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1123086

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	Greyhounds: 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 has taken to ensure sufficient income in greyhound racing to safeguard the welfare of greyhounds throughout their career and into retirement.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	247623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>On 10 January 2019, the Government announced a new funding commitment from bookmakers worth an estimated £3 million to ensure the welfare of greyhounds is protected and improved. The agreement was reached following discussions chaired by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) and is set to increase the total amount of funding from bookmakers to the British Greyhound Racing Fund (BGRF) to an estimated £10 million this year. We expect thousands of racing greyhounds are to be better cared for as a result of this new commitment.</p><p> </p><p>Defra and DCMS will continue to work with the bookmaking industry to encourage all remaining bookmakers who take bets on greyhound racing, and who do not currently contribute, to commence payments to the BGRF to support the sport. The Ministers for Animal Welfare and Sport will soon be meeting to discuss what more can be done to secure the funding needed to ensure greyhound welfare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:42:55 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1123106

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	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, if he will remove the responsibility for race horse welfare from the British Horseracing Authority and award it to a new, government-appointed, independent body.
tabling member constituency	Hartlepool
tabling member printed	Mike Hill
uin	247761
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) works in collaboration with the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to try and make racetracks as safe as possible. The number of racehorse fatalities at racetracks has been falling in general since 2012, except for an increase last year.</p><p> </p><p>However, I and the BHA agree that more must be done to make horseracing safer and I have been in regular discussion with the horseracing authorities about how this can be achieved. I particularly welcome the establishment of the BHA’s Horse Welfare Board and I will be meeting the newly appointed independent chair shortly. I will await evidence of how effective these new arrangements are in practice. I am not currently planning to establish a new regulator in the interim.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:37:07 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4644 label Biography information for Mike Hill

1123125

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	Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
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 amend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow rehoming organisations to rehome banned section 1 dogs.
tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
tabling member printed	Jim Fitzpatrick
uin	247571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The evidence I provided the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA), as part of its review into controlling dangerous dogs, sets out what can be done with respect to the transfer of ownership of prohibited dogs. Defra has also had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the issue.</p><p>Evidence is available via the following link:</p><p>https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvfru/1892/1892.pdf</p><p> </p><p>In relation to dog attacks, the Metropolitan Police provided evidence to last year’s review on controlling dangerous dogs by the EFRA Committee which showed that pit bull terriers were disproportionately involved in dog attacks (section 3 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 offences, completed cases).</p><p> </p><p>The Metropolitan Police figures indicated that in 2015-16 pit bulls were responsible for 19.3% (92) of all reported dog attacks in Greater London out of a total of 468 cases. Pit bull terriers are considered to represent much less than 19.3% of the dog population and it is concerning that one type of dog, which does not have high levels of ownership, is disproportionately responsible for that many dog attacks in London. In addition, information collected by Defra shows the pit bull terrier to be disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks, with seven fatalities out of 34 since 2005 caused by pit bull terriers.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 247572 247573 question first answered 07/05/2019 12:24:04 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	197 label Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick

1123126

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	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 the scientific evidence is for determining that the four breeds of dog banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 pose more of a risk to the public then other dog breeds.
tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
tabling member printed	Jim Fitzpatrick
uin	247572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The evidence I provided the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA), as part of its review into controlling dangerous dogs, sets out what can be done with respect to the transfer of ownership of prohibited dogs. Defra has also had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the issue.</p><p>Evidence is available via the following link:</p><p>https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvfru/1892/1892.pdf</p><p> </p><p>In relation to dog attacks, the Metropolitan Police provided evidence to last year’s review on controlling dangerous dogs by the EFRA Committee which showed that pit bull terriers were disproportionately involved in dog attacks (section 3 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 offences, completed cases).</p><p> </p><p>The Metropolitan Police figures indicated that in 2015-16 pit bulls were responsible for 19.3% (92) of all reported dog attacks in Greater London out of a total of 468 cases. Pit bull terriers are considered to represent much less than 19.3% of the dog population and it is concerning that one type of dog, which does not have high levels of ownership, is disproportionately responsible for that many dog attacks in London. In addition, information collected by Defra shows the pit bull terrier to be disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks, with seven fatalities out of 34 since 2005 caused by pit bull terriers.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 247571 247573 question first answered 07/05/2019 12:24:04 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	197 label Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick

1123127

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	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 discussions he has had with animal welfare organisations on the rehoming of dogs banned under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
tabling member printed	Jim Fitzpatrick
uin	247573
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The evidence I provided the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA), as part of its review into controlling dangerous dogs, sets out what can be done with respect to the transfer of ownership of prohibited dogs. Defra has also had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the issue.</p><p>Evidence is available via the following link:</p><p>https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvfru/1892/1892.pdf</p><p> </p><p>In relation to dog attacks, the Metropolitan Police provided evidence to last year’s review on controlling dangerous dogs by the EFRA Committee which showed that pit bull terriers were disproportionately involved in dog attacks (section 3 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 offences, completed cases).</p><p> </p><p>The Metropolitan Police figures indicated that in 2015-16 pit bulls were responsible for 19.3% (92) of all reported dog attacks in Greater London out of a total of 468 cases. Pit bull terriers are considered to represent much less than 19.3% of the dog population and it is concerning that one type of dog, which does not have high levels of ownership, is disproportionately responsible for that many dog attacks in London. In addition, information collected by Defra shows the pit bull terrier to be disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks, with seven fatalities out of 34 since 2005 caused by pit bull terriers.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley grouped question UIN 247571 247572 question first answered 07/05/2019 12:24:04 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	197 label Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick

1123149

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	Slaughterhouses
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 trends in the level of foreign ownership of abattoirs in England.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	247668
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>Abattoirs require veterinary control and approval by the FSA under Regulation (EC) 853/2004 - a full list of approved establishments can be found <a href="https://data.food.gov.uk/catalog/datasets/1e61736a-2a1a-4c6a-b8b1-e45912ebc8e3" target="_blank">here</a>. Whilst trends in the level of foreign ownership of abattoirs in England is not something that we are monitoring specifically, we are aware of and welcome foreign investment in our meat processing facilities. In particular, there is significant investment from Irish and Danish businesses in UK processing. Irrespective of ownership all abattoirs must comply with our high animal welfare and food safety standards.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:57:13 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1123158

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	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, if he will make it his policy not to adopt the proposal by the EU to classify vegetarian and vegan burgers and sausages as discs and tubes.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	247673
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government is aware of a proposed amendment by the European Parliament Agriculture Committee that terms used to describe meat products should be reserved exclusively for products made from meat. This proposed amendment has a long way to go through the legislative process.</p><p> </p><p>If the amendment is accepted, Defra will seek views from all UK stakeholders and, while we remain a member of the EU, consult with other EU Member States. Our objective will be, as always, to ensure the regulatory framework protects consumers’ interests while avoiding unnecessary regulatory burdens on food businesses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:33:30 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1123171

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	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 recent estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	247553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion of additional funding to departments and the devolved administrations for exit preparations so far. This breaks down as:</p><p> </p><ul><li>£412 million of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the Autumn Statement 2016<p><p></li><li>£286 million of additional funding for 2017/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 2017/18). (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf</a>)<br></li><li>Over £1.5 billion of additional funding for 2018/19. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on 13 March 2018. (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/</a>) <br></li><li>Over £2 billion of additional funding for 2019/20. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS1205, laid on 18 December 2018. (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-12-18/HCWS1205/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-12-18/HCWS1205/</a>)</li></ul><p> </p><p>This funding is to cover all exit scenarios, and is in addition to departmental efforts to reprioritise from business as usual toward preparations for the UK’s departure from the EU.</p><p> </p><p>Work on no deal exit preparations cannot be readily separated from other exit work. The department is preparing for all eventualities and the resources available to support preparations are kept under constant review.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:15:52 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1123183

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	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, what recent assessment he has made of the welfare standards of animals that are not stunned before slaughter in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	247644
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 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>EC Regulation 1099/2009 sets down the welfare standards for animals at the time of killing, including regulations specifically concerned with animals which are slaughtered without stunning. In addition to these EU-level requirements, the Government has adopted stricter national regulations for animals that are slaughtered without stunning, which provide them with more extensive protections than the EU Regulation. These are set down in The Welfare of Animals at Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 30/04/2019 15:52:05 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

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