Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what system is in place to count the number of chicks macerated in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
All four of the main laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon and CO2 gas mixtures as a permitted method of killing male day-old chicks, rather than maceration.
Maceration, or immediate crushing of the entire animal, is a lawful method of killing chicks up to 72 hours old and egg embryos (under Annex I of Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing). The method must provide for instantaneous maceration and immediate death of the animals and, as a result, they are caused no avoidable pain, distress or suffering when killed.
It is not within the Food Standards Agency’s remit to inspect laying hen hatcheries.
There is no statutory requirement to keep records of chicks killed by maceration
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Food Standards Agency officers physically visit facilities where chicks are slaughtered.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
All four of the main laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon and CO2 gas mixtures as a permitted method of killing male day-old chicks, rather than maceration.
Maceration, or immediate crushing of the entire animal, is a lawful method of killing chicks up to 72 hours old and egg embryos (under Annex I of Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing). The method must provide for instantaneous maceration and immediate death of the animals and, as a result, they are caused no avoidable pain, distress or suffering when killed.
It is not within the Food Standards Agency’s remit to inspect laying hen hatcheries.
There is no statutory requirement to keep records of chicks killed by maceration
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether chicks are killed by maceration in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
All four of the main laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon and CO2 gas mixtures as a permitted method of killing male day-old chicks, rather than maceration.
Maceration, or immediate crushing of the entire animal, is a lawful method of killing chicks up to 72 hours old and egg embryos (under Annex I of Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing). The method must provide for instantaneous maceration and immediate death of the animals and, as a result, they are caused no avoidable pain, distress or suffering when killed.
It is not within the Food Standards Agency’s remit to inspect laying hen hatcheries.
There is no statutory requirement to keep records of chicks killed by maceration.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 regulate the ownership of exotic animals in England.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Zoos in England are regulated by the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and the Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice (2012). Licences are awarded for up to four or six years and at least two inspections per licence have to use qualified zoo inspectors appointed by Defra. Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing conditions in zoos, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is responsible for nominating Defra inspectors for formal inspections. Defra is working with the UK Zoos Expert Committee to ensure the standards are clear and enforceable whilst representing the latest knowledge on the keeping of wild animals. We intend to launch a targeted consultation on the standards later this year.
The keeping of dangerous wild animals as pets is regulated by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. The Act requires owners of dangerous wild animals to be licensed by their local authority. The aim of the Act is to ensure that where private individuals keep dangerous wild animals, they do so in circumstances that create no risk to the public. We are looking closely at the wider animal welfare law to see whether it needs to be improved in relation to the welfare of exotic, non-domesticated animals. We have a manifesto commitment to start this process by banning the keeping of primates as pets and we consulted on this earlier this year.
It may also be helpful if I set out the laws already in place that provide for the protection of the welfare of exotic, non-domesticated animals in England. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, animal owners and keepers are under a legal duty of care for the animals for which they are responsible on a permanent or temporary basis. A person could therefore be responsible for an animal if they own it or are in charge of it. Responsibility for an animal includes having an understanding of the specific welfare needs, including health, of the animal and having the appropriate knowledge and skills to care for the animal. Local authorities, the APHA and the police all have powers of entry to investigate complaints of suspected animal cruelty or neglect and undertake prosecutions where necessary.
Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide properly for its welfare needs, faces an unlimited fine or being sent to prison for up six months, or both. Following a conviction for either of these offences, the court may also ban the offender from keeping any animals or certain types or animals and/or order that their animals are removed from them. The Government fully supports increasing the maximum custodial penalty for animal cruelty offences (including causing unnecessary suffering to an animal) from six months to five years through the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill which is currently before Parliament.
Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone who is in the business of selling animals as pets (including non-domestic species) needs a valid licence from their local authority. Licencees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to diverge from EU standards to pursue higher animal welfare standards for the pig farming industry.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare and we are currently examining the evidence around the use of cages for farm animals.
We introduced a new pig welfare code of practice, which came into force in March last year, and this provides guidance to keepers and farmers on legal requirements and encourages high standards of husbandry. The pig code states that the aim is for farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets. We are continuing to discuss and work with the industry on this issue.
We are co-designing an Animal Health and Welfare Pathway with industry, to promote the production of healthier, higher-welfare animals at a level beyond compliance with current regulations, underpinning our high international reputation for health and welfare and future increases to regulatory standards.
We are committed to maintaining our position as world leaders in animal welfare and want to improve and build upon that record, working in partnership with farmers to support healthier, higher welfare animals.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 economic effect of banning farrowing crates on the pig farming industry.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare and we are currently examining the evidence around the use of cages for farm animals.
We introduced a new pig welfare code of practice, which came into force in March last year, and this provides guidance to keepers and farmers on legal requirements and encourages high standards of husbandry. The pig code states that the aim is for farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets. We are continuing to discuss and work with the industry on this issue.
We are co-designing an Animal Health and Welfare Pathway with industry, to promote the production of healthier, higher-welfare animals at a level beyond compliance with current regulations, underpinning our high international reputation for health and welfare and future increases to regulatory standards.
We are committed to maintaining our position as world leaders in animal welfare and want to improve and build upon that record, working in partnership with farmers to support healthier, higher welfare animals.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 encourage people to buy British-caught fish.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Government is committed to supporting our seafood and fishing industries across the UK, including through growing domestic demand for our high-quality UK seafood.
Defra is partnering with Seafish (the public body that supports the UK seafood industry) to deliver the Love Seafood campaign to promote the domestic consumption of fish and shellfish. The Love Seafood campaign will run throughout this spring and aims to support the fisheries industry by encouraging people to buy and eat more UK caught seafood and will feature in national and regional press titles, regional radio, and on social media across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 improve flood defences in West Yorkshire.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Starting in April 2021, the Government will invest a record £5.2 billion in a six-year capital investment programme for flood defences. This investment will deliver around 2,000 flood schemes, benefiting every region of the country, and will better protect 336,000 properties from flooding.
In July 2020 we committed funding of up to £170 million to accelerate work on shovel-ready flood defence schemes that will begin construction before the end 2021/2022. This funding will provide an immediate boost to jobs supporting the local economy as communities recover from the impact of coronavirus. The Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme has been awarded £12 million to contribute to this ambitious plan by better protecting approximately 4500 jobs and 1000 businesses.
In Leeds, the Government will provide up to £21 million for the Leeds Phase 2 Flood Alleviation Scheme which will protect more than 370 businesses and 3.300 jobs. This is subject to a satisfactory business case approved by Defra and HMT. The Government will also provide £1,320,000 for the Leeds Natural Flood Management Scheme. This brings the Government's total investment in Leeds to more than £100 million to help prevent a repeat of the 2015 Boxing Day floods.
Since 2015/16, there has been £158 million of investment in West Yorkshire better protecting homes, business and critical infrastructure against flooding. This includes areas in West Yorkshire that have suffered severe flooding in recent years, such as Mytholmroyd on the River Calder, where over 400 homes have been better protected, and Leeds on the River Aire, where over 3,000 homes and 500 businesses have been better protected. This investment has been made up of £107 million government funding and £51 million of other external contributions.
For the next 6 years, there is planned investment of £255 million. This is made up of £146 million government funding with £109 million of external contributions required. Some of this additional funding has already been secured or identified and the Environment Agency will continue to work with partners to secure the remaining funding. This programme aims to better protect almost 7,000 more homes across West Yorkshire and deliver wider economic benefits of over £2.5 billion.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
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 has taken to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening, since the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Leaving the EU has enabled us to take a major step forward in delivering on our commitment to end excessively long journeys for animals going for slaughter or fattening.
We are currently consulting in England and Wales on proposals to end the unnecessary practice. This is a key priority for the Government, and we hope to have legislation in place by the end of the year.
The consultation period closes on 25 February 2021. Further details can be found at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/transforming-farm-animal-health-and-welfare-team/improvements-to-animal-welfare-in-transport/