Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to criminalise acts of ecocide.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK already has strong regulations in place to protect the environment and contravention of many of these is a criminal offence. These are enforced by regulators who can seek criminal convictions to punish significant and or persistent environmental offending.
Through the Environment Act 2021 the Government legislated to protect and enhance the natural environment, including setting legally binding targets and publishing the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP). The Government has concluded a rapid review of the existing Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). We published a statement of the rapid review’s key findings on 30 January 2025 (copy attached), to be followed by publication of a revised EIP later this year. We will develop a new, statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery information to help meet each of our ambitious Environment Act targets.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they now plan to ratify the Aarhus Convention.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK ratified the Aarhus Convention in 2005 and we remain a party in our own right. Our exit from the EU does not change our commitment to respect, protect and fulfil the obligations contained in this important international agreement.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, where a dog or horse is being micro-chipped and its owner is of no fixed abode, such as in the case of Gypsies and Travellers, whether they have considered allowing a mobile phone number or address of a friend or relation of the owner to be recorded rather than the owner’s address.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Owners of horses and dogs without a fixed address should provide the address of a family member or close friend with whom they keep in contact. Defra have worked with the veterinary representative organisations on their guidance for vets on microchipping of dogs.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to issue guidance to vets on how to proceed with the micro-chipping of dogs or horses when the owner is of no fixed abode, such as in the case of Gypsies and Travellers.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Owners of horses and dogs without a fixed address should provide the address of a family member or close friend with whom they keep in contact. Defra have worked with the veterinary representative organisations on their guidance for vets on microchipping of dogs.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what happens to horses seized under the Control of Horses Act 2015.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Under the Control of Horse Act 2015, if a horse that has been detained for a minimum 96 hours has not been claimed by the owner it may be sold, rehomed with charities or, where other options are not available, euthanised.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which authorities are responsible for the monitoring of urban air.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In England, overall responsibility for monitoring ambient air quality lies with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In addition the Environment Agency is responsible for monitoring emissions from large and complex industrial processes in England. This function is undertaken by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency in Scotland, Natural Resources Wales in Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland. Under the Local Air Quality Management System, local authorities are responsible for reviewing and assessing ambient air quality.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which European Union directives apply to urban air pollution; and how each is enacted in United Kingdom law.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
There are two main pieces of European legislation applicable to urban air pollution:
There is also further legislation aimed at delivering specific reductions in emissions from certain areas of the economy, which for competitive or single market reasons has been set at European level. This includes:
.