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1125763

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	Dogs: Tagging
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 bringing forward legislation for mandatory microchip scanning for all pet dogs at routine visits to the veterinarian.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	252516
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government agrees with the British Veterinary Association (BVA) that it is good practice for veterinary practices to scan dogs that are presented to them, and particularly for the first time, but that it should not be compulsory for them to do so, as in some circumstances this might deter some owners from presenting their dogs at veterinary practices for much needed treatment.</p><p> </p><p>On 23 April 2019, I understand representatives of the group Vets Get Scanning and the BVA met to discuss this issue. The BVA has undertaken to remind veterinary practices to scan dogs in line with best practice and help owners understand the importance of keeping their microchipping records up to date.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/05/2019 14:27:16 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1125766

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	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 assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing behaviour testing of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in order to reduce the number of dogs needlessly destroyed.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	252517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2019 answer text <p>A dangerous dogs exemption scheme already operates under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 which allows the Courts to decide that individual dogs of types subject to the general prohibition may be kept, subject to certain conditions, if they are considered not to represent a risk to the general public based on the dog’s temperament and behaviour and that the owner is a fit and proper person.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/05/2019 14:25:13 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1125772

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	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 assessment he has made of the effectiveness of breed specific legislation in reducing the number of dog attacks.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	252518
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government considers that the general prohibition on certain types of dog bred for fighting, or that share the characteristics of dogs bred for fighting, should remain in place. Evidence shows that pitbull type dogs are responsible for a disproportionate number of attacks on people and fatalities, and should not be kept without individual dogs being subject to a public safety test including that the owner is a fit and proper person. We have not seen any evidence that shows removing the general prohibition would reduce the number of dog attacks.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/05/2019 13:50:03 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1124564

registered interest
date	02/05/2019
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	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 the Government has to bring forward legislation proposals to force retailers to display full lists of ingredients in their fresh produce.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	250431
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on Food Information to Consumers, all prepackaged food must include a label which provides the consumer with certain mandatory information, including a full list of ingredients. In addition, key allergens, as defined in Annex II of the Regulation, must be emphasised in the ingredient list, for example, by printing them in a bold typeface.</p><p> </p><p>For non-prepackaged foods and foods which are prepackaged for direct sale, a full list of ingredients is not required on the label; however, information about allergens must be made available to the consumer, whether that be on the label, orally at the point of sale or by some other means.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has recently closed a consultation to strengthen allergen labelling laws relating to pre-packaged food for direct sale and give consumers clearer information on the food they buy. We are considering all responses and continuing to work at pace to bring forward the changes necessary to give consumers greater confidence in the safety of their food. We will announce next steps soon.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 09/05/2019 15:09:29 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1123137

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	Forests: Conservation
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 help prevent deforestation in (a) Brazil, (b) the Democratic Republic of Congo and (c) Indonesia.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	247579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>Defra works alongside the Department for International Development and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to prevent deforestation overseas. Together, our three departments have committed to spending £5.8 billion in international climate finance (ICF) between 2016 and 2021, which includes programmes that aim to reduce emissions from deforestation and land use change. Since the ICF began in 2011, the UK has spent just over £800 million on forest and land use programmes, which includes projects that aim to reduce deforestation in Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia.</p><p> </p><p>For example, the UK has made a £118 million commitment to support forests and sustainable land use in Brazil, focused on State governments and creating new businesses. This includes Defra’s £64.9 million investment that aims to protect over 200,000 hectares of forest in the Amazon, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado regions and to support over 5,000 farmers to transition into low carbon sustainable agriculture.</p><p> </p><p>Through its Blue Forests programme, Defra is investing £10.1 million, to reduce deforestation of mangroves habitats in Madagascar and Indonesia. The programme aims to protect around 20,000 hectares of mangrove forests; deliver around 13.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide savings and benefit over 100,000 people.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has also invested £115 million in the BioCarbon Fund – Initiative for Sustainable Forested Landscapes which seeks to improve landscape management and reduce emissions from the forest and land use sector in countries including Indonesia, while promoting alternative livelihoods that help take the pressure off the country’s primary forests and peatlands.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has also invested in the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Carbon Fund, which includes both Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UK’s share of payments through the Fund will be up to about £20 million, phased over several years, if Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo successfully preserve their forests and deliver verified emissions reductions.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 30/04/2019 16:41:15 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1122760

registered interest
date	24/04/2019
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	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to regulate animal rescue homes and centres.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	246924
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government takes the welfare of pets very seriously. The Government is committed to banning the third party sale of puppies and kittens in England and the necessary secondary legislation will be laid before Parliament later in this session.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the concern that some unscrupulous breeders may consider setting up as rescue and rehoming centres, and we will provide guidance to local authorities to help them distinguish between genuine rescue and rehoming centres and other commercial operations.</p><p> </p><p>In parallel we are working with stakeholders to understand the impact any licensing scheme would have on the sector. Further detail on the Government’s overall approach to the licensing of animal rescue and rehoming centres was set out in a Westminster Hall debate on animal rescue homes on 26 February 2019.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 29/04/2019 16:22:52 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1121855

registered interest
date	18/04/2019
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 recent estimate his Department has made of the number of dog attacks in each of the last five years involving breeds of dog not covered by the the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	245607
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2019 answer text <p>The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 covers all dogs by making it an offence to allow a dog (of any breed or type) to be dangerously out of control. The Office of National Statistics collect data on the number of people attacked by dogs that results in them being admitted to hospital. However, the data does not contain the breed or type of dog involved.</p><p> </p><p>The Government wants to reduce the number of dog attacks and has begun a research project which will, among other things, include identifying and examining the risk factors and situations that may cause dog attacks. We anticipate findings from the research towards the end of this year.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 25/04/2019 10:52:47 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1110636

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: Waste
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 reduce the amount of food wasted by (a) consumers, (b) supermarkets and (c) restaurants.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	242684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>In December last year, the Government launched its Resources and Waste Strategy which sets out a new approach to address food waste from farm to fork.</p><p> </p><p>Last autumn, the Secretary of State announced a new pilot scheme to reduce food waste, supported by a £15 million fund, specifically addressing surplus food from retail and manufacturing. The first £5 million round of funding is currently being allocated to food redistribution organisations. The Government has also appointed Ben Elliot as the food waste champion who will work with business leaders including from restaurants and supermarkets to tackle food waste.</p><p> </p><p>The strategy also sets out how the Government will consult on annual reporting of food surplus and waste by food businesses and support cross-sector collaboration through the Courtauld 2025 agreement, affecting both supermarkets and restaurants.</p><p> </p><p>In addition the Government:</p><p> </p><p>(a) called on food businesses, local authorities and the third and public sectors to actively support the development and use of the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s national messaging to promote food waste prevention among citizens, and to play an active part in piloting interventions and in scaling up those pilots which prove most successful;</p><p> </p><p>(b) published key industry guidance and best practice on food waste for retail and food businesses. In the autumn, a transparent survey will be published which reports progress; and</p><p> </p><p>(c) will produce guidance for the hospitality sector including best practice examples such as offering a range of portion sizes and a take-home service for leftovers.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 15/04/2019 08:56:15 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1110643

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	Eggs: 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 recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of best before dates on eggs.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	242685
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2019 answer text <p>Regulation (EC) No 589/2008, which lays down marketing standards for eggs, requires raw, shell eggs to be marked with a best before date which should be no more than 28 days after laying. Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, which lays down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin, requires eggs to be sold within 21 days of laying.</p><p> </p><p>‘Best before’ is used on most foods, to indicate that the quality of the food may not be at its best after that date has expired. It is not an indication of safety and, where safe to do so, food may continue to be sold and used after this date. Good use of these indications, in line with recent Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) guidance, will ensure that consumers will be able to make the best use of food and reduce waste.</p><p> </p><p>Food labelling will be reviewed following EU Exit to ensure continued consumer confidence in the food they buy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/04/2019 15:39:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1110177

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	Plastics: Marine Environment
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 estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of marine plastic pollution.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	242011
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government has not made an estimate of the costs to the public purse of marine plastic pollution, but last week scientists from Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the Arctic University of Norway, the University of Stirling and the University of Surrey estimated an annual loss of between $500 billion and $2.5 trillion in the value of benefits derived from marine ecosystem services globally. This is a first step in understanding the true cost of marine plastic pollution, and we are developing the evidence base as part of our wider developments in marine natural capital evidence.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 11/04/2019 14:59:47 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham