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1284152

registered interest
date	04/02/2021
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 animal welfare inspections of game bird farms in England and Wales were undertaken by (a) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (b) local trading standards in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020; how many of those visits resulted in action being taken against a (A) farm or (B) person; whether improvement notices were issued as a result of those visits; and whether those visits resulted in a second inspection.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
uin	149346
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2021 answer text <p>The data held only relates to Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) welfare inspections undertaken. APHA conducted inspections to game birds and the subsequent actions were taken:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Inspections</p></td><td><p>Holdings Inspected</p></td><td><p>Issued Letter</p></td><td><p>Follow Up Visit</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 09/02/2021 15:42:39 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1284153

registered interest
date	04/02/2021
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 for compliancy with avian flu measures were undertaken by (a) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (b) local trading standards in (i) 2020 and (ii) 2021.
tabling member constituency	East Lothian
tabling member printed	Kenny MacAskill
uin	149347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2021 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) do not undertake specific compliance inspections for Avian Influenza. This is the responsibility of local authorities under the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), which ensures birds are housed or kept separate from wild birds. Local authorities are currently completing reactive inspections following complaints, and using a risk based approach during such inspections.</p><p> </p><p>There is no requirement for local authorities to record or inform Scottish Government, Defra or Welsh Government of any inspections they have conducted. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the local authority to provide the details requested.</p><p> </p><p>APHA do hold data as part of its disease management response. This is on behalf of Defra, Welsh Government and the Scottish Government and relates to disease surveillance visits in the 3km Protection Zones and 10km Surveillance Zones, and any direct and indirect contact tracing visits which are identified upon confirmation of disease.</p><p> </p><p>This includes a census of premises and stock within the zones, and subsequent inspection and sampling to prove freedom from disease prior to lifting the legal Declaratory Orders in place around infected premises (usually 3km and 10km). An interactive map of current zones can be found on GOV.UK: <a href="https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d" target="_blank">https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d</a></p><p> </p><p>Outside of avian influenza outbreaks, APHA undertake a routine avian influenza survey on a random and risk based stratification of registered premises.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 09/02/2021 17:51:03 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4772 label Biography information for Kenny MacAskill

1183135

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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, what assessment he has made of the effect of the release of non-native gamebirds on wildlife and native birds in Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	25736
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notification provides a key mechanism for the management of terrestrial European sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). This includes a consenting process for operations listed as requiring Natural England’s consent. General guidance on the consenting process is published on the GOV.UK website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest</a></p><p> </p><p>Additionally the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 include provisions to manage operations that may damage European sites.</p><p> </p><p>In response to a pre-action protocol letter from Wild Justice in July 2019, last September the Government accepted that in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds on, or affecting, SACs and SPAs is capable of constituting a “plan or project” requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive.</p><p>Whether they will do so in any given case will depend on whether they may have a significant effect on the specific SPA or SAC in question. This will depend in turn on the nature of the activities, the features and condition of the SPA or SAC, the distance from the SPA or SAC where the activities are carried out and the possible effects of the activities. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra committed to undertake a review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could be improved, as announced on 11 September 2019 (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites</a>).</p><p>The review is looking at the following areas:</p><ul><li>Consenting process: in conjunction with Natural England, Defra is reviewing the effectiveness of the process around Operations Requiring Natural England’s Consent on European sites in relation to gamebird release.</li><li>Special Nature Conservation Orders (SNCOs) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017: exploring the effective use of SNCOs in relation to gamebird release, which have to date been used as a last resort option designed to limit potentially damaging operations on or near European sites.</li><li>Legislative options: reviewing the current legislative arrangements that are of relevance to the release of non-native gamebirds on or around European sites, including considering whether any amendments to current regimes could provide further safeguards to European sites. Defra is also exploring other possible options for regulating such releases if current arrangements do not provide a solution.</li><li>Number of gamebirds released and their impact on European sites: examining available data to establish an estimate of the number of gamebirds that are released on or around European sites in England. In terms of their impact on European sites, considering available evidence including the findings from a literature review jointly commissioned by Natural England and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, expected to conclude in March 2020.</li></ul> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25737 25738 question first answered 10/03/2020 17:02:54 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1183137

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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 non-native gamebirds were released in the UK in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	25737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notification provides a key mechanism for the management of terrestrial European sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). This includes a consenting process for operations listed as requiring Natural England’s consent. General guidance on the consenting process is published on the GOV.UK website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest</a></p><p> </p><p>Additionally the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 include provisions to manage operations that may damage European sites.</p><p> </p><p>In response to a pre-action protocol letter from Wild Justice in July 2019, last September the Government accepted that in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds on, or affecting, SACs and SPAs is capable of constituting a “plan or project” requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive.</p><p>Whether they will do so in any given case will depend on whether they may have a significant effect on the specific SPA or SAC in question. This will depend in turn on the nature of the activities, the features and condition of the SPA or SAC, the distance from the SPA or SAC where the activities are carried out and the possible effects of the activities. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra committed to undertake a review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could be improved, as announced on 11 September 2019 (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites</a>).</p><p>The review is looking at the following areas:</p><ul><li>Consenting process: in conjunction with Natural England, Defra is reviewing the effectiveness of the process around Operations Requiring Natural England’s Consent on European sites in relation to gamebird release.</li><li>Special Nature Conservation Orders (SNCOs) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017: exploring the effective use of SNCOs in relation to gamebird release, which have to date been used as a last resort option designed to limit potentially damaging operations on or near European sites.</li><li>Legislative options: reviewing the current legislative arrangements that are of relevance to the release of non-native gamebirds on or around European sites, including considering whether any amendments to current regimes could provide further safeguards to European sites. Defra is also exploring other possible options for regulating such releases if current arrangements do not provide a solution.</li><li>Number of gamebirds released and their impact on European sites: examining available data to establish an estimate of the number of gamebirds that are released on or around European sites in England. In terms of their impact on European sites, considering available evidence including the findings from a literature review jointly commissioned by Natural England and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, expected to conclude in March 2020.</li></ul> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25736 25738 question first answered 10/03/2020 17:02:54 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1183138

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
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, what (a) guidance and (b) regulations his Department has issued to ensure that there is no detrimental effect caused by the release of non-native gamebirds on local ecology and biodiversity.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	25738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notification provides a key mechanism for the management of terrestrial European sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). This includes a consenting process for operations listed as requiring Natural England’s consent. General guidance on the consenting process is published on the GOV.UK website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest</a></p><p> </p><p>Additionally the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 include provisions to manage operations that may damage European sites.</p><p> </p><p>In response to a pre-action protocol letter from Wild Justice in July 2019, last September the Government accepted that in principle the annual release of non-native gamebirds on, or affecting, SACs and SPAs is capable of constituting a “plan or project” requiring appropriate assessment within the meaning of the Habitats Directive.</p><p>Whether they will do so in any given case will depend on whether they may have a significant effect on the specific SPA or SAC in question. This will depend in turn on the nature of the activities, the features and condition of the SPA or SAC, the distance from the SPA or SAC where the activities are carried out and the possible effects of the activities. While not accepting the argument that current laws do not provide for appropriate assessment in such cases, Defra committed to undertake a review to consider the legislative arrangements around the relevant activities and whether there are ways in which their effectiveness could be improved, as announced on 11 September 2019 (<a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-responds-to-wild-justice-challenge-releasing-gamebirds-on-protected-sites</a>).</p><p>The review is looking at the following areas:</p><ul><li>Consenting process: in conjunction with Natural England, Defra is reviewing the effectiveness of the process around Operations Requiring Natural England’s Consent on European sites in relation to gamebird release.</li><li>Special Nature Conservation Orders (SNCOs) under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017: exploring the effective use of SNCOs in relation to gamebird release, which have to date been used as a last resort option designed to limit potentially damaging operations on or near European sites.</li><li>Legislative options: reviewing the current legislative arrangements that are of relevance to the release of non-native gamebirds on or around European sites, including considering whether any amendments to current regimes could provide further safeguards to European sites. Defra is also exploring other possible options for regulating such releases if current arrangements do not provide a solution.</li><li>Number of gamebirds released and their impact on European sites: examining available data to establish an estimate of the number of gamebirds that are released on or around European sites in England. In terms of their impact on European sites, considering available evidence including the findings from a literature review jointly commissioned by Natural England and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, expected to conclude in March 2020.</li></ul> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 25736 25737 question first answered 10/03/2020 17:02:54 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1168555

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission an independent review into the economic, environmental and wildlife impacts of driven grouse shooting.
tabling member printed	Lord Birt
uin	HL13
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government will consider the findings of the recently released Werritty Review which addresses these issues in Scotland. We will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 07/01/2020 12:36:31 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1148203

registered interest
date	03/10/2019
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, if the Government will review the law on the caging of game birds.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	294183
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Richmond Park answering member printed Zac Goldsmith question first answered 08/10/2019 16:43:31 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

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

1028640

registered interest
date	19/12/2018
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, what information the Animal and Plant Health Agency holds on the estimated number of game birds on game farm premises as supplied by owners of those game farms to that agency.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	203896
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2019 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not hold accurate or reliable figures on the number of birds on game farm premises.</p><p> </p><p>At the time of registration the owner/keeper of the game birds will normally supply APHA with an estimate of the stock numbers likely to be held on the game bird farm premises.</p><p> </p><p>The figures below are based upon information supplied to APHA at the time of registration by the owner/keeper of the game bird farm premises which date from 2008 to 2018.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Number of game birds (estimated usual stock numbers)</p></td><td><p>Registered game farm premises</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>0 – 20,000</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>20,000 – 50,000</p></td><td><p>300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>50,000 +</p></td><td><p>143</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>APHA does not maintain year on year statistics for game bird farms.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/01/2019 12:18:36 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery