Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
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 reduce single-use nappy waste by 2042 as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In line with the 25 Year Environment Plan, and our Resources and Waste Strategy, we are considering the best approach to minimise the environmental impact of a range of products, including nappies, taking on board the environmental and social impacts of the options available.
Potential additional policy measures include standards, consumer information and encouraging voluntary action by business. We are seeking powers, through the Environment Bill, that will enable us to, where appropriate and subject to consultation, introduce ecodesign and consumer information requirements. This could include labelling schemes that provide accurate information to consumers, to drive the market towards more sustainable products.
The previous Life Cycle Assessment of disposable and washable nappies dates from 2005, and was updated in 2008. To take account of the latest technological developments we are now funding a new environmental assessment of disposable and washable absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) with the primary focus on nappies. This is in progress and is looking at the waste and energy impacts of washable products, disposal to landfill or incineration, and recycling options. It will be published later this year following peer review and will help inform possible future action on AHPs by Government and industry.
In order to complete this study and explore feasible options going forward, information is being gathered from industry. I have met with representatives of the Nappy Alliance, and will be meeting with the Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association and disposable nappy business representatives shortly.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Marine Stewardship Council's certification and verification process when classifying fish for consumption; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Our ambition is world-class fisheries management to achieve sustainable fisheries, safeguarding stocks and the environment for the long-term. We also support the development of traceable supply chains, where businesses and users can ascertain the legality and sustainability of their products.
We have not made an assessment of the MSC’s certification and verification process and it would not be appropriate to do so. However, the Environmental Audit Committee’s ‘Sustainable Seas’ report of 2019 offers a balanced and insightful enquiry into the Marine Stewardship Council. The recommendation that the report makes with regards to a transparent and independently evaluated review is important, not least to ensure public confidence in the MSC. Transparent and effective reviews of the MSC will also ensure that it is constantly keeping up with the best available fisheries governance.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Local Authority Enforcement Project in Wales, what similar support he is making available to local authorities for collaboration on animal welfare enforcement across the UK.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Welsh Government has kept us informed of its Local Authority Enforcement Project and we are looking into whether any lessons can be learnt to inform better training of local authority inspectors in England.
Meanwhile, Defra has published statutory guidance notes for local authorities to support the enforcement of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) which govern activities such as dog breeding and pet sales.
The 2018 Regulations require that all local authority inspectors must be suitably qualified and the procedural guidance notes define how inspectors can meet this criterion. Such criteria includes any person holding a Level 3 certificate or equivalent granted by a body, recognised and regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation which oversees the training and assessment of persons in inspecting and licensing animal activities businesses, confirming the passing of an independent examination.
We also helped facilitate the establishment of the Local Government Animal Welfare Group (LGAWG) and its website which provides information for local authority teams as well as other animal welfare enforcers such as the police and the RSPCA. This Group seeks to raise the profile of animal welfare enforcement as well as sharing best practice and providing advice for those working with animals. Supported by Defra, the Local Government Association and the Animal Health & Welfare Board England, the LGAWG provides up to date information and news.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
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 effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the ability of local authority inspectors to inspect licensable activities under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
During the COVID-19 restrictions, my department has engaged with local authority representatives about their undertaking of inspections. Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) local authorities have powers to vary licences and this includes extending them without needing to inspect the premises. Therefore, local authorities were able to make decisions on a case by case basis relating to inspecting premises licensed under the 2018 Regulations in a safe way.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the link between those who commit domestic abuse offences as well as animal welfare offences; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government is committed to animal welfare. Whilst the Government has not made a formal assessment of existing research into the link between those who commit domestic abuse offences and those who commit animal welfare offences, as a reflection of the seriousness with which we take cruelty against our animals we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill, which seeks to increase the maximum custodial penalty for animal cruelty from six months to five years. Committee stage of the Bill in the House of Commons took place on 3 February.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the value is of service credits applied to the contracts awarded to (a) Brake Brothers and (b) BFS Group to provide food boxes for shielding vulnerable adults.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Defra Contracts with Brakes and Bidfood delivered 4.7 million food boxes to the doorsteps of the clinically extremely vulnerable in England between 27 March and 1 August 2020. The contract contained Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to cover on-time, in-full and zero defect delivery. KPIs were monitored on a daily and weekly basis. Brakes and Bidfood delivered the service in accordance with these KPIs and therefore service credits were not required.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
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 has developed to assist police officers to tackle crimes related to animal welfare; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The police do not normally enforce animal welfare legislation except in relation to serious organised crimes, such as dog fighting. Consequently, the police are not usually issued with guidance on animal welfare crimes. Local authorities enforce certain animal welfare laws such as those relating to the licensing of particular animal-related activities. To assist them in this responsibility, we have provided them with the necessary guidance such as that which accompanies The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. A copy of the associated guidance can be found on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-activities-licensing-guidance-for-local-authorities.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning the import of animal fur into the UK.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and, after the transition period, the Government plans to retain current regulations banning the import of fur from domestic cats and dogs, and has laid secondary legislation to retain the ban on commercial seal hunts. Legislation has prohibited farming of animals for their fur since 2000 in England and Wales, and 2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Once the UK assumes an independent seat on international bodies such as CITES and OIE we will have an opportunity to promote our high standards in these international fora.
Once our future relationship with the EU has been established there will be an opportunity for the Government to consider further the steps it could take in relation to fur imports.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
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 7 December 2020 to Question 124350 on Pest Control: Animal Welfare, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on animal welfare and animal-related measures.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
On 3 December, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on the ban of live animal exports for fattening or slaughter. The Government is also consulting on proposals to further improve animal welfare in transport more generally, such as reduced maximum journey times, animals being given more space and headroom during transport, stricter rules on transporting animals in extreme temperatures and tighter rules for transporting live animals by sea.
On 12 December, the Government launched proposals to ban keeping primates as pets in England, inviting the public to have their say on the issue over the next eight weeks. Findings from a recent call for evidence found that these animals' complex needs cannot be met in a home environment. Under these new plans, it will be an offence to keep a primate as a pet in England. Only those keeping primates to zoo level standards will be permitted to keep primates.
The Government is in the process of refining proposals for the manifesto commitments on the introduction of laws on animal sentience, a ban on the import of hunting trophies and tackling puppy smuggling, and will be publishing further detail in the coming weeks. We are still considering the best legislative vehicle to bring forward these reforms in the near future. We will be engaging with stakeholders and other Government departments as necessary.
Our manifesto commitment to introduce mandatory cat microchipping will be brought forward via secondary legislation in the coming months. The Government continues to support the passage of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill in Parliament to deliver our manifesto commitment to increase the maximum available penalty for the worst animal cruelty offences from six months to five years.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
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 publish his Department’s response to the consultation on the microchipping of cats in England that closed on 4 January 2020.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and has a manifesto commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping of cats. In October 2019 Defra published a call for evidence on compulsory microchipping for cats, which attracted over 3,000 responses. We will be publishing a summary of the responses alongside the launch of a public consultation shortly.