaughter; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	215075
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2019 answer text <p>Through membership of the EU, the UK currently participates in around 40 free trade agreements. These do not specify that animals have to be stunned before slaughter.</p><p> </p><p>However, all slaughter of animals for export from the UK – whether stun or non-stun – must strictly comply with EU and the UK regulations on animal welfare at the time of killing and additional welfare at slaughter rules apply to animals subject to non-stun slaughter.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 24/04/2019 14:29:35 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1060686

	registered interest
	date	13/02/2019
	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	Food: Consumption
	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 increase consumption of local and seasonal foods.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	220754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is keen to see an increase in the amount of locally grown seasonal produce consumed in the UK. The Plan for Public Procurement, published under the 2010-15 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition Government, includes a balanced scorecard to help define the criteria of bids for food and catering contracts.</p><p> </p><p>The scorecard rewards tenders which commit to serve locally sourced food and those that highlight the benefits of seasonal increases in the availability of certain types of produce. Use of the balanced scorecard is mandatory for central Government departments and executive agencies, and Defra is working to increase its uptake in the wider public sector.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 18/02/2019 17:56:40 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1061303

	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	Pet Travel Scheme
	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 his Department has applied to the European Commission to be listed under Part 1 or Part 2 of Annex II of the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	221589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The Department has submitted its application to allow the UK to become a Part 1 listed third country under Annex II of the EU Pet Travel Regulations and is currently seeking technical discussions with the European Commission. It is now for the Commission to consider our application for listed status, following our departure from the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 19/02/2019 14:12:01 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1061308

	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	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 regulate animal rescue centres.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	221590
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government commends animal rescue centres for the valuable work they do caring for vulnerable animals in need. Defra is aware that many animal welfare charities support the introduction of licensing for the rescue and rehoming sector. They see this as a means to prevent disreputable dealers from reinventing themselves as rescue centres in order to evade the ban on third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England. The Government needs to understand the benefits and impacts of licensing on genuine rescue centres, and is engaging with the animal rescue and rehoming sector on these questions.</p><p> </p><p>To stop commercial operations circumnavigating the ban on third party sales, Defra will provide updated guidance to local authorities to help them distinguish between genuine rescue centres, and those that are actually commercial operations and are subject to the ban.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 19/02/2019 17:57:21 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1063921

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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	Pet Travel Scheme: Port of Dover
	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 publish the findings of its analysis of operations at Dover port in relation to the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	223061
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are committed to tackling abuse of the EU Pet Travel Scheme. Observations of routine activities at port form part of this ongoing work.</p><p>Operational assessments conducted at Dover are not published, as this could compromise enforcement activities. However, key findings are routinely shared with relevant stakeholders, and also help inform policy decisions and will contribute to the UK’s future pet travel policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/02/2019 17:39:46 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1064468

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2019
	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	Reindeer: 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, from which countries UK imports of live reindeer have been suspended in light of the recent incidence of chronic wasting disease; and on what date each country’s suspension came into force.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	223996
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>As a precautionary measure, in October 2016 the EU banned the import of live cervids from Norway, where the disease was first confirmed in Europe, and introduced safeguard measures to limit the seasonal movements of live cervids between certain regions of Norway, Finland and Sweden. Following the confirmation of the first case of chronic wasting disease in Finland in March 2018, the Finnish Government voluntarily introduced a ban on the export of live cervids.</p><p> </p><p>The UK will continue to implement EU controls on cervid imports following our departure from the EU.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 28/02/2019 14:29:50 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1064469

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2019
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease 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, how many holdings in the High Risk Bovine TB control area were interferon-gamma tested in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	224019
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given on 5 February 2019 to PQs 213921 and 214457.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/03/2019 12:46:12 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1064471

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2019
	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	Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease 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, how many of the holdings that were interferon-gamma tested in 2018 in the High Risk Bovine TB control area in England were tested on account of (a) being located in an areas that had completed two years of successful badger population control, (b) there being clear evidence that repeated skin testing has failed to resolve a TB breakdown and (c) the APHA veterinary investigation concluding that the most likely transmission route for the affected herd was contact with infected cattle and that measures are in place to prevent further spread of disease from that source.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	224023
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2019 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) record and report surveillance information for interferon gamma testing in the Bovine TB High Risk Area of England.</p><p> </p><p>The number of holdings that were interferon-gamma tested in 2018 in the Bovine TB High Risk Area in England are shown in the table below.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘other reasons’ row includes all other reasons for testing - for which the data cannot be separated - except serial tests which are only used in very specific cases when anomalous reactions such as interference with the test is suspected.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Holdings</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Samples</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Number of holdings located in badger control area (a)</p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>31,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Evidence that repeated skin testing failed to resolve a TB Breakdown (b)</p></td><td><p>102</p></td><td><p>44,572</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other reasons, including but not exclusively APHA investigation concluding most likely transmission was contact with infected cattle (c)</p></td><td><p>34</p></td><td><p>6,083</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/03/2019 12:48:02 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1081911

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2019
	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	Reindeer: 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, in which month of 2018 the consignment of 31 reindeer was imported from Finland; who made the decision to permit the import of the reindeer; and whether the animals’ welfare was taken into account as part of that decision.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	227943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2019 answer text <p>An Intra-Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC) was issued in February 2018 for the import of 31 reindeer from Finland to the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>The decision to permit the import would have been made by the certifying vet attesting that the animals to be imported complied with the health conditions of Article 4 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC on the ITAHC. The certifying vet would also have attested that the animals were transported in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 07/03/2019 16:51:43 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1105503

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit
	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 new or adapted IT or database systems his Department plans to implement to prepare for the UK leaving the EU; what the cost is of each such system; when each such system will be implemented; who has been commissioned to undertake that work; what contingency plans his Department has put in place in the event that those IT systems are not implemented on schedule; and which EU IT systems the UK will no longer use after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	237586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/04/2019 14:29:43 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1109431

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2019
	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	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 preparations he has undertaken to deal with the potential introduction of (a) tariffs and (b) non-tariff barriers on British food exports when the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	240475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>Any tariff and non-tariff barrier on UK exports would depend on the third country’s own tariff schedule and its regulations on food imports, and also whether the UK has a trade agreement in place with that country. We expect that the EU’s most favoured nation (MFN) tariff regime would apply to UK exports in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. We are in close discussion with industry about the potential impacts of tariffs on farming sectors.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 08/04/2019 16:30:39 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1110290

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit
	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 Statutory Instruments on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU his Department has prepared but not yet laid.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	241996
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>There are a total of 138 EU Exit Statutory Instruments (SIs) in Defra’s SI programme, of which 125 are needed for Day 1.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As of 9 April, 122 of the SIs required for Day 1 have been laid and the remaining 3 SIs will be laid before exit day.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/04/2019 12:33:55 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1110291

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2019
	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	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit
	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 Statutory Instruments not yet laid by his Department will be required in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	241997
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>There are a total of 138 EU Exit SIs in Defra’s SI programme, of which 125 are needed for Day 1.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As of 9 April, 122 of the SIs required for day 1 have been laid and the remaining 3 SIs will be laid before Exit day.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/04/2019 12:07:30 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1058689

	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	Deer: Disease 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, how many cases of chronic wasting disease in deer there were in each of the last five years; and what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the EU on tackling that disease.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	219437
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>To date no cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer have been confirmed in the UK. Since 2016, 24 cases have been confirmed in Norway (details can be found on their <a href="http://www.hjortevilt.no/skrantesjuke/" target="_blank">website</a>) and one in Finland. These are the only cases to date in Europe.</p><p> </p><p>Defra officials are in ongoing discussion with the European Union on measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The EU has banned the import of live cervids and cervid meat and products from member states and third countries where the disease has been confirmed, and has also banned the import and transit of urine lures. Following the first confirmation of CWD in Norway in 2016, the European Commission has introduced safeguard measures to limit the seasonal movements of live animals between certain regions of Norway, Sweden and Finland.</p><p> </p><p>The UK will continue to implement these controls following our departure from the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 19/02/2019 11:19:57 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1058699

	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	Dogs: Disease 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 recent steps his Department has taken to prevent lung worm in dogs.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	219446
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>Lungworm infections have been found in dogs in the UK for many years. They cannot be transmitted to humans. Effective medicines for treatment and control are available, therefore, we do not see a requirement for government intervention.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 19/02/2019 10:11:38 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1058701

	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	Livestock: 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 steps his Department has taking to improve animal conditions on farms.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	219447
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is making good on our commitment to make the UK a world leader in the care and protection of animals as we leave the EU. We are planning to increase maximum penalties for animal cruelty from six months’ to five years’ imprisonment. We are updating our statutory welfare codes, starting with the publication of new meat chicken and laying hen codes last year. These codes strengthen guidance for keepers and owners of livestock on how to meet the needs of their animals and enhance their welfare.</p><p> </p><p>We are considering what more can be done to improve our already high animal welfare standards in the context of our future agricultural policy. In England, we intend to develop publicly-funded schemes for farmers to deliver animal welfare enhancements beyond our high regulatory baseline that are not sufficiently rewarded by the market.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/02/2019 15:56:25 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1063840

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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	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 dog attacks on humans there have been in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	222845
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>Defra does not keep a record of the numbers of people bitten by dogs. Data for admission to hospital in England as a result of a dog bite is available online from NHS digital.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/02/2019 17:40:55 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1063841

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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	Poultry: Legionnaires' Disease
	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 outbreaks of legionnaires in turkeys there have been in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	222846
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>Legionnaires’ disease is a water-borne infection that affects humans and Defra is not aware of any cases of Legionella bacteria affecting turkeys.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/02/2019 17:57:51 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1064671

	registered interest
	date	21/02/2019
	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	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 adequacy of enforcement of laws on animal cruelty.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	224329
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>The animal welfare laws in England contain effective powers to enable their robust enforcement.</p><p> </p><p>Any person or organisation, such as the RSPCA, can take forward private prosecutions under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The RSPCA in particular investigates many allegations of animal welfare offences where additional powers are needed, for example to gain entry or to seize animals. The RSPCA will often work in partnership with the police or local authorities who have these specific powers under the Act.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Government is increasing the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences from six months’ to five years’ imprisonment.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 28/02/2019 14:34:45 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1088815

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2019
	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	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 guidance he has provided to agri-food exporters on food labelling in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and what assessment he has made of the capacity of those exporters to put in place that labelling by the end of March 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	232567
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government is working closely with food retailers and suppliers to help them prepare for leaving the EU, which includes providing information on food labelling changes that must be made to UK products sold in the UK and EU after 29 March 2019. Specific guidance for the food and drink sector is now available at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/defra/brexit-food-drink-sector" target="_blank">www.gov.uk//defra/brexit-food-drink-sector</a>. This includes advice on food labelling.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is aiming wherever possible within the UK to allow a transition period of at least 21 months for food labelling changes in relation to goods produced in the UK, or imported and placed on the UK market, after exit day.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has no control over how food labelling changes will be enforced outside the UK. EU and other non-EU countries may require that food labelling changes are in place on exports to their markets from exit day. Businesses have been advised to seek guidance from importing contacts on labelling requirements applicable in the importing country.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 22/03/2019 10:13:24 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1109265

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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	Circuses: 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 safeguard the welfare of wild animals touring with travelling circuses in the event that the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 expire before a ban on the use of those animals in circuses is in place.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	239985
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oxford and West Abingdon, Layla Moran, on 16 October 2018 to PQ 176633.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 08/04/2019 16:40:19 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1110529

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	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	Circuses: 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 maintain the welfare of the wild animals touring with travelling circuses in the event that the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 expire before a ban on the use of such animals in circuses is in place.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	242837
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Oxford and West Abingdon, Layla Moran, on 16 October 2018 to PQ 176633.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-08/176633" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-08/176633</a></p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/04/2019 12:57:02 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1123188

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2019
	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	Government Departments: Food
	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 that (a) food and (b) drink sold in Government Departments is from (i) UK and (ii) fair trade sources.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	247712
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>Government policy does not specify that public sector organisations should purchase British food as this would go against current procurement rules and regulations. However, the Government is keen to promote the sales of locally grown and ethically produced food and drink in canteens on its estate.</p><p> </p><p>The Plan for Public Procurement, published under the 2010-2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition Government, aims to help procurers make more informed purchases. The plan included guidance, in the form of a balanced scorecard, enabling bids for contracts to be assessed against a set of Government buying standards for food.</p><p> </p><p>The balanced scorecard rewards bids for contracts which commit to serve locally sourced food and those that take advantage of seasonal increases in the availability of certain types of produce. With regard to fair traded goods, the mandatory element of the buying standards requires that 50% of tea and coffee must be sourced fairly, and to meet the best practice standards 100% of tea, coffee, bananas and cocoa must be fair trade. Use of the balanced scorecard is mandatory for central Government departments and executive agencies.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/05/2019 12:10:50 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1077721

	registered interest
	date	26/02/2019
	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	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 his Department has to maintain animal rights through legislation after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Southport
	tabling member printed	Damien Moore
	uin	226212
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government has been very clear that leaving the EU will not lead to a lowering of our high animal welfare standards, and is making good on our commitment to make the UK a world leader in the care and protection of animals as we leave the EU.</p><p>Our regulatory system will offer at least the same level of assurance of animal welfare following our departure from the EU as it does now. The EU Withdrawal Act will ensure that existing EU standards are maintained once we leave the EU. For instance, existing bans on imports of chlorinated chicken and hormone beef have been transferred into UK law and will remain in place after we leave.</p><p>We are actively exploring options for strengthening the UK system moving forward. These include plans to increase maximum penalties for animal cruelty from six months’ to five years’ imprisonment. We are also considering what more can be done to improve animal welfare standards in the context of our future agricultural policy and are looking to control exports of live animals for slaughter.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 226199 question first answered 05/03/2019 10:22:05 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

1083528

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2019
	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	Animals: 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, if he will take steps to ensure that the UK is able to end the live export of animals after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Southend West
	tabling member printed	Sir David Amess
	uin	229590
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2019 answer text <p>Our manifesto made it clear that we would take early steps to control the export of live farm animals for slaughter once we leave the EU. We launched a call for evidence last year, the findings of which we asked the Farm Animal Welfare Committee to review. Their report is expected shortly. Once we have received that report, we will consider how best to take forward the manifesto commitment. All options, including a possible ban, remain on the table.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/03/2019 12:00:55 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	44 label Biography information for Sir David Amess

1082230

	registered interest
	date	05/03/2019
	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	Food Insecurity Bill
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of 4 March 2019 by the hon. Member for South Shields, Official Report, column 749, when he plans to make a statement on the Government's response to the Food Insecurity Bill.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	228706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>The Honourable Member’s Bill is scheduled for Second Reading on Friday 22 March. It is not usual practice for the Government to make a statement on a Private Member’s Bill.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/03/2019 16:59:53 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1063713

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	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	Equine Flu: Disease 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 he has taken to minimise the spread of the equine flu.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	222810
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government has been monitoring the situation and maintaining close contact with the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and British Horseracing Authority (BHA) as well as the Equine Disease Coalition.</p><p> </p><p>Equine flu is a contagious disease of horses, donkeys, mules and all equidae. Clinical signs include a raised temperature, cough and nasal discharge, lethargy and loss of appetite. In otherwise healthy horses cases typically resolve within 1-2 weeks. It is not a public health risk. Vaccination is the main control measure, alongside isolation of infected cases and minimising the mixing of horses during an outbreak. Equine flu is not a notifiable disease in the UK, which means that the industry takes responsibility for surveillance, testing and vaccination. The Horserace Betting Levy Board, which is a Government arm’s length body, provides funds to the AHT, which is an internationally approved reference laboratory for equine flu.</p><p> </p><p>Horse owners are urged to contact their private vet if they suspect respiratory illness and to practice good biosecurity and isolate suspected or confirmed cases.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 26/02/2019 15:45:08 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1063962

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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	Dogs: Smuggling
	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 potential merits of increasing the length of sentences for convictions of dog smuggling.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	223134
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>Defra takes the issue of the smuggling of dogs and puppies seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to the smuggled dogs and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk. We are working hard to tackle the problem, targeting both the supply and demand of illegally imported dogs. This approach includes international engagement, enforcement, public communications and tighter regulation.</p><p>Defra is considering a number of options for improved enforcement as part of a long term strategy for pet travel. Stricter penalties, including the possibility of introducing Fixed Penalty Notices, are being considered. In addition, we are also seeking to extend the maximum sentence for animal cruelty up to 5 years.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/02/2019 16:11:57 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1063963

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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	Dogs: Smuggling
	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 incidences of dog smuggling there have been in each of the last 10 years; and from which countries those dogs were smuggled.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	223135
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA’s) data retention period for import data is 3 years. APHA does not hold data relating specifically to ‘smuggled’ animals, however, it does hold data on animals that are ‘illegally landed’. This includes any dog, cat or ferret that is landed in Great Britain which does not meet the import requirements, and therefore requires quarantine, under the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974 (as amended) (RIO). While these figures may include some smuggled animals, they also include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>pet animals that arrive at UK airports and during the pets check are found to be non-compliant</li></ul><ul><li>animals that are found ‘inland’ and after a trading standards investigation are found to be non-compliant</li></ul><p> </p><p>The attached table shows the number of dogs (including puppies) quarantined, by country of origin, after being illegally landed in Great Britain for the last 3 years.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 05/03/2019 10:36:23 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley attachment 1 file name Numbers of Illegally Landed Dogs.docx title Numbers of illegally landed dogs
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1092252

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2019
	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	Fly-grazing
	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 protect fly-grazed horses; and what support his Department provides to local authorities to help them enforce the Control of Horses Act 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
	tabling member printed	David Warburton
	uin	234842
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of welfare including in relation to fly-grazed horses.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Control of Horses Act 2015 introduced more flexible options for the management of fly-grazing and other abandoned horses and has been welcomed by landowners, local authorities, countryside bodies and animal welfare charities. The 2015 Act allows landowners, occupiers and local authorities to secure and if necessary remove horses unlawfully left on their land and take them immediately to a place of safety. The person detaining the horse must notify the local police within 24 hours of doing so, and if the horse’s owner can be identified, they must also be notified.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The 2015 Act provides flexibility, meaning that local authorities can use it in a way that meets their specific needs. We encourage all interested parties to work together at local level to use the available powers to address the challenge of abandoned horses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 26/03/2019 11:24:53 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1109247

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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	Food: Labelling
	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 introduce stronger food labelling laws.
	tabling member constituency	Solihull
	tabling member printed	Julian Knight
	uin	240017
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK has world-leading standards of food information backed by a rigorous legislative framework. Following EU withdrawal, we have committed to reviewing food labelling laws to ensure that consumers’ confidence in the food they buy continues to grow.</p><p>We are currently conducting a review of allergen labelling, which is looking at ways to improve the provision of allergen information for prepacked for direct sale food products. We recently ran a UK wide consultation jointly with the Food Standards Agency in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and Food Standards Scotland. We are now in the process of analysing the responses we received in order to determine how allergen labelling can be improved for food products which are prepacked for direct sale so that consumers have complete trust in those foods.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 10/04/2019 12:44:26 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1081726

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2019
	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, when he plans to publish the draft animal sentience bill.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	228064
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion, Caroline Lucas, on 12 February 2019, PQ 218781.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 12/03/2019 17:54:31 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi