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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 cats were imported under the Balai Directive in each month of (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Balai Cat Imports EU:
Month | 2023 | 2024 |
Jan | 216 | 253 |
Feb | 310 | 267 |
Mar | 270 | 256 |
Apr | 179 | 224 |
May | 164 | 165 |
Jun | 170 | 196 |
Jul | 194 | 166 |
Aug | 197 | 222 |
Sep | 253 | 287 |
Oct | 282 | 290 |
Nov | 261 |
|
Dec | 287 |
|
Total | 2,783 | 2,326 |
Balai Cat Imports ROW:
Month | 2023 | 2024 |
Jan | 306 | 254 |
Feb | 304 | 292 |
Mar | 372 | 251 |
Apr | 331 | 279 |
May | 321 | 346 |
Jun | 377 | 314 |
Jul | 278 | 332 |
Aug | 289 | 307 |
Sep | 338 | 292 |
Oct | 190 | 293 |
Nov | 316 |
|
Dec | 259 |
|
Total | 3,681 | 2,960 |
The EU data may include animals that have originated from a non-EU country but have travelled through an EU Border Control Post (BCP). The database records the EU BCP Country as the Country of Origin for these imports. The Rest of the World data will not include any animals that have arrived through an EU BCP.
This information is drawn from external IPAFF systems not directly controlled by the department.
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 in each month of 2023.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Month | Total |
January | 18,840 |
February | 14,838 |
March | 15,790 |
April | 24,722 |
May | 20,738 |
June | 21,633 |
July | 31,068 |
August | 51,913 |
September | 29,096 |
October | 6,581 |
November | 16,779 |
December | 36,711 |
Total | 288,709 |
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals. Please be aware that this is subject to change as we often receive throughput returns from carriers months later.
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 cats travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme in each month of (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Month | 2023 | 2024 |
Jan | 2,750 | 3,207 |
Feb | 1,777 | 1,860 |
Mar | 2,024 | 2,357 |
Apr | 2,219 | 2,700 |
May | 2,762 | 2,029 |
Jun | 5,638 | 3,015 |
Jul | 2,618 | 2,692 |
Aug | 3,974 | 3,828 |
Sep | 7,634 | 2,094 |
Oct | 759 | 3,154 |
Nov | 2,314 |
|
Dec | 3,814 |
|
Total | 38,283 | 26,936 |
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals. Please be aware that this is subject to change as we often receive throughput returns from carriers months later.