Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
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 Answer of 20 April 2017 to Question 70622, for what reason the data recorded on the Pets Database and presented in the Answer to Question 66537 was inaccurate; and what the margin of error was in that data.
Answered by George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given on 24 July 2017, PQ 5522.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
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 24 July 2017 to Question 5522, (a) what steps he is taking to phase out manual data entry and (b) whether his Department is considering methods of data entry to improve the accuracy of data collection.
Answered by George Eustice
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) agree a Required Method of Operation (RMOP) with transport companies which carry pet animals. The RMOP includes protocols to capture data accurately and to submit it in a timely manner. In the absence of an electronic method of data capture, manual entry is often the only current option. Whilst there is no legislative power to enforce data collection APHA work closely with the transport companies to ensure that they understand the need for accuracy.
A new electronic method of collecting data is being considered where APHA hope to build on technological approaches being developed for other purposes.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
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 Answer of 20 April 2017 to Question 70622, on what date the new reporting system was permanently introduced; for what reason the data recorded on the Pets Database and presented in the Answer to Question 62238 was inaccurate; and what the margin of error was in the data used in the Answer to Question 62238.
Answered by George Eustice
In July 2015 the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) began piloting a parallel system to establish the accuracy of data available from the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) database. Defra is evaluating options for a new permanent system.
The data provided in PQ62238 was taken from the parallel system piloted by APHA, and is believed to be an accurate representation of the number of animals entering Great Britain. However, there may be unavoidable errors due to manual data entry onto spreadsheets by the carriers.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
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 22 March 2017 to Question 66537, for what reason the numbers of dogs imported into the UK from each origin country, as presented in Annex A, do not add up to the number recorded on APHA's system of dogs entering the UK non-commercially under the Pets Travel Scheme, as stated in the Answer of 30 January 2017 to Question 62238.
Answered by George Eustice
Currently, the Pets Database holds information on pet movements into GB on approved routes gathered by transport companies. Since mid-2015 the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has been piloting a parallel system to establish the level of accuracy of data available from the Pets Database. This has identified that more dogs are travelling under the Pet Travel Scheme than previously indicated by the Pets Database data, and this number was presented in PQ62238. Based on this finding, APHA is now working on a new permanent system to capture accurately all the required data without placing an unrealistic burden on carriers.
The information that APHA has provided in response to PQ66537 is a true reflection of the information that is held on the Pets Database, as supplied by third parties.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
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 20 February 2017 to Question 63358, on dogs: imports, how many dogs were imported into the UK from each country for (a) non-commercial reasons and (b) commercial reasons under the Pet Travel Scheme in 2016.
Answered by George Eustice
Information regarding the stated country of origin of dogs entering GB for non-commercial reasons, supplied by the carriers, is presented in Annex A. We are currently working with carriers to ensure accuracy of all information collated.
Details of the country of origin of dogs entering GB for commercial reasons in 2016 can be extracted from the EU TRACES database, and is presented in Annex B.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions there have been in respect of non-compliant dogs and puppies entering the UK via Dover or the Eurotunnel in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014, (d) 2015 and (e) 2016.
Answered by George Eustice
The number of prosecutions in respect of non-compliant dogs and puppies entering England and Wales are set out below.
Year | Number of Prosecutions * |
2012 | 7 |
2013 | 5 |
2014 | 5 |
2015 | 4 |
2016 | 5 |
*It is not possible to know from the returns where these non-compliances were identified (e.g. at Dover or Eurotunnel or elsewhere - including by air).
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not gather, collate or hold this data for Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) FTSE 100 and (b) FTSE 350 companies made voluntary climate disclosures beyond legal reporting requirements in the last year for which figures are available.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Defra does not hold the information requested.