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Written Question
Incontinence: Men
Tuesday 18th March 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

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 he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on the provision of waste disposal bins in male toilets for people experiencing incontinence due to (a) prostate cancer treatment and (b) other medical conditions.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Officials are working across the Government to deal with this important issue. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reviewing the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 regarding provision of disposal facilities in workplace toilets. This work is included within the Government’s wider plans under Make Work Pay, and HSE will hold appropriate consultation in due course.


Written Question
Fishing Catches: White Fish
Tuesday 11th March 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered increasing the trawler by-catch limit for bass.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Negotiations between the UK and EU concerning the allocation of fishing opportunities for over 70 stocks, including bass, take place on an annual basis. This year on the 9 December annual bycatch limits for commercial trawls and seines were agreed.

Fisheries: consultations between the UK and the EU for 2025 - GOV.UK.


Written Question
Fisheries: Civil Servants
Thursday 6th March 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time-equivalent civil servants are working on trading corporation agreements with the fishing industry.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There are no civil servants working on trading corporation agreements. The Defra EU negotiations team of 12.2 full-time-equivalent civil servants works on implementing the Fisheries Heading of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), amongst other work in its portfolio. There are also many other civil servants and public servants across Defra, its agencies, and the devolved governments that are responsible for implementing aspects of the Fisheries Heading.


Written Question
Stoma Appliances
Tuesday 21st January 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and litter as well as the protection of drains and sewers. This, however, does not extend to providing guidance to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients; these decisions are for local authorities to make.


Written Question
Cats and Dogs: Animal Breeding
Tuesday 14th January 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

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 impact of breeding for extreme conformations on the health and welfare of (a) dogs and (b) cats.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

To provide a detailed scientific view on the range of issues faced by breeding dogs and cats, the Department commissioned two Opinions from the Government’s Animal Welfare Committee. One Opinion assesses the welfare implications of specialised canine reproductive practices, and one on the welfare implications of current and emergent feline breeding practices. The Opinions can be found here: Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) - GOV.UK.


Written Question
Dogs: Animal Breeding
Monday 13th January 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

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 potential implications for his policies of the Animal Welfare Committee’s December 2024 opinion on specialised dog reproductive practices.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The department is carefully considering the Animal Welfare Committee’s findings and will outline any next steps in due course. Any policy changes would be made with appropriate engagement with stakeholders.


Written Question
Dogs: Animal Breeding
Monday 13th January 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

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 plans to take to regulate the use of stud dogs in dog breeding.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority. Licensed breeders who own and use stud dogs as part of their breeding activity must provide for their welfare in line with the 2018 Regulations’ licensing conditions.

The Government is considering the findings of its post-implementation review of the 2018 Regulations and the Animal Welfare Committee’s opinion on the welfare implications of specialised canine reproductive practices and will outline any next steps in due course.


Written Question
Pigs: Animal Welfare
Monday 6th January 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to support indoor pig farmers to adopt free farrowing systems.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway supports farmers to improve their animals’ health and welfare through funded vet visits as well as targeted grants. We continue to work with the industry on how the Pathway can encourage improvements in indoor pigs’ welfare.


Written Question
Pigs: Animal Welfare
Monday 6th January 2025

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

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 15 October 2024 to Question 6270 on Poultry and Pigs: Animal Welfare, if he will publish a public consultation on the use of farrowing crates for pigs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

The use of farrowing crates for pigs is an issue we are currently considering very carefully.


Written Question
Pet Travel Scheme: Dogs
Friday 20th December 2024

Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme by (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Means of Transport

November - December 2023

January – October 2024

Air

2131

13662

Sea

12097

105568

Tunnel

39262

160014

Total

53490

279244

The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information received to date, provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals. Please be aware that this is subject to change as additional throughput returns from carriers may be received.