Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for banning the import of dogs with cropped ears.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
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 give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to Great Britain’s pet market. We will use these powers to prohibit the bringing into Great Britain of dogs with non-exempted mutilations such as cropped ears.
We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 5849 on Hunting: National Parks, what was the outcome of the initial discussions held with officials from other Departments on trail hunting.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only.
These discussions brought together officials with an interest in this manifesto commitment in order to consider its implications on their work. As this work is ongoing, no concrete outcomes have been determined as yet. Public announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for banning the use of snare traps.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to the use of snare traps. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a Grocery Supply Code of Practice for all (a) upstream and (b) mid-supply chain businesses.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Groceries Supply Code of Practice covers direct suppliers to large retailers in the UK and was introduced after a competition investigation into the grocery retail sector.
Power imbalances between trading businesses can make smaller parties susceptible to unfair trading practices.
At the production end of the supply chain, powers in the Agriculture Act allow us to introduce ‘Fair Dealings’ Regulations, applying to businesses when purchasing agricultural products from farmers. Such regulations have been introduced to cover the UK dairy sector.
We will continue to monitor the supply chain and can intervene where there is evidence of unfair behaviour.
The Government will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness in the supply chain across all sectors.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward species-specific legislative proposals to ensure farmed fish do not experience avoidable pain and suffering.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Vikki Slade, on 9 October 2024, PQ UIN 7335.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a right of responsible access to the countryside.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride, but too many across the country are left without access to the great outdoors. That is why the last Labour Government expanded public access by introducing the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which provided the public a right of access to large areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land and coastal margin. 2024 marks 75 years since the pioneering post-war Labour Government passed the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, which secured public access and preserved natural beauty.
This Government will continue to increase access to nature, boosting people’s mental and physical health and leaving a legacy for generations to come. We will create nine new National River Walks, plant three new National Forests and empower communities to create new parks and green spaces in their communities with a new Community Right to Buy. We are considering our approach to improving access to nature and are committed to working with our stakeholders. We will provide a further update in due course.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) reintroduce the Kept Animals Bill and (b) introduce a ban on snares.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for South Devon on 11 October 2024, PQ 7135.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 plans to take to help protect rural communities in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency from flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protecting all communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. The new Government has established a Floods Resilience Taskforce, a key commitment that marks a new approach to preparing for flooding and working between national, regional and local Government, including the devolved administrations, and flood risk partners.
In the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, the Environment Agency (EA) monitors river levels, working with Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), to engage areas that receive flood warnings and flood alerts and review these regularly.
The EA carries out maintenance on the main rivers running through this constituency to ensure that the rivers’ conveyance can be maintained during periods of heavy rain.
Upstream of Batford, the EA recently completed a Flood Storage area at Houghton Regis to limit flows, after heavy rain, through Luton and down the River Lee catchment. An updated hydraulic model of the Upper Lee has been completed, covering the east of the constituency from Harpenden to Wheathampstead. The EA supports HCC LLFA to build resilience to surface water flooding in Harpenden town centre. The EA is also engaging with the public to offer advice and guidance on watercourse maintenance and flood-related matters to the community of Astrope.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 tackle sewage discharges by Thames Water into chalk streams in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are four wastewater treatment works (WwTW) operated by Thames Water that discharge to chalk streams in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme, improvements have been agreed for the three largest of these WwTWs, which account for over 99% of the effluent flow from these sites, including into chalk streams.
This is part of the Government’s plans to transform the entire water sector, which has already started.
In July, we announced measures including ringfencing vital funding for infrastructure investment and placing customers and the environment at the heart of water company objectives.
In September, the Government introduced the Water (Special Measures) Bill to Parliament to give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.
I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July, HCWS3.