Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
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 17 October 2014 to Question 209943, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that contraventions of the Water Industry Act 1991 are being detected.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency and Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority) are responsible for ensuring that contraventions of the Water Industry Act 1991 are detected. In discharging their functions they undertake inspections, check compliance, review plans and reports, investigate incidents and act upon their findings. Each organisation publishes details annually of the action they have taken.
Further to their powers within the Water Industry Act 1991 the Environment Agency and Ofwat are Prescribed Persons on The Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014 (SI No. 2418) with regard to whistle blowing.
Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many contraventions of the Water Industry Act 1991 there have been in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Lancashire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
Between 2009 and 2013 there have been 12 contraventions under sections of the Water Industry Act 1991 in England, with one of these occurring in the North West. There were no contraventions in the Lancashire area.
Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations her Department has received on the checks by a vet on dogs for possible hereditary diseases before being used for breeding; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
We have not received any recent representations on this particular issue. However, I am aware that it is one of the recommendations in the report by the Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding.
Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations her Department has received about the reduction of the number of puppy litters permitted during any 12 month period before a dog breeding licence is required; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
This is a recommendation made by a number of key stakeholders. However, the existing legislation does not set a minimum threshold for numbers of litters born in a twelve month period. Instead, the legislation determines anyone who is in the business of breeding and selling dogs needs to be licensed. The legislation also sets a threshold of five litters born in a twelve month period at which everyone needs a licence, regardless of whether they are considered as being in the business.
Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many complaints Trading Standards have received relating to the sale of unwell puppies in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
Details of the number of complaints that Trading Standards have received relating to the sale of sick puppies would rest with each local authority and are not held centrally.
Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases of lungworm in dogs have been identified in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
The data requested is not collected or held by Defra.
Asked by: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs were injured as a result of (a) dog fighting, (b) dog baiting and (c) unprovoked attacks by other dogs in each region of the UK in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
The data requested is not collected or held by Defra.