Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 help the veterinary sector process confirmation of neutering forms for XL bully breed owners before 1 February.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since 31 January 2024, owners are required to apply for a Certificate of Exemption if they wish to keep their XL Bully dog. Owners must provide evidence of neutering to Defra to ensure that the Certificate of Exemption remains valid, and we have provided an extended period for this to be arranged. We have produced guidance for vets on this process and are continuing to engage with the veterinary sector to monitor veterinary capacity.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 12 July 2023 to Question 192201 on Dogs: Smuggling, what actions points her Department has recorded in the context of her Department's discussion with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) third-party stakeholders on policy formation to tackle puppy smuggling.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues about a wide range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.
The Department continues to engage with third party stakeholders on the issue of tackling puppy smuggling to gather views on this subject as part of routine engagement.
The Government is committed to delivering its manifesto commitment to crack down on puppy smuggling when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions officials in her Department has had with (a) other Government Departments and (b) third-party stakeholders on policy formation on tackling puppy smuggling.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Defra officials have regular discussions with other Government Departments, including Border Force, and third-party stakeholders such as the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Cats Protection and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, on policy formation on tackling puppy smuggling.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions officials in her Department has had with (a) other Government Departments and (ii) third-party stakeholders on policy formation on tackling pet theft.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
In response to concerns about the apparent increase in pet theft since the start of the pandemic the Government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce in May 2021. The Taskforce was a cross-government initiative including Defra, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office. The Taskforce published their findings in September 2021 with input from animal welfare groups and experts in relevant fields. We are in the process of taking forward the Task Force’s recommendations together with relevant Departments.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on encouraging young people to consider employment in (a) farming and (b) other rural occupations.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues.
Attracting bright new talent into land-based careers and having a skilled workforce in place is vital for the future of UK food and farming.
The Government is contributing towards the establishment of a new professional body for the farming industry; The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH). TIAH is aimed at removing the fragmentation that exists within current learning and skills landscape for farming businesses, enabling the industry to drive greater uptake of skills, creating clear career development pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive, professional and attractive career choice. This includes leading a cross-industry initiative to address common negative misconceptions about the sector.
We are currently piloting different approaches to building entrepreneurial capacity in those who wish to start their own land-based business or scale-up their existing business venture, including how to pitch effectively for land and finance, which are crucial for their success.
The Government is also reforming post-16 technical education to provide clearer routes into skilled employment in agriculture and other sectors. A key part of this is the introduction of the new Technical Level programmes (T-levels) which include pathways in agriculture, environmental and animal health and care. Alongside apprenticeships this provides more opportunities and pathways for young people looking for careers in agriculture and horticulture.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 progress by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a UN plastics treaty.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK is proud to have supported the proposal by Rwanda and Peru that led to the ambitious resolution on ending plastic pollution agreed at the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022.
A series of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings is now underway to negotiate the content of the treaty, with good progress being made. The second of five planned INC meetings will take place 29 May – 2 June in Paris, with the aim of concluding negotiations by the end of 2024. Whilst the timeline to agree this global Treaty is short, this reflects the urgency needed to tackle plastic pollution, alongside the strong global political will for an agreement.
The UK supports a combination of international obligations and national measures across the whole plastic lifecycle to ensure that the Treaty can adequately address the transboundary nature of plastic pollution. As one of the founding members of the high ambition coalition of countries calling for an end to plastic pollution by 2040, the UK will do all we can to press for the agreement of a high ambition Treaty by the end of 2024.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of trespassing laws on protection of the countryside.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Home Office is responsible for such laws. Under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, the police have powers to direct trespassers who are residing on land to leave. Failure to comply with the direction is a criminal offence. Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, the Government strengthened these powers of direction to:
o broaden the types of harm that are covered by the police power to direct trespassers away, to include damage, disruption and distress;
o increase the period in which trespassers directed away from the land must not return from three months to 12 months; and
o enable police to direct people away from land that forms part of a highway.
No recent assessment has been undertaken by Defra on the adequacy of these laws with respect to trespassing on private land for the purposes of recreation.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 provides access across large parts of the English countryside and a right to roam across open access land, giving the public a right of access to most areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land and coastal margin. This is subject to certain restrictions and behaviours set out in the Act including those considered to be a criminal offence.
Public Spaces Protection Orders and the use of byelaws can also be used to address local issues to protect the countryside where it is reasonable and proportionate to do so.
The refreshed Countryside Code sets out the rules that we all must follow to enjoy visits to the countryside safely and responsibly.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 she has made of the adequacy of levels of animal welfare standards in (a) animal sanctuaries and (b) rehoming organisations; and if she will conduct a public consultation to assess the introduction of regulations for rehoming activities for (i) animal sanctuaries and (ii) rehoming organisations in 2023.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We meet regularly with stakeholders and welfare groups including the Canine and Fe-line Sector Group and the National Equine Welfare Council to monitor trends in the sector.
The Action Plan for Animal Welfare includes commitments to pursuing the licensing of animal sanctuaries, rescue and rehoming centres including for cats, dogs and horses. Defra has been engaging with relevant organisations to understand their views and the possible impacts of regulating the sector. Any proposals to bring forward licensing regulations will be subject to a consultation.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to raise public awareness of the Countryside Code.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Countryside Code was refreshed and relaunched in 2021 and a long term campaign to promote the messages of the code began. Over the last two years Natural England has worked with a variety of stakeholders and partners to promote the Code. A major focus of the campaign has been engaging with new audiences through the use of social media and other innovative communication techniques. Over the last year we have used social media influencers to engage with new audiences and built dedicated webpages (www.countrysidecode.org) which has allowed us to share campaign assets with the public. For 2023/24 we will continue to build on our partnership work including taking the Countryside Code to face to face events and we are in the process of setting up an exciting project that will provide branding and resources for our younger audience.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what are the current recycling rates in (a) the UK, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Bosworth constituency; and if she will make a comparative assessment of recycling rates in Leicestershire and other counties.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK harmonised recycling rate for local authority collected ‘waste from households’ was 44.4% in 2020. In 2020-21, the 'household' recycling rate for Leicestershire County Council was 43.3%, and for Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council was 44.8%. However please note that as they are measured differently, the harmonised measure and local recycling rates are not directly comparable.