Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to increase animal welfare standards after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government has been very clear that leaving the EU will not lead to a lowering of our high animal welfare standards, and is making good on our commitment to make the UK a world leader in the care and protection of animals as we leave the EU.
Our regulatory system will offer at least the same level of assurance of animal welfare following our departure from the EU as it does now. The EU Withdrawal Act will ensure that existing EU standards are maintained once we leave the EU. For instance, existing bans on imports of chlorinated chicken and hormone beef have been transferred into UK law and will remain in place after we leave.
We are actively exploring options for strengthening the UK system moving forward. These include plans to increase maximum penalties for animal cruelty from six months’ to five years’ imprisonment. We are also considering what more can be done to improve animal welfare standards in the context of our future agricultural policy and are looking to control exports of live animals for slaughter.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
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 (a) prevent microplastics from entering the natural environment and (b) tackle the damage caused by microplastics that are in the natural environment.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Defra funded a 5-year-long study to investigate the potential harm caused by microplastics in the marine environment. On the basis of the results of this study, last year we introduced one of the world’s strongest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products. Microbeads, like other microplastics, do not biodegrade and therefore accumulate in the environment.
To address the evidence gaps surrounding other sources of microplastics, we are funding research by the University of Plymouth into textiles and tyres which are estimated to be significant sources of microplastics in the marine environment.
Water infrastructure is an important pathway for contaminants, including microplastics, to enter the aquatic environment. We are working with water companies and researchers to understand the scale of the issue, evaluate the effectiveness of treatment systems at removing microplastics and assess the impacts of microplastics in aquatic environments.
Our priority will continue to be preventing plastic entering the environment in the first place and eliminating avoidable plastic waste over the lifetime of the 25 Year Environment Plan. The Resources and Waste Strategy, published in December last year, sets out our plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste. We will take action at each stage of the product lifecycle: production, consumption and end of life.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
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 phase out the (a) production and (b) use of unneeded plastics.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
This Government is taking action to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. We have introduced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, and have significantly reduced the use of plastic bags by around 86% with our 5p carrier bag charge. We recognise that more needs to be done, which is why we have set out an ambitious approach in our 25 Year Environment Plan.
The Resources and Waste Strategy, published December last year, sets out our plans to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. We will take action at each stage of the product lifecycle: production, consumption and end of life. At the production stage, this includes encouraging producers to take more responsibility for the environmental impact of their products and making sure plastic items are more carefully designed. At the consumer stage we want to reduce demand for single-use plastic. At the end of life stage, we will make it easier for people to recycle and increase the amount of plastic being recycled.
The Government has set out proposals to reform the current packaging producer responsibility regulations, invoking the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle to financially incentivise producers to take greater responsibility for the environmental impacts of packaging they place on the market. This includes mechanisms to incentivise better design, encourage the use of recycled material and ensure that producers pay the full costs of disposal for packaging they place on the market. These measures aim to reduce the amount of unnecessary and difficult to recycle packaging and increase the amount of packaging that can and is recycled, including plastic packaging. We are currently consulting on these proposals in conjunction with the Scottish Government. The consultation will close on 13 May and can be accessed at: www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-out-plans-to-overhaul-waste-system.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals requiring meat products to include labels denoting whether the animal had been stunned; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter but respects the right of the Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. The Government is aware that there is public interest about meat from animals slaughtered in accordance with religious beliefs being sold to consumers who do not require their meat to be prepared in this way. Where meat is labelled as halal or kosher this must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer.
The Government believes that consumers should have the necessary information available to them to make an informed choice about their food and this is an issue that we are considering in the context of our departure from the EU.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
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 respond to representations for greater clarity from consumers of meat products on whether the animals involved have been stunned.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter but respects the right of the Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. The Government is aware that there is public interest about meat from animals slaughtered in accordance with religious beliefs being sold to consumers who do not require their meat to be prepared in this way. Where meat is labelled as halal or kosher this must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer.
The Government believes that consumers should have the necessary information available to them to make an informed choice about their food and this is an issue that we are considering in the context of our departure from the EU.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
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 to ensure that consumers are able to make informed decisions about the meat and diary products that they purchase.
Answered by David Rutley
We are committed to delivering informative food labelling to protect consumer interests and ensure that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. When the UK leaves the EU, rules on food labelling will be carried over into UK law by the Withdrawal Act and so, standards of information currently in place will remain. After EU Exit we have an opportunity to review all food labelling so that consumers have the information they need to have full confidence in the food they buy.