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1642613

registered interest
date	07/06/2023
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 progress she has made on the Action Plan for Animal Welfare; and when she plans to publish a consultation on the keeping of caged farmed animals.
tabling member constituency	Scunthorpe
tabling member printed	Holly Mumby-Croft
uin	188424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2023 answer text <p>We have delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan, which will deliver significant improvements for animals in the UK and abroad. We are firmly committed to maintaining our strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Our recent announcement on delivering the measures in the Kept Animals Bill through single measure Bills will help us to deliver two further commitments in the plan, including the ban on live exports. These are our key priorities. We do not consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms, being mindful of the challenges the sectors are facing. The market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to work with the sector to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer grouped question UIN 188176 question first answered 12/06/2023 17:17:14 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4867 label Biography information for Holly Mumby-Croft

1627581

registered interest
date	15/05/2023
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 it remains her policy to implement the Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published on 12 May 2021.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	184939
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2023 answer text <p>We plan to take forward our ambitious agenda of animal welfare and conservation reforms, as outlined in the 2021 Action Plan for Animal Welfare, during the current Parliamentary session and beyond. We will continue to introduce and support legislative and non-legislative reforms when we can.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 19/05/2023 10:45:19 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1626357

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the RSPCA on preventing the practice of ear cropping.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	184013
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence in England and Wales to carry out a non-exempted mutilation (e.g., where it is not carried out for medical purposes) including the cropping of a dog's ears. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food &amp; Rural Affairs has not met with representatives of the RSPCA to discuss the cropping of dogs’ ears</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/05/2023 13:24:25 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1579616

registered interest
date	23/01/2023
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 her Department is taking steps to ensure that healthy animals are not euthanised by vets prior to consultation with the owner.
tabling member constituency	Bury North
tabling member printed	James Daly
uin	130019
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2023 answer text <p>In 2021, we worked closely with the veterinary profession to provide greater assurance that alternatives to euthanasia are explored before a healthy dog is put down. Following these discussions, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RVCS) agreed to incorporate the principle of scanning a microchip before such euthanasia into the guidance that underpins their Code of Professional Conduct. This applies to all veterinary surgeons practising in the United Kingdom.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 31/01/2023 10:10:56 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4854 label Biography information for James Daly

1547543

registered interest
date	01/12/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current legislation protecting animal (1) welfare, and (2) rights; and whether they plan further legislation in respect of animal welfare in the current session.
tabling member printed	Lord Shipley
uin	HL3956
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2022 answer text <p>The Government's Action Plan for Animal Welfare was published in May 2021 and can be found at: Action Plan for Animal Welfare - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). A copy is attached to this answer.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 14/12/2022 16:48:57 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Action Plan for Animal Welfare.pdf title Action Plan for Animal Welfare
tabling member	4176 label Biography information for Lord Shipley

1543971

registered interest
date	21/11/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how she plans to implement the (a) review of the use of cages, (b) introduction of animal welfare labelling for food and (c) other commitments of her Department's Action Plan for Animal Welfare; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
uin	92070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2022 answer text <p>Animal welfare is an important issue, and we are committed to strengthening standards and protections through our Action Plan for Animal Welfare which sets out our vision for a wide range of ambitious improvements.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to exploring the phasing out of confinement systems. Decisions on the timing of public consultation around this issue must be carefully considered in light of wider challenges Britain’s farmers are currently facing.</p><p> </p><p>Last year we ran an extensive call for evidence on the impacts, costs and deliverability of food labelling for animal welfare as part of our work on the new Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. Based on the evidence provided, and as announced in our Food Strategy, we plan to consult on reforming mandatory labelling for animal welfare, and proposals are being co-developed with partners across the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to drive forward our animal welfare agenda through legislation as Parliamentary time allows, and through non-legislative reforms.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/12/2022 16:33:41 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1543705

registered interest
date	18/11/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she makes of the adequacy of the progress of implementing the Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
tabling member constituency	Gower
tabling member printed	Tonia Antoniazzi
uin	90862
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2022 answer text <p>We are committed to strengthening animal welfare standards and protections, and our Action Plan for Animal Welfare sets out our vision to introduce a wide range of ambitious improvements. We continue to drive forward this agenda through legislation as Parliamentary time allows, and through non-legislative reforms.</p><p> </p><p>The passing of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 realises the Government’s manifesto commitment to introduce tougher penalties for animal cruelty. The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 has delivered on the commitment to introduce new laws for animal sentience.</p><p> </p><p>We have also introduced new powers for police and courts to tackle the illegal and cruel sport of hare coursing through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and we also backed bills introducing penalty notices for animal welfare offences and to ban glue traps, all of which have received Royal Assent.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was reintroduced in May 2022 and will continue its passage through the Commons when parliamentary time allows. The Bill delivers key manifesto commitments to end the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter, crack down on illegal puppy smuggling, and ban the keeping of primates as pets. It will also update the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, introduce a new pet abduction offence following the work of the Pet Theft Taskforce and reform legislation to tackle livestock worrying.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 24/11/2022 18:38:15 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4623 label Biography information for Tonia Antoniazzi

1540097

registered interest
date	07/11/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen animal welfare protections in (a) the UK and (b) abroad.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	80813
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2022 answer text <p>HM Government outlined our ambitious programme of legislative and non-legislative animal welfare reforms in our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published in May 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Animal welfare is a devolved matter and we continue to work closely with the devolved administrations to raise our already high standards of animal welfare across the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which extends to Scotland as well as England and Wales, was reintroduced in May 2022 and will continue its passage through the Commons when parliamentary time allows. The Bill delivers key manifesto commitments to end the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter, crack down on illegal puppy smuggling, and ban the keeping of primates as pets. It will also update the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, introduce a new pet abduction offence following the work of the Pet Theft Taskforce and reform legislation to tackle livestock worrying which goes back to the 1950s.</p><p> </p><p>Also on the domestic front, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 became law in the last Session and we are in the process of setting up the Animal Sentience Committee to advise HM Government on policies that impact on the welfare of animals. We have also introduced new powers for police and courts to tackle the illegal and cruel sport of hare coursing through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and we also backed bills to increase the maximum penalties for animal cruelty offences from six months to five years imprisonment, introduce penalty notices for animal welfare offences and to ban glue traps, all of which have received Royal Assent.</p><p> </p><p>For animals overseas, the Ivory Act 2018 came into force in June 2022 to ensure protection for elephants and we are backing private member bills to ban the trade in shark fins and the import of hunting trophies. We have also continued to explore options in order to prohibit the advertising and offering for sale, here, of unacceptably low welfare activities involving wild animals.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 16/11/2022 18:07:14 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1471972

registered interest
date	21/06/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the findings of the Animal Kindness Index 2022 published by the RSPCA and SSPCA.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	22467
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare seen in this survey and we are committed to the protection of animals.</p><p> </p><p>The <a href="https://defra.sharepoint.com/teams/Team1687/Lists/KeyResources/DispForm.aspx?ID=1&amp;e=GEoLce" target="_blank">Action Plan for Animal Welfare</a> demonstrates this Government's commitment to a brighter future for animals and upholds the public values seen in the RSPCA and SSPCA survey. This Government has recently delivered the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, measures to tackle illegal hare coursing in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and also supported the recent Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, Animals (Penalty Notices) Act 2022, and Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022. The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill has been reintroduced this session and will go even further to strengthen our animal welfare legislation.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 29/06/2022 16:59:27 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1463117

registered interest
date	16/05/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government plans to introduce a ban on the advertising and offering for sale by overseas venues of attractions, activities or experiences involving poor animal welfare, such as low welfare elephant venues.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh North and Leith
tabling member printed	Deidre Brock
uin	2524
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2022 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 May 2022 to the hon. Member for Rotherham, <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-05-13/1511" target="_blank">PQ 1511</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 2327 question first answered 23/05/2022 15:16:17 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4417 label Biography information for Deidre Brock