Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of greyhounds exported from the UK to Ireland in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not record information on the specific breed of any dog exported from the UK. However, the total numbers of dogs exported using Export Health Certificates to the Republic of Ireland for the years 2018 and 2019 is as follows:
2018 - 5
2019 - 15
Please note that APHA does not record information relating to the number of pets travelling from Great Britain with a passport under the Pet Travel Scheme.
Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of reports that UK-born and trained greyhounds are being kept in poor conditions for breeding in China; whether his Department has plans to prevent the future export of greyhounds from the UK to China; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government takes the welfare of all racing animals very seriously, including once their racing careers have ended.
The Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA), which grants certification for the commercial exports of dogs and records information regarding the commercial movement of animals, has confirmed that they do not have any records of greyhounds being exported to China for commercial purposes during 2017 or 2018.
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain have made clear that they do not support the export of greyhounds to countries where welfare standards cannot be verified. They keep records of all dogs running and once a dog is retired the owner or trainer is required to state where the dog will be relocated to.
Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 amend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow rehoming organisations to rehome banned section 1 dogs.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The evidence I provided the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA), as part of its review into controlling dangerous dogs, sets out what can be done with respect to the transfer of ownership of prohibited dogs. Defra has also had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the issue.
Evidence is available via the following link:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvfru/1892/1892.pdf
In relation to dog attacks, the Metropolitan Police provided evidence to last year’s review on controlling dangerous dogs by the EFRA Committee which showed that pit bull terriers were disproportionately involved in dog attacks (section 3 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 offences, completed cases).
The Metropolitan Police figures indicated that in 2015-16 pit bulls were responsible for 19.3% (92) of all reported dog attacks in Greater London out of a total of 468 cases. Pit bull terriers are considered to represent much less than 19.3% of the dog population and it is concerning that one type of dog, which does not have high levels of ownership, is disproportionately responsible for that many dog attacks in London. In addition, information collected by Defra shows the pit bull terrier to be disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks, with seven fatalities out of 34 since 2005 caused by pit bull terriers.
Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the scientific evidence is for determining that the four breeds of dog banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 pose more of a risk to the public then other dog breeds.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The evidence I provided the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA), as part of its review into controlling dangerous dogs, sets out what can be done with respect to the transfer of ownership of prohibited dogs. Defra has also had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the issue.
Evidence is available via the following link:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvfru/1892/1892.pdf
In relation to dog attacks, the Metropolitan Police provided evidence to last year’s review on controlling dangerous dogs by the EFRA Committee which showed that pit bull terriers were disproportionately involved in dog attacks (section 3 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 offences, completed cases).
The Metropolitan Police figures indicated that in 2015-16 pit bulls were responsible for 19.3% (92) of all reported dog attacks in Greater London out of a total of 468 cases. Pit bull terriers are considered to represent much less than 19.3% of the dog population and it is concerning that one type of dog, which does not have high levels of ownership, is disproportionately responsible for that many dog attacks in London. In addition, information collected by Defra shows the pit bull terrier to be disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks, with seven fatalities out of 34 since 2005 caused by pit bull terriers.
Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with animal welfare organisations on the rehoming of dogs banned under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The evidence I provided the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA), as part of its review into controlling dangerous dogs, sets out what can be done with respect to the transfer of ownership of prohibited dogs. Defra has also had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the issue.
Evidence is available via the following link:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvfru/1892/1892.pdf
In relation to dog attacks, the Metropolitan Police provided evidence to last year’s review on controlling dangerous dogs by the EFRA Committee which showed that pit bull terriers were disproportionately involved in dog attacks (section 3 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 offences, completed cases).
The Metropolitan Police figures indicated that in 2015-16 pit bulls were responsible for 19.3% (92) of all reported dog attacks in Greater London out of a total of 468 cases. Pit bull terriers are considered to represent much less than 19.3% of the dog population and it is concerning that one type of dog, which does not have high levels of ownership, is disproportionately responsible for that many dog attacks in London. In addition, information collected by Defra shows the pit bull terrier to be disproportionately involved in fatal dog attacks, with seven fatalities out of 34 since 2005 caused by pit bull terriers.
Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 (a) commence and (b) allocate funding to schemes to reduce children's exposure to air pollution; and how much funding will be allocated to each project.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government has put in place a £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions, which includes £495 million for councils to improve air quality. We have consulted on our new world leading Clean Air Strategy, which includes new and ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies which will help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively.These measures will improve air quality for people of all ages, including children.
Defra’s Air Quality Grant Programme provides funding to local authorities for projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions affecting schools, businesses and residents. Local authorities have a duty to monitor and assess air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where these breach statutory limits, and are best placed to determine local priorities.
The 2018/2019 scheme is underway and Defra will award at least £3 million to English local authorities that have one or more Air Quality Management Areas.
Whilst all measures which reduce air pollution will reduce children’s exposure to these harmful pollutants, some projects have elements that are specifically targeted at children. For example:
In 2016-17, the London Borough of Islington were awarded £50,000 to run a local school focused awareness and engagement campaign through the air quality grant.
In 2017/18, Spelthorne Borough Council were given £145,188 to run an awareness campaign in schools across Surrey.
Details of further funding from the Air Quality Grant Programme, including funding specifically directed at children can be found on the Air Quality Grant Programme webpage here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/air-quality-grant-programme.
Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department has allocated to projects to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Defra provides funds to Local Authorities via the air quality grant fund for projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions affecting schools, businesses and residents. For example, in 2016/17, the London Borough of Islington were awarded £50,000 to run a local school focussed awareness and engagement campaign through the air quality grant, and in 2017/18, Spelthorne Borough Council were given £145,188 to run an awareness campaign in schools across Surrey.
Local Authorities have a duty to monitor and assess air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where these breach statutory limits, and are best placed to determine local priorities. Their local knowledge and interaction with the communities that they serve mean that they know the issues on the ground in detail and the solutions that are best suited to local circumstances.
Defra awarded a total of £2.4 million to local authorities from the 2017/18 air quality grant fund; £3.7 million was awarded to local authorities in 2016/17, and £0.5 million in 2015/6. £3 million has been allocated for 2018/19.
The Government has also put in place a £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions, which includes £255 million for councils to improve air quality and a dedicated Clean Air Fund of £220 million for those local areas with the biggest air quality challenges. We have consulted on our new world leading Clean Air Strategy, which includes new and ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies which will help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively.