Baroness Hayman of Ullock

The Government has not undertaken as assessment of the amount of energy required for the manufacture of insulation products, or the impact this may have on global warming. The Government remains committed to ensuring that all insulation products sold on the UK market are safe and perform to the required standard.

The Government has not undertaken such an assessment. The Government continues to take forward work to mitigate carbon emissions through measuring and reducing the embodied and operational carbon of the buildings and infrastructure it funds, and within the construction supply chain.

The Government has not made a public assessment of the quantity and mix of insulation required to reach Net Zero. There are multiple pathways to achieving Net Zero, all with varying degrees of insulation installed. In pathways where less insulation is installed, more heat demand must be met by low carbon heat. The optimal mix will depend on a number of factors, such as the cost of low carbon heating technologies, and the ability for the electricity grid to meet peak heat demand.

Government recognises the need for a skilled, competent and robust supply chain to deliver the improvements to buildings necessary to meet our net zero targets. We are continuing to work with the industry to support training in key skills shortage areas and new routes of entry to increase capacity.

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) published research in 2021, ‘Building Skills for Net Zero’, that used the Climate Change Committee’s data to define a skills route map for the UK construction industry. This identifies the roles and expertise teams need to meet the requirements for the UK, Wales and Scotland and can be found here: https://www.citb.co.uk/about-citb/construction-industry-research-reports/search-our-construction-industry-research-reports/building-skills-for-net-zero/

The English Housing Survey provides estimates[1] of the extent of different insulation measures in the English housing stock. These estimates suggest that 6.3m solid walls remain uninsulated, 5.4m cavity walls remain uninsulated, and 3.2m lofts have less than 100mm of insulation (this figure excludes homes that do not have a loft – for example, homes with a loft conversion). Only 1.9m homes currently have floor insulation.

It should be noted, particularly for higher cost measures like solid wall insulation, that not all these untreated properties need to be improved, as some of these improvements would not be considered cost effective, practical or affordable on an individual property basis. Energy efficiency is a matter for the devolved administrations, who will have equivalent estimates for their countries.

[1]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/898342/Energy_Chapter_2_Figures_and_Annex_Tables.xlsx, tabs: AT2.10, AT 2.11, and AT2.12

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.

The Government recognises that canals provide many public benefits, including social value to people and communities. When the Canal and River Trust was set up in 2012 to replace British Waterways, the Government agreed to provide an annual grant over 15 years to provide a measure of financial stability while the Trust developed alternative income streams. This was on the clear understanding, set out in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Defra and the Trust at the time, that the Trust would progressively reduce reliance on Government grant funding. During this 15-year period the total value of the grant payments will be around £740 million. The Government also transferred a property portfolio, generating around £50 million per annum and now worth around £1 billion, to support their costs.

Following a comprehensive evidence-based review of the grant that included consideration of the public benefits provided by canals, and while there was no obligation to do so, the Government has agreed to provide the Trust with a further £400 million grant over ten years from 2027 to support their continued efforts towards providing public benefits and delivering a safe and resilient canal network. This is consistent with the original strategic intent for the Canal & River Trust to reduce dependence on taxpayer funding as an independent charity.

Animal cruelty in England and Wales is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Similar legislation is in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Sentencing Council recently updated its sentencing guidelines for animal cruelty offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The guidelines include ‘use of technology to record, publicise or promote cruelty’ as an aggravating factor for animal cruelty offences under sections 4-8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The guidelines specify that this includes circulating details/photographs/videos etc of the offence on social media. There is no central recording of the use of such factors in sentencing.

The number of prosecutions in England and Wales for animal cruelty offences under sections 4-8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for the last three years for which we have full data is set out in the table below:

Depending on its nature, digital transmission of animal cruelty content may be an offence under different legislation, such as (but not exclusively) the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and the Communications Act 2007.

Animal cruelty in England and Wales is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Similar legislation is in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Sentencing Council recently updated its sentencing guidelines for animal cruelty offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The guidelines include ‘use of technology to record, publicise or promote cruelty’ as an aggravating factor for animal cruelty offences under sections 4-8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The guidelines specify that this includes circulating details/photographs/videos etc of the offence on social media. There is no central recording of the use of such factors in sentencing.

The number of prosecutions in England and Wales for animal cruelty offences under sections 4-8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for the last three years for which we have full data is set out in the table below:

Depending on its nature, digital transmission of animal cruelty content may be an offence under different legislation, such as (but not exclusively) the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and the Communications Act 2007.

Developing a vaccine against TB in cattle is one of the Government’s top priorities and will complement the already existing use of BadgerBCG.

Defra aims to have a deployable cattle TB vaccine (CattleBCG) in the next few years. In 2021, world-leading cattle TB vaccination field trials began as a result of a major breakthrough by Government scientists on the development of a new DIVA skin test to Detect Infected among Vaccinated Animals.

The UK is closer to being able to vaccinate cattle than we have ever been before, but there is still a lot of work to do. Final deployment will rely on the success of the ongoing field trials, achieving Marketing Authorisations from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (for both CattleBCG and the companion DIVA skin test), gaining international recognition for both products, an IT system to record and trace vaccinated cattle, and acceptance of vaccination from across the range of stakeholders.

A Government-industry collaborative working group has been established to co-design initial deployment policy proposals which will inform a public consultation.

Vaccinating cattle against bTB will be a valuable addition to the toolbox but will not replace existing control measures. Maintaining biosecurity measures on farm, avoiding risky movements of cattle and complying with testing protocols remain as important as ever in the fight against bovine TB.

Defra publishes official national statistics on tuberculosis in cattle in Great Britain on a quarterly basis. The latest quarterly release of these national statistics was published on 14 June and contained data up to the end of March 2023. This is publicly available at GOV.UK. The releases do not include a direct comparison between the rates of change in England and Wales as TB control is a devolved policy. Defra regularly meets with colleagues responsible for TB control in Wales. These discussions include reviewing disease information and the sharing of experiences with respect to the different and multiple policy interventions deployed in the fight against this endemic disease.

Several recent studies using whole genome sequencing data from Mycobacterium bovis isolates in cattle and badgers estimate that, in the UK, transmission of the bacterium occurs more frequently within the same host species (i.e. from cattle to cattle and from badger to badger), than between badgers and cattle. However, the relative rates of transmission between and within the two maintenance host species are not uniform across the country and can vary over time.

Even so, there is broad scientific consensus that badgers are implicated in the spread of TB to cattle. Professor Sir Charles Godfray’s independent review of the science published in 2018, which brought together leading UK experts, concluded that TB spreads within and between populations of badgers and cattle and that spread from badgers to cattle is an important cause of herd breakdowns in high-incidence areas.

UK Plastic Pact members have introduced more than 6,000 supermarket collection points across the UK, and the availability of these collection points is increasing.

The UK Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals while safeguarding animal welfare. In the UK, collaborative working between government, the veterinary profession and the agriculture sectors has resulted in a 55% reduction in the sales of antibiotics for food producing animals between 2014 and 2021 to the lowest levels ever recorded (28.3 mg/kg). This, and other trends are reported in the UK’s Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance and Sales Surveillance Report 2021. Since data was first published for each sector, veterinary antibiotic prescribing has reduced by 69% in the pig sector, 81% in the turkey sector, 72% in the broiler sector, 89% in the duck sector, 50% in the laying hen sector, 55% in the gamebird sector and 69% in the trout sector. These reductions throughout the livestock sectors demonstrate how antibiotic stewardship has become an important feature of UK farm management.

We asked the Animal Welfare Committee to update its 2014 Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing and we will study their recommendations carefully to determine next steps.

The Chemicals Strategy will frame the work we are doing across chemicals and put us on a path for improved chemicals management. It will address our approach to managing Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), along with other emerging chemicals of concern.

Work is underway across government to assess levels of PFAS occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform future policy and regulatory approaches. In the UK REACH Work Programme for 2021-22, Defra asked the EA and HSE to examine the risks posed by PFAS and develop a 'Regulatory Management Options Analysis' (RMOA). The RMOA will be published in Spring 2023 and will make recommendations for risk management measures. Defra and the Devolved Administrations will carefully consider these recommendations as we take forward our broader approach to PFAS management.

We are already committed to leading efforts to protect the marine environment and counter marine pollution. The UK Marine Strategy Programme of Measures sets out a comprehensive list of actions that HM Government is taking to reduce pollution in the marine environment and move us towards Good Environmental Status in our seas.

Data is provided by Water and Sewerage Companies to the Environment Agency each year as part of their regulatory Annual Return. As a result of additional duties introduced through the Environment Act, water companies will report in near real time, and where a monitor is offline, water companies are required to bring monitors back into service as soon as reasonably practical.

As part of the Annual Return, Water and Sewerage Companies are asked to provide:

• The percentage of the reporting period that the monitor was functioning and could reliably record discharges if one occurred.
• Primary reason why the Event Duration Monitor may not have been operational ≥90% of the reporting period
• Whether action to improve this overflow has been taken / is planned to be taken, and in which month; or whether there is an ongoing investigation to identify the appropriate action.

Defra continues to invest in avian influenza research and monitors the situation in Europe and globally. Defra funds research directly or by leveraging funding through UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)-funded non-governmental public body of which the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is a research council partner. In the last five years, £4.3 million has been invested in research, funded through BBSRC, either solely focussed on avian influenza, or as part of wider projects for poultry disease control.

In addition to supporting international collaboration through specific research projects, such as DeltaFlu, international collaboration and knowledge exchange is facilitated through discussions between the UK Chief Veterinary Officer and representatives from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) avian influenza national and international reference laboratories, and their counterparts in the EU and globally through the World Organisation for Animal Health and allied projects. Including through the joint WOAH-FOA Scientific Network on animal influenza OFFLU.

Collaborations include those through the STAR-IDAZ International Research Consortium on Animal Health which is run by a partnership including Defra, BBSRC, WOAH, CAB International and Kreavet BV. STAR-IDAZ is a global initiative aiming to coordinate research programmes at the international level and to contribute to the development of new and improved animal health strategies for priority diseases, infections and issues, including avian influenza.

We published a comprehensive Action Plan for Animal Welfare in May 2021. In support of this work, we have asked the Animal Welfare Committee to update its 2014 Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing; recommendations are due shortly and we will study them carefully to determine next steps.

Listening to farmers is a crucial part of how we shape our future farming policy. The Farmer Opinion Tracker provides a snapshot of views and opinion provided over a five week period between 28th October and 5th December 2022. As a sample based survey, responses can vary due to changes in sample as well as due to real changes on the ground. Broadly speaking, confidence measures in the most recent survey have remained similar to the previous survey results. While there were some declines in some measures, the changes observed were not typically statistically significant – this means that the changes were consistent with usual statistical variation.

Since the last survey was undertaken, we have provided more certainty to allow farmers to plan ahead by reiterating our commitment to the transition and pressing ahead with rolling out our Environmental Land Management schemes, fine-tuning them to make sure they help to deliver our ambitious outcomes on the environment and support a thriving farming sector. The Sustainable Farming Incentive is now live with thousands of farmers applying and we announced six new standards available this year, which will allow more farmers to take advantage of the scheme. Alongside that, Countryside Stewardship continues to offer payment for environmental actions, and will be enhanced to deliver our high environmental ambition, and we are getting ready to open up the second phase of Landscape Recovery scheme. In parallel, we have launched a number of grants for one-off funding to support productivity, such as money for new equipment and technology, slurry storage and water management.

We think this information gives farmers the certainty they need to plan effectively for the years ahead and urge all farmers to look at our schemes and grants and to decide what works for their farm business.

We remain in close contact with suppliers, who are clear that current issues relating to the availability of certain fruits and vegetables are predominately caused by poor weather in Spain and North Africa where they are produced. These issues have been caused by unseasonal weather hampering production and harvest during December and January.

While short term supplies might be tight, overall, the supply chain is robust, and we are keeping the market under review through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group.

The capability, levers, and expertise to respond to disruption lie with industry. Government's role is to support and enable an industry-led response.

The Government has taken steps to address these global pressures on farmers through to support for energy costs, cutting tariffs to reduce feed costs, improving avian influenza compensation schemes and taking a range of measures on fertilisers.

We work with industry bodies across the farming and horticulture sectors to monitor and assess the current market situation.

Minister Spencer held an industry roundtable with supermarkets on Monday 27 February to explore their plans for a return to normal supplies and contingencies for dealing with these supply chain problems.

We want to ensure we have an ambitious yet realistic timeframe for delivery of the scheme and sought views on what a feasible implementation timeline looked like in the 2021 consultation. Further details on when a DRS will be introduced will be in the government response to that consultation, which will be published early in the New Year. DRS presents a number of complex policy, delivery and design decisions which required additional time in 2022 to work through before we could finalise our response. Waste is a devolved policy area, and we are working closely with the devolved administrations and industry to support the successful delivery of the scheme across the UK, including mitigating the impacts that arise from differences in scheme implementation.

We want to ensure we have an ambitious yet realistic timeframe for delivery of the scheme and sought views on what a feasible implementation timeline looked like in the 2021 consultation. Further details on when a DRS will be introduced will be in the government response to that consultation, which will be published early in the New Year. DRS presents a number of complex policy, delivery and design decisions which required additional time in 2022 to work through before we could finalise our response. Waste is a devolved policy area, and we are working closely with the devolved administrations and industry to support the successful delivery of the scheme across the UK, including mitigating the impacts that arise from differences in scheme implementation.

One of the objectives of the DRS is to offer a greater opportunity to collect higher quality, uncontaminated materials in greater quantities. By creating a separate waste stream for the materials in scope of the DRS (as opposed to them being collected at kerbside co-mingled with other recycled waste), we will be able to collect them to a high quality for reprocessing.

Legislation on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency is responsible for carrying out any investigations concerning the welfare of farmed fish, including at slaughter.

As part of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we are currently considering improvements that could be made to the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing. To inform this work, we have asked the Animal Welfare Committee for advice on the killing of farmed fish, including the use of wellboats.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill proposes reducing the number of pet dogs, cats and ferrets that can travel to Great Britain in one non-commercial movement to five pets per vehicle. This was informed by research and engagement with various stakeholders, including authorised pet checkers, carriers, animal welfare organisations and veterinary bodies, to determine a suitable limit that would disrupt the illegal trade abusing the non-commercial pet travel rules while minimising the impact of genuine owners travelling with their pets. While we have information on the number of pets owned by families, we do not hold detailed data on how many pets people actually choose to take with them when going abroad.

We have introduced the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill into Parliament. This Bill includes a provision to reduce the number of pet dogs, cats and ferrets that can travel in one non-commercial movement from five per person to five per vehicle, or three per person if they are a foot passenger.

The Bill also includes a power to make regulations about the importation of pet animals into Great Britain for the purpose of promoting animal welfare. This will allow us to bring in new restrictions on the commercial import and non-commercial movement of pets on welfare grounds such as: increasing the minimum age that dogs can be moved for non-commercial purposes, or commercially imported, into Great Britain; prohibiting the importation of heavily pregnant dams, and dogs which have been subjected to low welfare practices such as ear cropping or tail docking. Under our proposals volumes would drop further if animals can no longer travel into Great Britain if they are not compliant with these new restrictions.

The Bill was successful in obtaining a carry-over motion on 25 April and was reintroduced in Parliament on 11 May 2022 following the Queens speech. We are preparing for Commons report stage which will take place as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The introduction of the 1822 Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act was an important milestone. The UK was the first country in the world to pass legislation to protect animals and two years after this Act was passed, the organisation that would become the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was formed.

In 1875, we were the first country to introduce measures to improve conditions in slaughterhouses. In 1876, we were the first country to pass legislation regulating experiments on animals and passed the landmark Protection of Animals Act in 1911, an Act emulated by many other countries around the world. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 introduced a robust framework and powers for protecting all kept animals in England and Wales.

The UK has a strong track record for raising the bar when it comes to farm animal welfare standards, such as banning the use of battery cages for laying hens, close confinement stalls for pigs and veal crates for calves, and making CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses in England. More recently we have introduced the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, which increases the maximum sentence for the worst animal cruelty offences from six months to five years in England and Wales, and most recently, the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act and the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.

We continue to mark the achievement of this landmark 1822 Act through delivery of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare and by launching in its bi-centenary year the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to drive even higher standards of health and welfare for farmed animals.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any protected animal, or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of an animal, including fish, for which that person is responsible. Current regulations (1009/2009) require that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. Any allegations of welfare or health issues will be investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Cefas, and where there are non-compliances with the regulations, appropriate action will be taken.

Visits to fish farms in Scotland are carried out by trained APHA inspectors in liaison with Marine Scotland Fish Inspectors in accordance with the requirements of Scottish Government (SG). APHA has been instructed by the SG to carry out inspections of farmed salmon slaughter facilities and based on these findings SG will then assess the need for future planned inspections. In England and Wales, there is no routine animal welfare inspection programme at farmed fish processing premises. However, as part of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we are carefully considering issues raised in the review of the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015, including detailed protections for the welfare of farmed fish. We are also asking the Animal Welfare Committee to update its 2014 Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing.

All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation: The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal; and The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 set down detailed requirements on how farmed livestock, including dairy cattle, must be kept.

Potential breaches of animal health and welfare legislation are taken very seriously indeed. Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) inspectors and local authorities conduct inspections on-farm to ensure compliance with the law and with the relevant statutory farm animal welfare code. Appropriate action is taken against anyone who breaks the law when non-compliances are disclosed. This may include a follow-up, unannounced, inspection by APHA at a later date to confirm compliance. The local authority, as the appropriate enforcement agency, may initiate prosecution action for animal welfare offences where there is sufficient evidence.

The Government is committed to scrutiny of animal welfare considerations in FTAs through a range of measures, including relative animal welfare standards. This includes standards and industry practices for Australian egg production. Conventional (“battery”) cages for laying hens have been banned in the UK since 2012.

The Free Trade Agreement will contain a commitment to an Animal Welfare Working Group to provide a forum for ongoing cooperation and initiatives in areas of mutual interest, to review animal welfare developments and to promote high animal welfare practices.

The UK tariff treatment for pigs, poultry and eggs from Australia is not yet determined.

There is clear evidence that animals with a backbone (vertebrates) are sentient and this is reflected in the Government’s Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill introduced to the House of Lords on 13 May 2021. However, the Bill also gives the Secretary of State a power to extend the recognition of sentience to particular invertebrates in future on the basis of evidence.

Defra has commissioned an independent review of the available scientific evidence on sentience in decapod crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters, as well as sentience in the class, Cephalopoda, which includes octopus, cuttlefish and squid. The review will report shortly. We look forward to receiving its conclusions, which we will respond to as part of our ongoing work to protect the welfare needs of animals.

Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. Now we have left the EU we have the opportunity to consider whether detailed regulation is needed.

We have recently concluded a review of the welfare of animals at the time of killing legislation and this identified potential improvements that might be made, including on the welfare of farmed fish at slaughter. We are carefully considering issues raised in the review.

New research conducted by Eunomia for Defra and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) indicates that cleaning up littered cigarette butts currently costs litter authorities in the UK around £40 million per year, rising to £46 million when including those disposed of in public bins.

We have recently announced our intention to explore regulatory options to ensure that the tobacco industry takes sufficient financial responsibility for the toxic litter created by its products. Supported by the Department of Health and Social Care, Defra is now actively exploring the suitability of regulatory options to reduce tobacco litter and we plan to conduct further research this year.

This research will help inform next steps and we therefore cannot yet confirm a timescale. The Government will continue to work closely with stakeholders to address the issue. Government policy in this area must be developed in accordance with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and its guidelines.

The Environment Bill will allow us to legislate for extended producer responsibility schemes, which could include requiring cigarette producers to pay the full disposal costs of products or materials that they place on the market, including littered cigarette butts.

Cigarette and tobacco product packaging will already be covered by the reforms to the packaging producer responsibility scheme, which are currently open for consultation.

New research conducted by Eunomia for Defra and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) indicates that cleaning up littered cigarette butts currently costs litter authorities in the UK around £40 million per year, rising to £46 million when including those disposed of in public bins.

We have recently announced our intention to explore regulatory options to ensure that the tobacco industry takes sufficient financial responsibility for the toxic litter created by its products. Supported by the Department of Health and Social Care, Defra is now actively exploring the suitability of regulatory options to reduce tobacco litter and we plan to conduct further research this year.

This research will help inform next steps and we therefore cannot yet confirm a timescale. The Government will continue to work closely with stakeholders to address the issue. Government policy in this area must be developed in accordance with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and its guidelines.

The Environment Bill will allow us to legislate for extended producer responsibility schemes, which could include requiring cigarette producers to pay the full disposal costs of products or materials that they place on the market, including littered cigarette butts.

Cigarette and tobacco product packaging will already be covered by the reforms to the packaging producer responsibility scheme, which are currently open for consultation.

This Government has a manifesto commitment to introduce new laws on animal sentience, which we will do as soon as parliamentary time allows.

We can be rightly proud that the UK already has world-class animal welfare standards, but the Government is committed to strengthening these further, including increasing maximum sentences for animal cruelty, banning third party sales of puppies, and introducing one of the world's toughest bans on ivory sales.

This Government has a manifesto commitment to introduce new laws on animal sentience, which we will do as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The current science is clear that vertebrates can experience pain and suffering. It is on that basis that the definition of "animal" in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 is limited only to vertebrates. Defra has commissioned an independent external review of the available scientific evidence on sentience in decapods and cephalopods. This review is expected to report shortly.

There is a range of legislation already in place to protect aquatic animals including the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, Eels Regulations 2009, Conservation of Seals Act 1970, the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has recently commenced the seventh Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Later this year, JNCC will make evidence-based recommendations to the Secretary of State as to which species warrant additional legal protections to secure their future conservation. The Government will consider any recommendations to add species to Schedule 5 or 8, at this point, once these recommendations have been submitted.

Further, the Fisheries Act's ecosystems objective contains a requirement to "minimise, and where possible eliminate bycatch of sensitive marine species". We will set out policies that will help to achieve this objective in the Joint Fisheries Statement, which is a UK-wide document.

There are no biosecurity risks from delay. The agreement reached with the EU means the UK and EU have highly similar animal and plant health measures, now the transition period has ended.

Moving forward, we are committed to maintaining high biosecurity, food safety and animal welfare standards. This includes the introduction of the staged SPS controls.

In advance of the implementation of the new regime of checks, we already have controls in place on high risk goods. This includes Products of Animal Origin that are subject to additional safeguard measures, and the Government remains able to take emergency safeguard action at very short notice to prohibit or restrict the importation of certain products from certain countries following an outbreak of disease or a public health issue, such as avian influenza.

The summary of responses to the call for evidence on non-elephant ivory trade was published on 10 November 2020. We are currently considering this evidence and plan to consult on potential policy options later in the year.

The Government has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese raises serious welfare concerns.

Production is banned in the UK as it is incompatible with domestic legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it a criminal offence not to provide for an animal's welfare needs and to allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily.

Now our future relationship with the European Union has been established the Government is considering the further steps it could take in relation to foie gras.

We are offering extensions of one year to suitable expiring Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements, as an alternative to entry into the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, ahead of the introduction of new schemes such as Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) published the criteria used to offer HLS extensions which can be found on the GOV.UK website.

We understand that some may not agree with the decision so we have included an opportunity to review decisions not to offer an extension formally. We know that the position on common land is more complex and RPA is working closely with Natural England and commoners to resolve any differences of opinion.

There are a range of options being provided to help farmers continue to manage their land sustainably and prepare to take part in new schemes as they are introduced.

Defra will be offering certain Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders the opportunity to extend their agreements as their existing agreements expire, if they wish to do so and meet the extension criteria. The criteria ensure that the agreements continue to deliver positive environmental outcomes and protect our Priority Habitats and SSSIs.

Additionally, it is now possible for HLS agreement holders to apply for the Countryside Stewardship Capital grants offer alongside their HLS agreement, where they wish to undertake new works. Alternatively, agreement holders can apply for a new five-year Countryside Stewardship agreement if they want to make changes to their land management options.

These opportunities will help to bridge the gap between current agreements and the start of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes, ensuring a continuation of both environmental benefits, and funding for agreement holders.

Natural England must notify all owners and occupiers where it considers an area to be of special interest (notification of Sites of Special Scientific Interest – SSSIs). This will usually follow informal discussion, including discussion about management. Consensus between regulators, land managers, users and other stakeholders is generally required to deliver positive conservation outcomes for SSSIs. Countryside Stewardship currently provides the principal mechanism to help private land managers meet the cost of any positive management needed to restore SSSIs to, or maintain them in, favourable condition.

We believe that the tobacco industry must take responsibility for the litter created by its products. Our most recent composition survey found cigarette butts represent 66% of all littered items.

Preliminary research has shown an estimated cost to UK local authorities and other duty bodies of £40m per annum for the collection and disposal of littered cigarette butts, rising to £46m when including those disposed of in public bins. This has been drawn from an analysis of local authority spend on litter using local authority revenue outturns, litter composition studies across the UK and local authority surveys and interviews. This research is undergoing quality assurance and will be published in due course.

We have made clear that we will continue to monitor the available evidence on smoking related litter and that if it continues to be a significant environmental concern we will reflect on the steps Government can take to ensure that the tobacco industry takes more responsibility. Measures in the Environment Bill will allow us to legislate for an extended producer responsibility scheme for tobacco products, if such an intervention was considered necessary.

Cigarette and tobacco product packaging will be covered by the upcoming reforms to the packaging producer responsibility scheme.

We believe that the tobacco industry must take responsibility for the litter created by its products. Our most recent composition survey found cigarette butts represent 66% of all littered items.

Preliminary research has shown an estimated cost to UK local authorities and other duty bodies of £40m per annum for the collection and disposal of littered cigarette butts, rising to £46m when including those disposed of in public bins. This has been drawn from an analysis of local authority spend on litter using local authority revenue outturns, litter composition studies across the UK and local authority surveys and interviews. This research is undergoing quality assurance and will be published in due course.

We have made clear that we will continue to monitor the available evidence on smoking related litter and that if it continues to be a significant environmental concern we will reflect on the steps Government can take to ensure that the tobacco industry takes more responsibility. Measures in the Environment Bill will allow us to legislate for an extended producer responsibility scheme for tobacco products, if such an intervention was considered necessary.

Cigarette and tobacco product packaging will be covered by the upcoming reforms to the packaging producer responsibility scheme.

We have committed to fully fund all new burdens on local authorities arising from the Environment Bill in order to make our ambition a reality.

We have worked closely with local authorities to develop the Bill, and are committed to engaging with local authorities as we seek to maximise effective delivery, for example as we consult further on the implementation of measures on extended producer responsibility, deposit return schemes and biodiversity net gain.

Local authorities, as local leaders, experts, place-shapers and conveners of local communities, will play a fundamental role in delivering the environmental action needed in their areas. They will be supported in delivering this change through increased powers to take effective action, reduced financial burdens from waste management and stronger abilities to improve nature, health and social outcomes for local citizens.

In the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy we set out our ambitions of doubling resource productivity and eliminating avoidable waste by 2050. To help us achieve these and other ambitions, we are taking powers in the Environment Bill to enable us through regulations, to require those who place specified products or materials on the UK market to meet, or contribute to, the cost of managing these products at end of life. These powers are in addition to the resource efficiency powers in the Environment Bill.

We are starting with reforming the packaging producer responsibility regulations and will introduce extended producer responsibility for packaging. This will see packaging producers paying for the waste management costs associated with the packaging that they place on the market. This includes those costs currently borne by local authorities for managing packaging waste disposed of by households

We consulted on our initial proposals in 2019 and will be publishing a second consultation this year.

Additionally, we have committed to review and consult on measures such as extended producer responsibility and product standards for five new waste streams, by the end of 2025. These are: textiles, bulky household items (such as mattresses and furniture), construction materials, tyres, and fishing gear. Where extended producer responsibility is identified as the preferred policy approach then businesses placing products on the market can expect to be required to meet or contribute to waste management costs including costs incurred by local authorities.

It is established good practice for local authorities to scan any cat or dog found on the streets so that the owner can be informed. Cats Protection report that 80% of councils in England routinely scan cats involved in accidents.

Additionally, Highways England has clear guidelines for contractors to follow when they find a deceased cat or dog. This process is designed with owners in mind, giving them the best chance of being informed of the incident to allow closure. The process is laid out in the Network Management Manual and in 2015 the necessary arrangements were made in all Highways England’s contracts to collect and identify cats and dogs killed on the strategic road network and to contact their owners.

Under the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015, the Defra Secretary of State has powers to ensure database operators meet the requirements under the regulations. The Secretary of State may also authorise in writing "an authorised person", such as a local authority or police constable, to act for the purpose of enforcing these regulations. Defra can therefore work with authorised persons and enforcement agencies, such as Trading Standards, to deal with non-compliant databases.

The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and is committed to introducing the compulsory microchipping of cats. Cat owners can ensure that they register with a compliant database by using any of the microchipping databases listed on GOV.UK.

Defra is also conducting a Post Implementation Review of The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 which will consider the operation of the microchip databases.

Under the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015, the Defra Secretary of State has powers to ensure database operators meet the requirements under the regulations. The Secretary of State may also authorise in writing "an authorised person", such as a local authority or police constable, to act for the purpose of enforcing these regulations. Defra can therefore work with authorised persons and enforcement agencies, such as Trading Standards, to deal with non-compliant databases.

The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and is committed to introducing the compulsory microchipping of cats. Cat owners can ensure that they register with a compliant database by using any of the microchipping databases listed on GOV.UK.

Defra is also conducting a Post Implementation Review of The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 which will consider the operation of the microchip databases.

The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and has a manifesto commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping of cats. Defra launched a consultation in December 2020 on the compulsory microchipping and scanning of cats, and scanning of dogs in England which ended on 17 February. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and we will issue our response to it later this year.

The Government advises owners to follow the statutory welfare code for cats which advises that microchipping a cat gives them the best chance of being identified, and reunited with their owner if injured or lost. The code of practice for the welfare of cats can be found in the attached document.

Cat owners can ensure that they register with a compliant database by using any of the microchipping databases listed on GOV.UK.

The Environment Bill requires that Statutory Instruments setting out the targets must be brought forwards by 31 October 2022 and will come into force once approved by Parliament. Work is continuing to meet this deadline.

We will continue to develop targets through the robust, evidence-led process set out in our policy paper, published in August 2020. This timetable is unaffected by the pause to the Bill. This process seeks independent expert advice, provides a role for stakeholders and the public, as well as scrutiny from Parliament. We are working towards a public consultation that will include proposed targets and an assessment of their impacts in early 2022.

Organised outdoor sports and activities can take place in all tiers under the Covid-19 response tier system, and should be organised according to the rules of the tier in which the activity is taking place.

As such, trail hunting and hunting carried out under the exemptions in the Hunting Act 2004 can take place where permitted by the landowner. The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police.

The Department receives data on spare capacity on a voluntary basis from care homes. However, this data is not sufficiently accurate to provide a comprehensive assessment of national spare capacity.

The Designated Settings Indemnity Support (DSIS) was introduced specifically to enable those care homes assured, or intending to be assured, by the Care Quality Commission as Designated Settings and which are unable to obtain sufficient insurance, to overcome this barrier to accepting infectious COVID-19 positive patients from the National Health Service. It is a targeted, temporary measure to boost capacity in these settings and support wider NHS discharges in response to current pandemic pressures. The support will run until the end of March 2021, with a review point in mid-February. The DSIS is not, therefore, a permanent or sector-wide intervention.

We recognise that the wider adult social care insurance market is changing in response to the pandemic and that some care providers may encounter difficulties as their policies come up for renewal. We are working closely across Government, with care providers and insurance representatives to understand the breadth and severity of these wider issues, including those related to visiting and whether there is any further action the Government should take.

Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines provide a high degree of protection after the first dose. The decision to update the dosing interval is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and is designed to save lives. It was made following a thorough review of the data and was in line with the recommendations of the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers. The JCVI advised that we should prioritise giving as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing two doses in as short a time as possible.

The Government has no current plans to revise the phase one priority groups to include all family members of care home residents. Family members and other care home visitors will continue to be prioritised following the wider Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advice.

The Government acknowledges the drafted regulations and responded to the Joint Committee on Human Rights regarding them on 22 February 2021. Although we have considered using these regulations to help allow care home visiting, we have decided to pursue non-legislative routes, which allow us to move more swiftly in changing circumstances and to accommodate all care homes.

We recognise the very significant impact that restricting visiting in care homes and mental health settings has had on residents, their family and loved ones.

We are taking a carefully balanced, step-by-step approach to opening up more visiting opportunities. New visiting arrangements started on 8 March and every care home should enable each resident to nominate one named person who can make regular, indoor visits.

Those residents with the highest care needs can also nominate an “Essential Care Giver” who will be able to visit more often in order to provide essential care. They will have the same testing and personal protective equipment arrangements as care home staff.

Our guidance makes clear that care homes should support this visiting as the default. We are working with the care home sector to encourage and enable care homes to do so.

The Department is providing a tailored training and guidance package for care homes in order to support them to establish effective testing regimes. We have made £4.6 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care.

In addition, the Infection Control Fund, set up in May, has been extended until March 2021, with an extra £546 million for the care sector to take key steps to improve infection prevention and control. As per the grant conditions, this funding may be used for supporting safe visiting in care homes.

We want to bring an end to the pain of separation and help care homes bring families and loved ones together. The launch of visitor testing is a crucial step to making that happen.

Testing is only one way of minimising the risk of visiting a care home. If a visitor has a negative test, is wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and following other infection control measures, then it will be possible for family and friends to visit care homes.

Following a successful trial in 20 care homes, we have started the phased rollout of new rapid tests to all care homes across England to support visiting. The first 385 care homes are now able to begin testing visitors and we aim to roll this out to all care homes by Christmas.

Work has taken place to ensure we have the logistical expertise, transport, and workforce to rollout a vaccine, at the speed at which it can be manufactured. In line with the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the vaccine will be initially rolled out to priority groups, including care home residents and staff, people over 80 years old, and health and care workers. The vaccine will then be prioritised amongst the rest of the population in order of age and risk, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and all individuals aged 16-64 years old with underlying health conditions.

The JCVI appreciates that operational considerations, such as minimising wastage, may require deviation from the prioritisation order as outlined in the statement, where decisions are taken in consultation with national or local public health advice. We will follow the advice of the JCVI on clinical prioritisation, which supports vaccinating those most at risk of death from COVID-19.

On 1 December, we published updated online only guidance to enable more meaningful indoor visits to take place for care home residents across all tiers. This is enabled by providing testing to visitors, which will be available before Christmas. It is a matter for care providers to make decisions about their visiting policy, based on the national guidance.

The guidance enables care home providers, families and local professionals to work together to find the right balance between the benefits of visiting on wellbeing and quality of life, and the risk of transmission of COVID-19 to vulnerable residents and social care staff.

When developing this policy, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders from across the sector including the Methodist Home Association.

We recognise that the adult social care insurance market is changing in response to the pandemic. We are working closely across Government, with care providers and insurance representatives to understand the breadth and severity of the issues, and whether there is any action the Government should take to support the sector.

Everyone has the right to make the house they rent a home and responsible pet owners should not be discriminated against. This is why the Government have outlined legislative plans in our recently published White Paper, 'A Fairer Private Rented Sector', to ensure that private landlords do not unreasonably withhold consent when tenants request to have a pet in their home. We will also give tenants a right to challenge unreasonable decisions.

Alongside this, we will make it easier for landlords to accept pets by amending the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to include pet insurance as a permitted payment. This means landlords will be able to require pet insurance, so that any damage to their property is covered.

Currently landlords can use the Model Tenancy Agreement (MTA), the government's recommended contract for assured shorthold tenancies in the private rented sector, which aims to make it easier for tenants with pets to find private landlords who will accept them.

The Government has not made any specific assessment of the uptake of the revised Model Tenancy Agreement (MTA) in relation to supporting more pet-friendly accommodation. The most recent report from the English Private Landlord Survey (EPLS 2021) showed that 52% of landlords who responded said they used the MTA for assured shorthold tenancies. The same report also showed that less than half (45%) of private landlords are unwilling to let to tenants with pets.

The revision of the MTA aimed to make it easier for tenants with pets to find private landlords who will accept them. While the use of the MTA and adherence to its contents is optional, we set out in our White Paper, ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’, that we will go further by legislating to ensure that private landlords do not unreasonably withhold consent when tenants request to have a pet in their home. Tenants will be able to challenge unreasonable decisions. Alongside this, we will make it easier for landlords to accept pets by amending the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to include pet insurance as a permitted payment. This means landlords will be able to require pet insurance, so that any damage to their property is covered.

The changes in the Elections Bill aim to strengthen the support for all voters with disabilities in the polling station, including those that are blind or partially sighted, and to improve the way that this support is delivered. Rather than a blanket provision, we want voters with any form of disability to get the support that is right for them and for Returning Officers to tailor their approach to suit the needs of disabled electors in their area - including blind and partially sighted voters.

We are working with the Electoral Commission to support guidance being produced to assist Returning Officers in carrying out their new duty. Whilst greater emphasis will be placed on meeting local disabled electors’ needs, including those who are blind and partially sighted, in a way which is tailored and targeted to their individual needs, the guidance will set clear baseline expectations and standards to support equal access to equipment and resources.

The 2019 Judicial Review showed that the existing legislation is no longer fit for purpose and the changes in the Elections Bill will address this.

The changes in the Elections Bill aim to strengthen the support for all voters with disabilities in the polling station, including those that are blind or partially sighted, and to improve the way that this support is delivered. Rather than a blanket provision, we want voters with any form of disability to get the support that is right for them and for Returning Officers to tailor their approach to suit the needs of disabled electors in their area - including blind and partially sighted voters.

We are working with the Electoral Commission to support guidance being produced to assist Returning Officers in carrying out their new duty. Whilst greater emphasis will be placed on meeting local disabled electors’ needs, including those who are blind and partially sighted, in a way which is tailored and targeted to their individual needs, the guidance will set clear baseline expectations and standards to support equal access to equipment and resources.

The 2019 Judicial Review showed that the existing legislation is no longer fit for purpose and the changes in the Elections Bill will address this.

Embodied carbon can account for a significant proportion of the total carbon emissions over the lifetime of a building, and reducing the carbon emitted during the construction of homes and buildings is an important part of our net zero transition. This particular aspect has not been quantified, but my Department is actively considering what can be done to reduce embodied carbon in buildings, and as part of that will be exploring a maximum level for new builds in the future.