Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
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 make checking pet microchip databases as efficient as possible.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are carrying out a post-implementation review of the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations that came into effect in 2016, which will consider whether improvements can be made to the current regime, including the operation of the databases.
We will come forward with proposals shortly. A public consultation on the 2016 Regulations will take place following this.
This is a devolved matter and these developments relate to the situation applying in England.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a single pet microchip database.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Database operators are commercial enterprises which offer a range of services and provide choice for pet owners. We are confident that improvements can be made to the current regime.
We are exploring the possibility of creating a single point of access to compliant databases for authorised users, such as vets, police and local authorities.
We will come forward with our proposals shortly.
This is a devolved matter and these developments relate to the situation applying in England.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Government has spent on campaigns to encourage the microchipping of pets in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to microchipping pets. There has not been Government spending on specific campaigns to encourage microchipping of cats and dogs in in the last three years. However, the Government promotes microchipping in the statutory codes of practice for the welfare of cats, dogs and horses. In addition, the Government’s Petfished campaign, which encourages responsible pet acquisition, advises people to ask whether a cat or dog is microchipped before buying.
The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations came into effect in 2016 and we launched a public consultation on compulsory cat and dog microchipping and scanning in England in December 2020 which highlighted the importance of cat and dog microchipping.
The Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018 require that all equines in England (except those semi-wild ponies permanently resident in certain designated areas) must be microchipped from 1 October 2020. Government comms campaigns were launched in July and September 2020 to remind those in England with horses born before 1 July 2009 (which were provided with a grace period in the interim) of the legal requirement to have them microchipped by 1 October 2020. Details of the cost of these campaigns is not however available.
This is a devolved matter and this response relates to the situation applying in England.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
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 investigative documentary entitled Rivercide, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the evidence presented in that documentary on the state of rivers and the enforcement of river standards; and what steps the Government is taking to (a) protect and (b) improve rivers.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra, the Welsh Government, the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural Resources Wales are working together to deal with pollution in the stretch of the river Wye which was the subject of this programme. There is significant pollution in this area from chicken farming in the upper catchments.
We are working with farmers across a range of schemes designed to incentivise improvements in agricultural practices that tackle water pollution. Catchment Sensitive Farming and Countryside Stewardship Schemes seek to improve information sharing and incentivise farmers to manage their land and farm in way that protects the water environment. The Farming Rules for Water standardises good farm practices and encourages reasonable precautions to prevent diffuse pollution, including the managed use of fertilisers. We are also providing additional funding to the EA to increase their farm inspection regime nationwide over the next 18 months. In 2021/22 this includes an expectation of a fourfold increase in farm inspections undertaken nationally with plans to scale up further in 2022/23.
In addition, the storm overflows task force, comprising the Government and water companies, will help address the problem of sewage discharge from storm overflows and our new chemicals strategy will build on an already robust statutory regime to ensure chemicals are managed and handled safely.
Through our 25 Year Environment Plan, this government set out its commitment to clean and plentiful water, which has also been supported by the landmark Environment Bill, and we know there is more to do to meet this commitment.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take steps to restrict the destruction and disposal of unsold stock at Amazon’s Dunfermline warehouse.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Businesses that handle waste, including companies like Amazon, are obliged to follow the waste hierarchy which requires action to prevent waste as the priority option. Failure to meet the legal obligation to take all reasonable steps to apply this can lead to enforcement action. Waste is a devolved matter, and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the regulator in Scotland, is in contact with Amazon about the stock destruction allegations in Scotland. The Environment Agency, as the responsible enforcement body in England, is working with SEPA on this, and has also written to Amazon about compliance with the waste hierarchy obligations in England.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the evidence on animal welfare standards at some horse abattoirs presented in the BBC Panorama documentary entitled The Dark Side of Horse Racing, broadcast on 24 July 2021; and whether his Department has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to update protections for racehorses and former racehorses in response to that evidence.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare, including at slaughter.
Provided the animal is fit to transport and the journey time is not excessive, slaughter in an approved abattoir is a humane option for some horses, especially if the owner cannot afford euthanasia by a vet.
Legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of horses when slaughtered and official veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and enforce animal welfare requirements.
Following a recent review of the welfare of animals at the time of killing legislation, published on 27 January 2021, and as part of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we are carefully considering a wide range of welfare at slaughter improvements that could be made and will consult in due course.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of regulation of animal welfare standards in (a) horseracing and (b) greyhound racing.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Ensuring the welfare needs of racehorses and racing greyhounds are met, both during their racing lives and afterwards, is a priority. In our recently published Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we have committed to ensuring that the horse racing sector addresses key animal welfare issues such as fatality levels. We also committed to considering further protections for racing greyhounds including further steps to raise welfare standards at trainers’ kennels. The Action Plan for Animal Welfare can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/action-plan-for-animal-welfare
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) places a legal duty of care on owners and keepers for the animals for which they are responsible on a permanent or temporary basis. It is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. The 2006 Act allows action to be taken where there is evidence of cruelty to an animal or a failure to provide for that animal’s welfare needs. This includes where animals are raced as well as where they are kept. The 2006 Act is also backed up a statutory code of practice for both dogs: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-for-the-welfare-of-dogs and horses: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-for-the-welfare-of-horses-ponies-donkeys-and-their-hybrids
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), British racing’s governing and regulatory body, is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses. The BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.
The Horse Welfare Board’s five-year Horse Welfare Strategy (HWS) “a life well-lived” was published on 20 February 2020. The HWS contains 20 recommendations for improving the welfare of horses bred for racing. The HWS recommends that, as a minimum, the penalties for misuse of the whip need to increase and that the BHA should conduct a consultation on the use of the whip. This consultation ran until 6 September 2021.
The welfare of racing greyhounds at all greyhound racing tracks in England is regulated by the Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010 (the 2010 Regulations). The 2010 Regulations were reviewed in 2016, both by Defra and the House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. The review found that, judged against their original objectives, the regulations have been broadly effective. The review also identified areas where the industry themselves should be taking further action and Defra have been working closely with the main industry regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), to ensure these actions are taken. This includes the annual publication of injury, euthanasia and retirement statistics, and addressing welfare issues at GBGB affiliated trainers’ kennels.
I would encourage anyone with evidence that a racehorse or racing greyhound has suffered unnecessarily to get in touch with either the BHA or the GBGB and share their concerns. In the most severe cases of misuse, an individual may be investigated under the 2006 Act, as well as receiving significant sanctions from the sport.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations the Government has received from (a) members of the public and (b) civil society groups on the campaign for Owen’s law; and whether the Government plans to take steps to implement to enact those proposals.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Linlithgow and East Falkirk on 2 June, PQ UIN 6370.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of food labelling requirements in eateries in relation to the protection of people with allergies; and what plans his Department has to improve those requirements.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Linlithgow and East Falkirk on 2 June, PQ UIN 6370.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risk of water shortages in Yorkshire within the next 25 years as a result of population growth and climate change; and what steps his Department is taking to address that risk.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure water supply for customers by developing and maintaining efficient and economical systems of water service provision.
Statutory water resources management plans show how water companies will meet this duty by managing water supply and demand for at least the next 25 years. The plans must take account of the implications of population growth and climate change. The plans must be subject to public consultation, including with statutory consultees Ofwat and the Environment Agency before the Secretary of State allows their publication.
Yorkshire Water published its water resources management plan in 2020. The plan must be reviewed annually and revised at least every five years.
The Environment Bill will enhance the water resources management planning processes. The measures will complement the Environment Agency's National Framework for water resources, published in 2020, which sets out England's future water needs and our expectations for how regional groups will inform the delivery of those needs, including Water Resources North informing Yorkshire Water's water resources management plan. The measures will allow improved collaboration between water companies and with other water users, to aid environmental improvement and the sustainable use of water resources.
The Environment Bill will also give the Environment Agency additional powers to vary or revoke permanent abstraction licences without the liability to pay compensation where it is necessary to protect the environment from damage, or where the licence holder has abstracted at least 25% less water than their licensed volume (underused their licence) in every year over the previous 12-year period. The Environment Agency already have powers to vary or revoke water company abstraction licences without being liable to pay compensation but these additional powers will tackle unsustainable abstraction from other water abstractors.