Ruth Jones

Each devolved nation is responsible for its own listings regime. Details on listed buildings can be found on the public lists maintained by Historic England, Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland respectively. The list maintained by Historic England is searchable by key words which can include denomination.

The next meeting will be organised soon, when we look forward to taking forward a series of important measures with the heritage sector and listening to people’s concerns and ideas for the future.

Delivery of a Chemicals Strategy was a commitment set by the previous Government. This commitment is being considered as part of the Government’s revision of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Beyond delivery of a Chemicals Strategy, the Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal, and will likely take many years of scientific and technical advancement and validation to reach this point.

Our current approach is to support and fund the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), and to ensure that the UK has a robust regulatory system for licensing animal studies and enforcing legal standards.

In line with the Government’s Manifesto commitment, we are currently engaging with partners from sectors with interests in animal science and on a cross-Government level as to how we will take this commitment forward, including the publishing of a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. We expect to publish this strategy later this year.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers.

In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025.

Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers.

In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025.

Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers.

In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025.

Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers.

In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025.

Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

As of the 12 March 2025, the total number of dogs registered on the Dangerous Dogs Index, broken down by breed type, is as follows. This excludes dogs that have died, destroyed or have been exported.

The department acknowledges the calls from the veterinary sector to update the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. Defra is actively engaging with stakeholders, including the RCVS, to explore how legislation can best address the needs of the profession and public, both now and in the future.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets, boarding cats or using cats for exhibition purposes needs to have a valid licence issued by their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse, vary or revoke licences.

Defra has been working on a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Regulations. This review considers whether the Regulations have met their objectives, and where there could be scope to further improve the protections they provide. The PIR will be published shortly.

Defra has previously engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in relation to electric shock collars, including via a public consultation in 2018, direct engagement across the sector, and consideration of relevant academic research.

We will be considering available evidence around the use of hand-controlled e-collars and their effects on the welfare of animals.

Currently we do not collect data on the amount of electronic waste generated by product type or by region.

The Environment Agency publish data on waste electricals and electronic equipment (WEEE) collected by registered Producer Compliance Schemes (PCS) and treated by Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATF)

Independent research on mapping waste electrical flows in the UK carried out by Material Focus estimates waste electrical and electronic equipment arising across all potential collection routes across the UK.

We have not made an assessment of the report by Which entitled 'How to make big savings on a second-hand phone', published in October 2023. In our manifesto, the government committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has set this as one of Defra’s top five priorities.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to help prevent attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we will continue to consider how we can improve data collection and recording on dog attacks so that we are in a better position to take action.

As outlined in our manifesto, we are committed to ending puppy smuggling. The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The Bill will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules that are abused by unscrupulous traders and give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom.

We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Defra is finalising its post-implementation review of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. The report into the review will be published shortly.

Defra has not made the assessment requested. However, the industry group Material Focus, a not-for-profit organisation funded through industry compliance fee monies raised under the UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations has undertaken two related studies. Contributing towards a circular economy utilising Critical Raw Materials from waste electricals and Copper Crunch Report – Future challenges of copper consumption.

The Secretary of State has convened a Small Ministerial Group on Circular Economy and asked his Department to work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and the civil service to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England and a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the Government will make on a sector-by-sector basis. We will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what further interventions may be needed in the electricals sector as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy. 

Policy development for waste electricals including right-to-repair and ecodesign will be guided by the Government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

We have not made this assessment. Further policy development around promoting greater circularity for electricals, including right-to-repair, will be guided by the government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

Currently we do not collect separate data on reuse activities for electrical items and electronic equipment.

The Environment Agency regularly publishes data on the volumes of waste electricals collected. Currently we do not compare this figure to that of other countries or the rest of the world.

There is currently an existing right-to-repair scheme for a range of industrial and domestic energy-related products.

Further policy development for waste electricals including on right-to-repair and ecodesign will be guided by the Government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

The Secretary of State has asked his department to convene a taskforce of experts to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The taskforce will consider the evidence for action right across the economy, and as such will evaluate what interventions may be needed. This will support the Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower and deliver net zero. I will continue to discuss the work of this department with the three devolved Governments, including learning from their experience, as the work progresses.

We have not made an assessment of introducing these measures to recycle small consumer electronics. Future policy related to waste electricals will be guided by the government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

Defra will work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and other government departments to prepare for the transition to a circular economy. This will include consideration of the evidence for sectoral interventions.

The Government is currently considering the actions that can be taken to address the challenges associated with single-use plastic products and is committed to moving to a circular economy. As a part of this transition, managing and reducing plastic waste and following the principles of the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle, will be crucial.