Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the effects of bird flu in Shetland.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved administrations to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. However, each of the administrations seeks consistent and coordinated response to disease control across Great Britain (GB) where possible. Avian influenza control measures for the three GB administrations are set out in the GB notifiable avian disease control strategy (copy also attached to this answer).
As part of the coordinated GB response to avian influenza, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols on behalf of Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government to help us understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird. Through this surveillance, wild birds including Eider ducks, great black-backed gulls, gannets and Arctic terns have been found positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 on Shetland. The Scottish Government is working closely with APHA, NatureScot and other non-governmental organisations including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology to monitor and respond to the effect of avian influenza on wild birds on Shetland and other areas of Scotland.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, for future legislation of the micro-chipping of (1) dogs, and (2) cats.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
All dogs in England must already be microchipped under the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015, unless they are certified as exempt. We are currently carrying out a post-implementation review of the regulations, which will be published later this year. This review will also consider how the current database system is working in practice
We committed in our manifesto, and reaffirmed in our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, our intention to introduce compulsory cat microchipping. We carried out a public consultation on these proposals earlier this year. Defra officials are currently analysing the responses. We aim to publish a summary of responses and set out our proposals later this year.
This is a devolved matter and these developments relate to the situation applying in England.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to give Local Authorities a legal obligation to enforce the dog licensing regulations.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Local authorities already undertake enforcement action in relation to breaches relating to licensable activity involving dogs, such as sales, breeding and boarding activities, as set out under section 3 of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations).
These regulations were developed to help improve welfare standards across a range of animal-related activities that are licensed by local authorities. The 2018 Regulations built on previous well-established requirements, many of which have existed for over 50 years including the animal boarding legislation which dates from 1963. Standards of welfare have developed considerably since that time, not least with the passing of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).
The Government guidance which supports the 2018 Regulations is statutory, and local authorities are required to take it into account. This guidance aims to improve consistency in interpretation and application of the licensing regime across England. A person who carries on any licensed activity without a licence issued under the 2018 Regulations commits an offence under section 13(6) of the 2006 Act and would be liable to imprisonment for a term of up to six months, a fine, or both. Local authorities are provided with broad enforcement powers under the 2006 Act and, under section 30 of the 2006 Act, may prosecute any breach of the legislation.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to make pet theft a specific criminal offence.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Government fully understands the deep distress caused by the theft of a much-loved pet and recognises that the theft of a sentient creature is different from an item of property, however valuable. All reported crimes should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences.
The Government's Pet Theft Taskforce has been set up to recommend any necessary measures – legislative and non-legislative - to tackle this crime and consists of Government officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Home Office and Ministry of Justice along with operational partners. The Taskforce is considering the issue from end to end, including causes, prevention, reporting, enforcement, prosecution and sentencing, and is examining every option available to make sure perpetrators feel the full force of the law.
The taskforce is due to report its recommendations this summer.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which areas will (1) be designated national parks, (2) be designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, or (3) otherwise protected from development, by 2030.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Natural England, as the statutory advisor to the Government on landscape, announced on 24 June 2021 an ambitious programme to create and improve protected landscapes.
As part of this programme Natural England has with immediate effect started work to consider the creation of two new Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), the Yorkshire Wolds and the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge; and expansions of both the Surrey Hills and Chilterns AONBs.
The Government has committed to protect and improve 30% of UK’s land for biodiversity by 2030. To meet this commitment, Natural England will also undertake an all-England landscapes assessment to identify any remaining places suitable for National Park or AONB designation.
We have announced our intention to publish a Green Paper on nature recovery, including wildlife reform, before the end of the year. This consultation will provide the opportunity to influence how we can improve our wildlife laws to deliver our ambitions for nature recovery, including improving sites and habitat protections, aligning these with the Government’s strategic priorities for nature and biodiversity.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many statutory instruments from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been laid this calendar year; of those, what percentage corrected errors in a previous instrument (including drafts of affirmative instruments that had to be superseded by correcting drafts); and what steps that Department is taking to reduce the need for correcting instruments.
Answered by Lord De Mauley
Defra laid 33 Statutory Instruments this calendar year. Two of these, 6% of the total, corrected errors in other Statutory Instruments. They are the Marine Licensing (Application Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and the Veterinary Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2014.
The Department and its legal team have standing procedures for checking Statutory Instruments. If a correction to a Defra Statutory Instrument is required, the reasons for the error are investigated and appropriate action taken.
Defra will be working with The Treasury Solicitor and First Parliamentary Counsel in the coming months to improve the quality of Statutory Instrument drafting.