Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent the overuse of antibiotics on farm animals.
Answered by George Eustice
In September 2013 the Government published the UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Strategy 2013 to 2018 which is led by the Department of Health, Public Health England and Defra. An annual progress report and implementation plan for the strategy is due for publication in November. This report will describe progress in implementing the strategy. It will include the further measures on animal health to be taken over the next four years to respond to the risk of AMR and to promote the responsible use of antibiotics.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) direct employees, (b) outsourced workers and (c) workers in agencies which report to her Department are paid less than the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
There are no direct employees paid less than the Living Wage in core Defra, AHVLA, VMD and RPA.
In FERA there are 11 and in CEFAS 7 directly employed members of staff on apprenticeship schemes who are paid below the Living Wage.
207 people are known to be employed on contracts in Defra and the executive agencies where the contractors pay less than the Living Wage.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will issue updated advice on the care of pets to address the issues of the welfare and abandonment of domestic rabbits.
Answered by George Eustice
The poor welfare and abandonment of any animal is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 or 6 months' imprisonment or both. The Government has no plans to issue specific advice on keeping pet rabbits but such advice is available from animal welfare organisations and some pet shops.