Ruth Jones

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.

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. 

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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 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.

Defra has been working with other government Departments and researchers to address evidence gaps and to inform potential action relating to the risks from endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Regulatory action can and has been taken to address these risks, including those associated with plastics and packaging.

Stakeholder engagement continues to be at the core of our packaging reforms, and we continue to engage with all sectors in bringing this policy into place. Additionally, Defra has updated guidance on all single-use plastic regulations to improve clarity on single-use plastic bans and restrictions.

Defra continues to engage with and support industry through the UK Plastics Pact to tackle plastic waste and pollution. The pact's membership represents two-thirds of all consumer packaging in the UK. Members have reduced their problematic and unnecessary plastic items by 84% since 2018.

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.

The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.

The Government looks forward to delivering the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.

Ministers are reviewing policies and any next steps will be announced in due course.

Commercial fishing activities are not covered by the relevant welfare at killing legislation unless animals are kept alive for processing later. In these circumstances fish and invertebrates shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. Defra has not issued guidance on these issues.

Following publication of the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing, a GB-wide farmed trout joint government and industry working group is examining the issues raised in the report to explore potential options for more detailed welfare at killing requirements. The Scottish Government is similarly working closely with the salmon industry.

The Post Implementation Review to the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 published in Jan 2021 addressed the roles of the Food Standards Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and local authorities in enforcement of the regulations. No such assessment has been made of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order.

Defra regularly engages with local authorities, APHA and other interested parties to discuss the enforcement of animal welfare regulations.

I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony in a productive conversation with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 4 September. I regularly meet with my counterparts in the Pakistani Government, including the Human Rights and Law Minister, Interior Minister and Foreign Minister. On 28 October, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan raised concerns around threats of violence directed towards Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif. We will continue raise freedom of religion or belief in future engagements with the Government of Pakistan.

The UK strongly condemns all instances of hate or violence directed towards minority religious communities in Pakistan, including Shia Muslims, Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs. We work alongside the wider international community, including foreign governments and civil society organisations, to promote human rights in partnership with Pakistan. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 4 September. Alongside our diplomatic engagement, we continue to support projects promoting the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan, including facilitating interfaith dialogue and protecting marginalised communities from online hate speech.

The UK is supporting Bangladesh's Interim Government as it works to restore stability and create a pathway to an inclusive democratic future. We note the arrest warrant issued by Bangladesh; discussions between the Interim Government and India about this are a bilateral matter between them. Any investigation is a matter for the relevant authorities in Bangladesh. The UK and international partners continue to push for progress towards accountability and justice including supporting an impartial and independent fact-finding mission by the United Nations. In August, I spoke to my Indian counterpart and discussed the need for de-escalation of violence in Bangladesh.

We are aware of reports of the desecration of Ahmadi mosques and graves in Pakistan. The UK strongly condemns all instances of hate or violence directed towards Ahmadiyya Muslims and other marginalised religious communities in Pakistan. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Azam Tarar on 4 September. Officials at BHC Islamabad regularly raise our concerns surrounding the mistreatment of minorities with the Pakistani authorities, including law enforcement officials. We continue to support projects promoting the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan, including facilitating interfaith dialogue and protecting marginalised communities from hate speech online.

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. We are aware of the continued vulnerability of religious minorities in Myanmar, and we condemn identify-based violence on any ground. The UK continues to raise our concerns about ethnic and religious discrimination in multilateral fora, notably the UN. We continue to co-fund the UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the Myanmar Witness programme, which collect evidence of human rights violations, including identity-based violence. As a Dialogue-Partner the UK continues to support ASEAN's regional leadership on the crisis in Myanmar, including the efforts of Laotian Chair and Special Envoy H.E Alounkeo Kittikhoun. In July, the Foreign Secretary attended the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Vientiane and met Laos' Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith, where they discussed the crisis in Myanmar.

The UK is committed to freedom of religion or belief for all. Through our High Commission in Kampala, we maintain a regular dialogue with religious institutions and those working to promote freedom of religion and belief. The Ugandan Constitution enshrines the 'freedom to practise any religion', providing for freedom of belief, the right to practice and promote any religion, and the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious organisation in a manner consistent with the constitution. We will continue to raise any issues directly with the Ugandan Government and other interlocutors.

The UK continues to champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. The British High Commission in New Delhi consistently monitors human rights, including the use of anti-conversion laws across India. However, the UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India, and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including human rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief, and raise issues where we have them.

It is vital that the Government of Iraq keep Iraqi militia groups in line and ensure democracy is adhered to. We are closely monitoring the impact of developments in Nineveh on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

HMA Baghdad regularly engages with diplomatic colleagues in Iraq on a variety of topics, including the destabilising effects of militias in Iraq. It is vital that these groups are kept in line. We are closely monitoring the impact of developments in Nineveh on the safety of the region's Christian community, as well as other vulnerable communities.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

HMA Baghdad has regular engagement with diplomatic colleagues as well as the Prime Minister of Iraq. We are closely monitoring the impact of these developments on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

The UK recognises the fundamental value of journalism in creating free and open societies, enabling people to learn about and understand their rights and holding governments to account. The British High Commission in Bangladesh regularly meet with journalists through the UK Government's engagement with the Media Freedom Coalition. The UK works with partners in the Media Freedom Coalition to advocate for media freedom and the safety of journalists. The UK raised protection of journalists and media freedom during the 44th Universal Periodic Review of Bangladesh in November 2023.