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Written Question
Dogs
Wednesday 30th October 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) updating and (b) consolidating the regulations on dog control.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The Government considers that the powers and measures contained within dangerous dog legislation allow enforcers such as police and local authorities to take the necessary action in order to prevent and tackle incidents of dangerous dogs. Local initiatives such as Local Environmental Awareness on Dogs (LEAD) can also be adopted in areas where police, local authorities and other interested parties can come together to promote responsible dog ownership.

In addition, early intervention measures such as Community Protection Notices can be issued by local authority officers or police to anyone causing low level anti-social behaviour involving a dog.

The Government last reviewed the law on dangerous dogs in 2014 and made a number of changes. The changes included extending the scope of the offence of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control from public places to all places; increasing the maximum penalties for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control; when a dog causes injury or death and when a dog attacks an assistance dog.

The Government realises the importance of quality research to help inform its policy, and in November 2018 Defra commissioned further research in collaboration with Middlesex University to look at responsible ownership across all breeds of dog. The research will consider different approaches and the effectiveness of current dog control measures. The research will also seek to identify and examine the factors and situations that may cause dog attacks and how to promote responsible dog ownership.


Written Question
Dogs
Tuesday 29th October 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish her Department's research on the effectiveness of dog control.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Defra commissioned research on responsible dog ownership with Middlesex University. The research aims to update the review Defra commissioned previously in 2010 which considered risk factors around dog attacks, as well as reviewing the use of enforcement around dog control issues, identifying best practice case studies and how to promote responsible dog ownership. As part of the research, the team will draw on relevant evidence from a number of EU countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Spain. The research is due to be completed by the end of 2019. The Government will discuss the findings with stakeholders including dog welfare organisations who have contributed to the research.


Written Question
Dangerous Dogs
Tuesday 29th October 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will bring forward legislative proposals to allow rehoming organisations to rehome well-behaved and suitably assessed section 1 dogs.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

I refer my Hon Friend to the reply previously given on June 27 to PQ 267365.


Written Question
Dogs: Animal Welfare
Tuesday 29th October 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with dog welfare organisations on promoting responsible dog ownership in education.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Defra commissioned research on responsible dog ownership with Middlesex University. The research aims to update the review Defra commissioned previously in 2010 which considered risk factors around dog attacks, as well as reviewing the use of enforcement around dog control issues, identifying best practice case studies and how to promote responsible dog ownership. As part of the research, the team will draw on relevant evidence from a number of EU countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Spain. The research is due to be completed by the end of 2019. The Government will discuss the findings with stakeholders including dog welfare organisations who have contributed to the research.


Written Question
Dogs
Tuesday 29th October 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has commissioned research on (a) regulations in relation to dog and (b) responsible dog ownership policies in EU countries.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Defra commissioned research on responsible dog ownership with Middlesex University. The research aims to update the review Defra commissioned previously in 2010 which considered risk factors around dog attacks, as well as reviewing the use of enforcement around dog control issues, identifying best practice case studies and how to promote responsible dog ownership. As part of the research, the team will draw on relevant evidence from a number of EU countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Spain. The research is due to be completed by the end of 2019. The Government will discuss the findings with stakeholders including dog welfare organisations who have contributed to the research.


Written Question
Animal Welfare: Licensing
Monday 9th September 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, what the (a) average fee and (b) lowest and highest charges for licences issued in England in 2019 to date across all local authorities was for (i) breeding dogs, (ii) providing or arranging for the provision of boarding for cats, (iii) providing or arranging for the provision of boarding for dogs in kennels, (iv) providing or arranging for the provision of day care for dogs, (v) hiring out horses, (vi) selling animals as pets and (vii) keeping or training animals for exhibition.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Under regulation 29 of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 it is a requirement for local authorities in England to submit specified information relating to licensable activities in their respective areas. Such information should be submitted to the Secretary of State by 31 May for each preceding year 1 April to 31 March. Local authorities have submitted information to the Secretary of State for this year and Defra is analysing the data. We aim to publish the information later this year.


Written Question
Animal Welfare: Licensing
Monday 9th September 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, how many licences have been issued under those regulations in 2019 for (a) breeding dogs, (b) providing or arranging for the provision of boarding for cats, (c) providing or arranging for the provision of boarding for dogs in kennels, (d) providing or arranging for the provision of day care for dogs, (e) hiring out horses, (f) selling animals as pets and (g) keeping or training animals for exhibition.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Under regulation 29 of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 it is a requirement for local authorities in England to submit specified information relating to licensable activities in their respective areas. Such information should be submitted to the Secretary of State by 31 May for each preceding year 1 April to 31 March. Local authorities have submitted information to the Secretary of State for this year and Defra is analysing the data. We aim to publish the information later this year.


Written Question
Animal Welfare: Licensing
Monday 9th September 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many local authorities in England have submitted data for 2019 on the number of licences they have issued under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Under regulation 29 of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 it is a requirement for local authorities in England to submit specified information relating to licensable activities in their respective areas. Such information should be submitted to the Secretary of State by 31 May for each preceding year 1 April to 31 March. Local authorities have submitted information to the Secretary of State for this year and Defra is analysing the data. We aim to publish the information later this year.


Written Question
Livestock: Animal Welfare
Thursday 1st August 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

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 3 June 2019 to Question 259124 on Livestock: Animal Welfare, what plans his Department has to introduce benchmark incentives for farmers to maintain and enhance animal health standards.

Answered by George Eustice

We are working in partnership with representatives of industry and the veterinary profession to establish a range of interventions to reduce the impacts of endemic disease on farm productivity and animal welfare. By working closely with industry we will ensure that actions are effective and will improve the health of livestock nationally. Our discussions are at an early stage. At present, we have no plans to introduce benchmark standards.


Written Question
Air Pollution: Health Hazards
Friday 21st June 2019

Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)

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 2019 to Question 251249, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) reach and (b) effectiveness of its work to communicate with people vulnerable to the effects of air pollution during episodes of high pollution.

Answered by Thérèse Coffey

The Government does not assess the reach and effectiveness of its communication for each air pollution episode. However, we work closely with Public Health England and a network of health charities to ensure that key health messages reach those who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, during episodes of high pollution.

The Government has committed in the 2019 Clean Air Strategy to develop and deliver a personal air quality messaging system to inform the public, particularly those who are vulnerable to air pollution, about the air quality forecast and provide clearer information on air pollution episodes and health advice. This builds on the air quality forecasts and information already published on the Government’s UK-AIR website.