Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce veterinary costs.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is supportive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducting a full market investigation into the supply of veterinary services (including costs) for household pets in the UK. Defra cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, but we look forward to seeing the outcomes in May 2026 which will assist the work being undertaken to reform the veterinary sector.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to support the conservation of native red squirrel populations.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species, including red squirrels, especially through the delivery of our biodiversity targets, which will benefit many of our native species including red squirrels.
We know that red squirrel decline is being driven by the squirrel pox virus, habitat availability and competition from non-native grey squirrels. To address these pressures, we are supporting research into grey squirrel fertility and have put management measures in place to control grey squirrels to aid red squirrel conservation.
We are considering how to go further to reduce the impacts of grey squirrels on our woodlands and red squirrel populations and shall have an update in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, how many breaches of animal welfare regulations during periods of extreme weather have been recorded by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was made aware that the meat chicken sector experienced high mortality during the heat spell in July 2022. when an estimate of four million meat chickens died of heat stroke during two days of extreme heat. APHA inspectors visited 31 affected premises; in addition to the required regulatory actions, APHA has been liaising with the British Poultry council to raise awareness on the most common findings to allow appropriate contingency actions to be promptly implemented. Inspectors from APHA have been conducting follow-up inspections to monitor compliance on seven premises in 2023 (one disclosed as non-compliant) and ten premises in 2024 (with no non-compliances disclosed).
In addition to that, the Agency continue investigating allegations of potential animal welfare breaches however no specific figures are collected to identify the non-compliances specifically related to extreme weather conditions. Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused on farm or by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations. The Local Authority is notified and supported by APHA in any investigation carried out including those where enforcement actions are deemed necessary.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of climate change on farm animal welfare.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has commissioned, and published, research detailing potential adaptation options which farms could implement in order to adapt to the changing climate, including extreme heat, drought, rainfall and flooding. The analysis included potential adaptation options which would contribute towards the maintenance of animal welfare on-farm, in response to climate events.
The Animal Welfare Committee, the expert committee of Defra, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, has also recently begun work on a project to consider how best to safeguard the welfare of poultry from the effect of climate change.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, whether his Department plans to review the temperature threshold for transporting farm animals in the context of the frequency of extreme weather events.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is the responsibility of authorised transporters to ensure that any compromise to animal welfare is minimised during transport and that unnecessary suffering does not occur. Defra has published research detailing adaptations which farms could implement to adapt to the changing climate, including mitigating actions that can be taken when transporting animals. Defra has also commissioned and published research into the welfare outcomes of transporting poultry in temperature-controlled vehicles.
Defra guidance recommends that animals should not be transported in temperatures over 30°C and that transporters should consider a number of other factors, including checking the ‘feels like’ temperature for the intended journey if humidity is high.
Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action, which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations, and will work with Local Authorities who are responsible for taking any enforcement action.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of veterinarian costs on the number of animals being put down.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold data on the number of animals being euthanised due to veterinary costs.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting a full market investigation into the supply of veterinary services (including costs) for household pets in the UK. The market investigation is expected to conclude in May 2026. Defra cannot comment on an ongoing investigation but looks forward to seeing the recommendations made by the CMA.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, what resources his Department has made available to the Animal and Plant Health Agency to monitor compliance with animal welfare standards during periods of extreme heat.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
APHA does not receive additional resources to monitor compliance with animal welfare legal requirements during periods of extreme heat. However, the Agency has provided guidance on how to care for animals on farm and in transport in case of extreme weather since 2013; the guidance has been regularly reviewed and updated and it is available on the following page Keeping farm animals and horses in extreme weather - GOV.UK. In addition, The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) issues guidance to transporters on transporting animals in extreme hot and cold weather. The guidance ensures that transporters consider the particular risks that extreme weather presents to animal welfare and that animals are transported in a way that avoids any pain, suffering or distress.
APHA continues to monitor reports of animals being transported in extreme weather conditions. Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations. The Local Authority will be notified and will consider any appropriate enforcement action.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) funding and (b) other support his Department gives to seasonal campaigns run by (i) the RSPCA, (ii) the Dogs Trust and (iii) other campaigning organisations to highlight the risks of leaving pets in hot vehicles.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government greatly appreciates the work undertaken by the nation’s animal welfare organisations to highlight the risks associated with leaving pets in hot vehicles. The Government regularly engages with animal welfare organisations to discuss their campaigns but does not provide funds.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing booking systems at Household Waste Recovery Centres on fly tipping.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has no plans to undertake an assessment of the impact of introducing booking systems at Household Waste Recovery Centres (HWRCs) on fly-tipping.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with relevant authorities to prevent heat-related deaths of farm animals in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 May 2025 to the hon. Member for Romford, PQ UIN 48861.