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1134896

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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 Racing: 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 effect of veterinary research funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board on the welfare of horses since 2000.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	269623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government considers that veterinary research is vital to improving the lives of all horses.</p><p> </p><p>The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) is a non-departmental public body which was established to administer the Horserace Betting Levy, under which betting operators pay 10% of their profits on British racing back to support the sport.</p><p> </p><p>One of the statutory objectives of the HBLB is focused on the advancement or encouragement of veterinary science or veterinary education. To this end, the HBLB have invested over £35 million since 2000 in veterinary research and education, which I understand supports the welfare of all equines in Great Britain as well as thoroughbreds. Specific projects undertaken include the development of a novel technique for assessing and improving respiratory performance in racehorses.</p><p> </p><p>The Government welcomes these initiatives and acknowledges the importance of continued veterinary research to the welfare of horses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/07/2019 13:40:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1134897

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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 Racing: 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 effectiveness of the Horse Welfare Board in improving the standards of welfare in horseracing.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	269624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. On 14 May, I met the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) as well as the new independent Chair of the BHA’s newly appointed Horse Welfare Board. This Board was formed in March 2019 and includes members from across the racing industry, veterinarians and animal health and welfare specialists. This was a constructive meeting where the number of fatalities of racehorses was acknowledged and both sides agreed that further action is required to tackle avoidable harm and make the sport safer.</p><p> </p><p>The Board committed to doing all it can to improve welfare outcomes and is working on producing an equine welfare manifesto, outlining the industry’s priorities in this area. I stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results, and will continue to stay in regular contact with both the BHA and the newly appointed Horse Welfare Board to monitor progress of key actions and to press for further improvements in racehorse welfare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/07/2019 13:49:17 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1134141

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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: Sentencing
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 he has taken to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to increase the maximum penalty for the most serious offences of animal cruelty to five years.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	268563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>I am pleased to say that the legislation needed to implement the increase in the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences - the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill – had its First Reading in this House on 26 June.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/06/2019 14:08:21 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1134170

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Tree Planting
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 long will it take for planted trees to have a benefit on the environment.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	268385
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>There are immediate environmental benefits from planting trees for new woodland creation; these increase over time and as the woodland develops and matures.</p><p> </p><p>For example, the change of land use means that some public benefits such as water quality improvement are achieved immediately. Within the first 5 years benefits to soil infiltration (for flood risk management) and biodiversity can be seen, with different species benefiting as the woodland becomes established. Carbon sequestration, the contribution of evapotranspiration to flood risk management and landscape enhancement generally give greatest benefit to the environment at canopy closure and beyond, 10-25 years after planting.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/07/2019 13:54:03 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1134171

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Tree Planting: Yorkshire and the Humber
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 trees have been planted between Leeds and Hull in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	268386
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Neither Defra nor the Forestry Commission record tree planting data except for trees planted in England with central Government support.</p><p> </p><p>The table below contains a breakdown of the planting of new trees supported by the Rural Development Programme for England, and other forms of Government support, in Local Authority areas between Leeds and Hull, for the five years 2014-15 to 2018-19.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Administrative area </strong> <strong>from west to east</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Approximate</strong> <strong>number of trees:</strong> <strong>newly planted</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Equivalent</strong> <strong>number of hectares:</strong> <strong>newly planted</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leeds</p></td><td><p>3,200</p></td><td><p>1.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wakefield</p></td><td><p>1,300</p></td><td><p>0.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Selby</p></td><td><p>11,600</p></td><td><p>7.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>York Unitary Area</p></td><td><p>2,800</p></td><td><p>3.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Riding of Yorkshire Unitary Area</p></td><td><p>28,900</p></td><td><p>19.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>City of Kingston upon Hull</p></td><td><p>3,500</p></td><td><p>1.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total for these six administrative areas</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>51,300</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>33.6</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/06/2019 14:34:59 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1133898

registered interest
date	21/06/2019
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: Sentencing
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 introduce tougher sentences for animal cruelty.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	267787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>I am pleased to report that the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 26 June. The Bill, when passed, will increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 from 6 months’ imprisonment to 5 years’ imprisonment.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 01/07/2019 13:43:58 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1133580

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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	Whisky: Scotland
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 contribution of the Scotch Whisky industry to (a) rural employment and (b) investment.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Martin Whitfield
uin	267257
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>The Scotch Whisky industry provides vital employment and investment to communities across Scotland. It is estimated that 7,000 people are directly employed by the industry in rural areas of Scotland.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/06/2019 13:52:40 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4626 label Biography information for Martin Whitfield

1133581

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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	Whisky: Scotland
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 people have been employed by the Scotch Whisky industry in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Martin Whitfield
uin	267258
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>More than 10,500 people are directly employed in the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland, and over 42,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the industry.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/06/2019 14:01:58 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4626 label Biography information for Martin Whitfield

1133659

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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 welfare protections will be put in place for caged animals as part of the Agriculture Bill.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	267190
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 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. 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. 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 keeping of calves in veal crates in 1990, the keeping of sows in close confinement stalls in the UK in 1999, and the use of conventional (‘battery’) cages for laying hens in 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will maintain its high regulatory baseline and look to raise standards sustainably over time as new research and evidence emerges. We have been very clear that our departure from the EU will not lead to a lowering of our high animal welfare standards. Our regulatory system will offer the same level of assurance of animal welfare following exit as it does now and we are actively exploring options for strengthening the UK system moving forward. We have introduced mandatory CCTV in abattoirs and are looking to control exports of live animals for slaughter. On 26 June, the Government introduced a Bill to enable tougher prison sentences for the worst animal abusers. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill means that animal abusers could face up to five years in prison, a significant increase from the current maximum sentence of six months. Courts will be able to take a firmer approach to cases such as dog fighting, abuse of puppies and kittens, or gross neglect of farm animals.</p><p> </p><p>In England, we intend to use the powers in the Agriculture Bill 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, and also want to provide greater transparency and certainty for consumers and for farmers. We will work with industry, retailers, welfare groups and the Farm Animal Welfare Committee to define these enhancements.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 28/06/2019 10:29:47 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1133761

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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, with reference to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, what discussions he has had with animal welfare organisations on changing the law to allow rehoming organisations to rehome well-behaved and suitably assessed section 1 dogs.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	267365
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Whilst there are no plans to change the law on dangerous dogs, Defra has discussed the interpretation of the existing law on dangerous dogs with stakeholders. Recent case law (<em>Webb v Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary (Secretary of State for Food Environment and Rural Affairs intervening</em>) [2017] EWHC 3311 (Admin)) confirmed that the Court may award possession of a prohibited dog to the owner of the dog or to a person who has been “<em>for the time being in charge</em>” of the dog.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 27/06/2019 14:13:28 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell