Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish its response to the report it commissioned from Middlesex University on dog attacks.
Answered by Jo Churchill
In December 2021, Defra published research in collaboration with Middlesex University to look at responsible ownership across all breeds of dog. The research considers different approaches and the effectiveness of current dog control measures and makes several recommendations including specifically on improving the evidence base. The report will provide the basis for the consideration of reform in this area and the Government is already working with the police, local authorities, and stakeholders to consider the recommendations further.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to (a) publish the results of the consultation on improvements to animal welfare in transport and (b) bring forward legislative proposals to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
The public consultation ended on 25th February and we are currently analysing all the responses we received. We will be publishing the Government response later this year.
We hope to have legislation in place to end live animal exports for slaughter and fattening by the end of the year.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) animal welfare organisations and (b) UK Border Force on the post-implementation review of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order since the end of his Department's consultation exercise on 26 October 2016.
Answered by George Eustice
The post implementation review will evaluate the effectiveness of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order. A public consultation was conducted and responses published in June 2017. A final report will be published in due course.
Ministers and officials have ongoing engagement with animal welfare NGOs on a range of issues including the movement of pet animals. Defra officials work with Border Force across a range of animal import matters including those covered by the review.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
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 as a result of the post-implementation review of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order.
Answered by George Eustice
The post implementation review will evaluate the effectiveness of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order. A public consultation was conducted and responses published in June 2017. A final report will be published in due course.
Ministers and officials have ongoing engagement with animal welfare NGOs on a range of issues including the movement of pet animals. Defra officials work with Border Force across a range of animal import matters including those covered by the review.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with breeders deemed low-risk in the new dog breeding regulations on the effect of those regulations on those breeders.
Answered by George Eustice
Defra is developing revised regulations on dog breeding and other licensable animal activities in close liaison with key stakeholders including members of the Canine and Feline Sector Group. Underpinning the new regulations will be a risk-based system whereby those deemed low risk will benefit from longer licences, fewer inspections and a lower fee. The risk based system is being developed by key stakeholders including those that represent dog breeders. No specific discussions have taken place with dog breeders themselves but the proposals have been widely consulted upon.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
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 is taking to ensure that inspections carried out by assured breeder scheme inspectors are not duplicated by local authorities under the new dog breeding regulations.
Answered by George Eustice
We recognise that the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeders Scheme provides benefits for animal welfare and is a hallmark by which potential purchasers can obtain a puppy.
Under our proposals anyone who is a member of an organisation that has been certified by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service will benefit from being assessed as lower risk and attract fewer inspections, a lower fee and be able to show a higher star rating on any merchandising or advertising they may employ.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
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 potential merits of incorporating the assured breeder scheme into the new dog breeding regulations.
Answered by George Eustice
We recognise that the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeders Scheme provides benefits for animal welfare and is a hallmark by which potential purchasers can obtain a puppy.
Under our proposals anyone who is a member of an organisation that has been certified by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service will benefit from being assessed as lower risk and attract fewer inspections, a lower fee and be able to show a higher star rating on any merchandising or advertising they may employ.