Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an expert body for identifying XL Bully dogs.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have produced a definition and guidance which have been published on gov.uk to help owners and enforcement officers understand whether a dog should be defined as an XL Bully. Dog Legislation Officers are responsible for identifying prohibited breed types for the purposes of Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and enforcing the ban once it comes into force. We will be supporting the police to deliver additional training to Dog Legislation Officers to ensure they are able to enforce the ban effectively.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to bring forward legislative proposals for a ban on live exports before the end of the current Parliament.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the long-standing public concern with livestock and horses being exported for slaughter and fattening. We are determined to deliver our manifesto commitment to end this trade and will be bringing forward a live exports ban as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of existing regulations to protect bee (a) nests and (b) hibernation sites.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
There is a wide range of legislative powers in place to protect pollinators. Current legislation includes provision to regulate the use of pesticides; provide protection for honey bee health; protect our best wildlife sites and most threatened species; provide incentives for habitat creation through our new environmental land management schemes and a legal requirement for public bodies to take account of biodiversity in carrying out their functions.
There has been no recent assessment of the adequacy of existing regulations to protect bee nests and hibernation sites, however there is limited evidence to suggest that bee nests or hibernation sites are being intentionally destroyed and therefore we would not look to protect them under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Given bees and other pollinators can be found in, and utilise a range of habitats, protecting such a generalist habitat from destruction or disturbance could have the unintended consequence of making it a criminal offence to tend gardens and maintain land for other purposes.
Pollinators are a priority for this government, and we are taking action alongside many partners to implement the National Pollinator Strategy’s provisions and deliver the National Pollinator Strategy Action Plan which was published in May 2022.
One of the five simple actions to protect pollinators in the National Pollinator Strategy urges all people to avoid disturbing or destroying nesting or hibernating insects, in places like grass margins, bare soil, hedgerows, trees, dead wood or walls.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 Written Statement of 10 July 2023 on Future funding for the Canal and River Trust, HCWS924, whether her Department has made an assessment of the the ability of the Canal and River Trust to meet its objectives through her Department's funding between 2027 and 2037.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the 10 July announcement of the future Government grant funding settlement for the Canal and River Trust (C&RT) from 2027 to 2037, Defra officials will be engaging with the C&RT in the coming months to agree appropriate monitoring arrangements in relation to a range of Government policy objectives.
The very substantial £401 million of new grant funding for the C&RT between 2027 and 2037 will provide the C&RT with certainty about the level of Government grant funding for its future business planning over the next three years or so, and continue to support the C&RT to maintain its canal network.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 oral statement by the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries on 25 May 2023, Official Report, column 494, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ban the import of (a) dogs with cropped ears and (b) other mutilated dogs.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We plan to take forward measures in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, including those relating to puppy smuggling, individually through other means during the remainder of this Parliament. That is why we would be supportive of legislating to ban the import of dogs with mutilations, such as cropped ears and docked tails, as a single-issue Bill when Parliamentary time allows.
In August 2021, we consulted on proposed changes to the commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into Great Britain.
We are carefully reviewing the feedback from our consultation and wider engagement with stakeholders, and a summary will be published in due course.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 Written Statement of 10 July 2023 on Future funding for the Canal and River Trust, HCWS924, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the progress the Canal and River Trust has made in securing alternative sources of funding.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since it was established as a charity independent of Government in 2012 with the clear objective of reducing reliance on Government funding and moving towards greater self-sufficiency, the C&RT’s total income has grown by 11% between 2013/14 and 2022/23, while the proportion of that from the Government grant has remained relatively stable over this period at around 24%. Examples of C&RT’s alternative sources of alternative income in this period include a near-300% increase in charitable donations, a 14% increase in charitable activities income, a 9% increase in trading activity income (boat licences, mooring fees, utilities easements, etc), and a 3.5% increase in investment returns from the investment portfolio endowed by the Government to the C&RT in 2012 that is currently worth over £1 billion.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 Written Statement of 10 July 2023 on Future funding for the Canal and River Trust, HCWS924, what performance targets she has set for the Canal and River Trust for its role in delivering her Department's Environmental Improvement Plan.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the 10 July announcement of the future Government grant funding settlement for the Canal and River Trust (C&RT) from 2027 to 2037, Defra officials will be engaging with the C&RT in the coming months to agree appropriate monitoring arrangements in relation to a range of Government policy objectives.
The very substantial £401 million of new grant funding for the C&RT between 2027 and 2037 will provide the C&RT with certainty about the level of Government grant funding for its future business planning over the next three years or so, and continue to support the C&RT to maintain its canal network.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 oral statement by the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries on 25 May 2023, Official Report, columns 494 and 495, when she plans to bring forward (a) proposals to raise the age of import of brachycephalic dogs, (b) proposals to limit the import of pregnant bitches and (c) other proposals to stop the illegal importation of brachycephalic dogs.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
It is not illegal to import brachycephalic dogs into Great Britain.
We plan to take forward measures in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill individually through other means during the remainder of this Parliament. That is why we would be supportive of legislating to ban puppies under six months (including brachycephalic dogs) and heavily pregnancy dogs as a single-issue Bill when Parliamentary time allows.
In August 2021, we consulted on proposed changes to the rules governing the commercial and non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets into Great Britain.
We are carefully reviewing the feedback from our consultation and wider engagement with stakeholders, and a summary will be published in due course.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it remains her policy that the draft Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023 will come into force by 1 February 2024.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We remain committed to introducing a ban on electronic collars controlled by hand-held devices that deliver an electric shock to cats or dogs. Parliamentary business will be scheduled and announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) promote the Brachycephalic Working Group Strategy 2022-2025, (b) prevent images of dogs with brachycephaly being used in (i) advertising, (ii) marketing and (iii) social media and (c) help prevent the illegal importation of brachycephalic dogs.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Defra officials participate in the UK Brachycephalic Working Group’s (BWG) meetings to assist in identifying opportunities for improvements and engagement in relation to responsible dog ownership and dog health and welfare. The department also supports the work of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) and endorses their Advertising Standards, which can be found here: How to buy a pet - Advertising Standards (paag.org.uk). Defra promotes the work of the UK BWG and PAAG when press or communications opportunities arise.
To support consumers and reduce the opportunities available to unscrupulous breeders and sellers, Defra maintains a national communications campaign (Petfished) to raise awareness of issues associated with low-welfare and illegal supply of pets, which provides a list of red flags for buyers to look out for when searching for a pet online. The step-by-step guide on buying a dog includes a reminder to ensure that the dog’s physical features have minimal adverse impacts on their physical well-being and welfare.
It is not illegal to import dogs into Great Britain solely on account of them being brachycephalic.