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1002708

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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	Dogs: Imports
	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 Dogs Trust report entitled Puppy Smuggling - When will this cruel trade end?, whether his Department plans to (a) reintroduce rabies blood testing and (b) extend the wait period for puppies before they can enter the UK from the EU after the UK has left the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	188691
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2018 answer text <p>Defra takes the threat to public and animal health posed by animals entering the United Kingdom (UK) very seriously and requires rabies vaccination for pet animals (cats, dogs and ferrets) entering the country, as well as other high risk species entering zoos or pets destined for the pet trade.</p><p> </p><p>Pet travel between EU member states and from some other lower risk third countries requires a rabies vaccination followed by a 21 day waiting period. For third countries with higher rabies risk, stricter rules apply involving a rabies antibody titration test and waiting period. A quantitative risk assessment was carried out in 2011, which assessed the risk of a pet animal with rabies entering the UK under the EU Pet Travel Scheme (PTS) as very low. Since then, there have been no rabies incursions in the UK, but Defra continues to monitor the disease situation and will undertake a further formal risk assessment if evidence indicates that one is warranted.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has no immediate plans to change the rabies regime in the short term after the UK’ leaves the EU. For entry into the UK the current pet travel health requirements will continue to apply, although additional controls could be considered at a later date.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 16/11/2018 11:43:14 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1002740

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2018
	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	Veterinary Services
	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 secure continuity of supply of veterinary medicines for pets in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	188692
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2018 answer text <p>We are working with the animal medicines industry to ensure that supplies of veterinary medicines remain available in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. We intend to minimise any additional regulatory burdens on industry as a result of leaving the EU.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 16/11/2018 11:38:51 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1015017

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2018
	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	Circuses: 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 bring forth legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	195458
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave to the honourable member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 16 October 2018 to Question 176633.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-08/176633/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-08/176633/</a></p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/12/2018 14:09:12 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1037038

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2019
	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	Pets: Imports
	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 Dogs Trust’s recommendations in their report: Puppy Smuggling: When will this cruel trade end?, what plans his Department has to create a centrally accessible database logging pet’s microchip numbers and date of entry into the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	205791
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2019 answer text <p>I have zero tolerance of the abhorrent crime that is puppy smuggling, where unscrupulous dealers are abusing the EU Pet Travel Scheme to illegally traffic puppies into the United Kingdom, with no regard for the welfare of these animals or the biosecurity of the UK. Defra are pursuing a holistic approach to tackling puppy smuggling, which includes working closely with Dogs Trust to tackle the issue. Defra Ministers met senior staff from the charity in November, to discuss the findings of their latest report.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is already a requirement for every dog in the UK to be identified by a microchip and its details to be recorded on a recognised database. This includes dogs imported from outside the UK. Furthermore, all pets entering the UK have their microchip scanned and recorded by the carrier at the time of travel. We do not consider it necessary at this time to introduce an additional database along the lines proposed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/01/2019 11:34:10 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1037039

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2019
	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: Pet Travel Scheme
	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 effectiveness of carriers enforcing checks on dogs traveling under the Pet Travel Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	205792
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2019 answer text <p>Engagement at the border with major transport carriers has indicated that they are committed to preventing illegal imports of pet animals. Some carriers have already instituted their own measures to reduce carriage of pet animals. This includes P&amp;O Ferries refusing accounts to commercial dog importers and Eurotunnel limiting the number of dogs that can be transported in one vehicle. Carriers have been willing to work with us to increase enforcement through additional training, checks and controls.</p><p>Each carrier is subject to quality assurance checks including a minimum of one full audit per year to ensure compliance with the procedures agreed with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) set out in the carriers’ Required Method of Operation (RMOP). The number of quality assurance visits is based on volumes, results of previous visits, performance and any high risk considerations. Furthermore, APHA field teams carry out liaison visits and are in regular communication with carriers. If any non-compliance is found, extra checks will be completed as part of recorded follow-on actions.</p><p>Observations made by APHA on pet travel, including levels of compliance and carrier knowledges and behaviours, show good awareness of pet travel rules.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 14/01/2019 11:36:33 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1091248

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	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	Animals and Animal Products: Imports
	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 his Department has to ensure that all animals and animal products from outside the EU enter Northern Ireland through a border inspection post in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	234073
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2019 answer text <p>In the event we leave the EU without a deal, live animals and products of animal origin originating from non-EU countries will be checked at UK Border Inspection Posts (BIPs), including those with a final import destination in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p><p>In Northern Ireland, Belfast Port is the approved BIP for frozen meat and fish products pre-packed for human consumption. Belfast International Airport is the approved BIP for animal by-products that are not for human consumption.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 22/03/2019 13:36:57 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

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

1126124

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	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	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, how many staff in his Department who were transferred or seconded to work (a) in other departments or (b) on other departmental briefs on preparations for the UK to leave the EU, have since returned to his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	253454
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>EU departure is an all-of-Government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is responsible for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU. The Department for International Trade works to secure UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade.<strong><br></strong></p><p>Departments continually review workforce plans and reprioritise and assess changing needs, which includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. We have accelerated our plans, and at the same time, the Civil Service as a whole is working to ensure that exit implementation is carried out to a high standard without impacting public service delivery across the whole of Government.</p><p>For Defra, information relating to all staff who have been transferred or loaned to another department since June 2016 is provided below. We are not able to confirm how many of these were related to exit roles as this information is not held.</p><p>We have interpreted the second part of the question relating to ‘other departmental briefs’ as those working on projects with or in other departments through any informal arrangement that is not a formal loan or secondment. Based on this interpretation, Defra does not hold this data and is unable to provide this information.</p><p>The information is from June 2016 – present.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Total number of staff transferred to another Government department (OGD) between June 16 – March 19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>445</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of staff transferred to an OGD who have since returned to Defra</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total number of staff loaned to an OGD between June 19 – March 19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>118*</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of staff loaned to an OGD who have since returned to Defra</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>14</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*This figure includes 30 loans where the end dates are between May 2019 and January 2022, and therefore we would not expect staff to have returned to Defra. All loans are generally for a period of two years.</p><p> </p><p>We do not use the term ‘secondment’ to refer to Civil Servants moving between departments, instead we use the term ‘loan’. Therefore we have interpreted this question to refer to those who have moved to other departments on loans.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:09:10 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1126901

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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	Assistance Animals
	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 people travelling with assistance dogs to the EU will face disruption at EU borders at (a) train stations, (b) ports and (c) airports in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	254715
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government understands that assistance dog users, who have become familiar with the benefits of using the EU Pet Travel Scheme to travel to EU Member States, are concerned about the changes that could take place when the UK leaves the EU.</p><p> </p><p>In any exit scenario owners of assistance dogs from the UK will still be able to travel to the EU with their animals. After exit we want owners of assistance dogs to be able to take their animals to the EU with the minimum of disruption.</p><p> </p><p>If the UK leaves the EU without a deal and becomes an unlisted third country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme, assistance dogs would need to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies, as now, but would also need to undergo a blood titre test to demonstrate that their rabies vaccination has been effective.</p><p> </p><p>On 25 March 2019 Defra issued updated guidance on pet travel to Europe after Brexit, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit</a>. This advises of the contingency planning owners should consider to make sure their animals can travel to the EU in the scenario that the UK is not granted listed third country status under EU Pet Travel Scheme rules. The guidance advises owners to contact their vet at least four months before travelling to get the latest advice.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has submitted an application for the UK to become a listed country under the EU pet travel regulations. Should the UK become a Part 1 listed country, there would be little change to the current arrangements, with only minor changes needed for documentation and, in most cases, no change for owners from what they currently need to do in terms of their animal’s health preparation. It is now for the EU Commission to consider our application for listed status.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to work with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members. We will also work with carriers to ensure that assistance dog owners have the correct health preparation and documentation to enable them to enter the EU. When further information becomes available it will be published on GOV.UK. Email alerts on pet travel can be subscribed to at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications</a>. We will also ensure that vets who issue pet travel documents have the most up to date information.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/05/2019 14:19:39 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1136228

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	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 preparations his Department is making for the UK leaving the EU without an agreement; and how much funding has been allocated to those preparations.
	tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
	tabling member printed	Tom Brake
	uin	272103
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government remains focused on ensuring our smooth and orderly withdrawal from the EU, with a deal, as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Leaving without a withdrawal agreement remains the legal default at the end of the extension period, and as a responsible Government we have been preparing to minimise any disruption in the event of no deal for over two years.</p><p> </p><p>In light of the agreed extension to the EU departure date, departments are making pragmatic decisions about the timing and pace at which some of this work is progressing. We continue to prepare for all exit scenarios.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has put in place a range of mitigations to minimise any disruption arising from leaving the EU without a deal. This has included creating six new IT systems, ensuring necessary legislation was passed, and setting up a Business Readiness Directorate to support increased levels of stakeholder engagement.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We have also taken extensive steps to provide businesses and citizens with advice and guidance aimed at helping to mitigate the potential impacts of no deal. Where necessary, we will continue to update our advice on gov.uk on how people should prepare.</p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. 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> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 10/07/2019 15:57:26 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake