Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support is available to (a) animal rescue organisations and (b) local authorities to care for XL Bully puppies that do not meet the legal breed standard for a banned type of dog, but may eventually grow to do so.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
My Department is engaging closely with local authorities and rescue and rehoming organisations to monitor the impacts of the XL Bully dog ban.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has taken steps to increase the number of dog legislation officers following the introduction of the XL Bully dog ban.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra are working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office to assess enforcement capability and capacity in relation to the ban on XL Bully type dogs. We have supported the police to deliver additional training to Dog Legislation Officers to make sure the ban is effectively enforced.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 measure the effectiveness of the XL Bully ban over the next five years.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is developing a monitoring and evaluation plan to assess the effectiveness of the XL Bully dog ban.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to ensure continued supply of veterinary medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and what steps she has taken to avoid veterinary regulatory divergence.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since EU Exit, a grace period has been in place and continues to be in place until the end of 2025 to safeguard the continued supply to Northern Ireland. The UK Government is committed to securing a long-term sustainable solution ahead of December 2025 that will properly support the flow of veterinary medicines into Northern Ireland from Great Britain on an enduring basis.
The Government is determined to safeguard the supply of veterinary medicines in all scenarios, and our key priority is to pursue technical discussions with the EU to find a solution that removes the barriers to supply; in return we are willing to provide assurances and safeguards to the EU. The newly established Veterinary Medicines Working Group, including experts, industry representatives and elected representatives, is playing a key role in advising the Government on identifying solutions at pace.
We are also taking steps to make it easier for businesses to apply for a licence on a UK-wide basis and facilitate continued veterinary medicines supply to the whole of the UK. New legislation (the Veterinary Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2024) has been laid in Parliament and is expected to come into force very soon.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government firmly believes that Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 plays a very important part in our overall approach towards tackling dangerous dogs. The existing legal framework for dog control equips the police and local authorities with appropriate powers to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog ownership. We are working in partnership with the police, local authorities and animal welfare organisations to ensure that the full range of existing dog control powers are effectively applied to encourage responsible dog ownership and reduce the risk of dog attacks.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made on improving water quality in (a) Romford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Havering.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are committed to continue to improving water quality and are delivering the record investment, the stronger regulation and the tougher enforcement to improve our water for our own health, for nature and the economy. For example, on 20 February we announced plans to more than quadruple Environment Agency (EA) water company inspections, strengthening oversight, reducing the reliance on self-monitoring.
The EA is working with Thames Water under the Water industry National Environment Programme’ (WINEP) scheme on improved monitoring for the two wastewater treatment works in Havering that discharge to the River Ingrebourne, and in Brentwood on a scheme to reduce phosphorous.
Thames Water were required to install ‘Event Duration Monitoring’ (EDM) at all storm overflows on their sewerage network before the end of 2023; the two sites requiring EDM in Havering have had these since 2019.
Further schemes are ongoing with Groundwork East to deliver a combined Yellowfish and Junior River Wardens project working with schools along the River Ingrebourne, with potential to expand this scheme to cover the River Rom.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 with relevant authorities to improve the condition of waterways in (a) Romford constituency and (b) the UK.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to improving the condition of waterways in England as set out in our Plan for Water published in April 2023. The Plan for Water marks a step-change in how we manage our waters. It is delivering more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to tackle pollution and clean up our water.
With respect to the Romford constituency, the Environment Agency is working collaboratively with partners within the Roding, Beam and Ingrebourne Catchment Partnership to improve the water quality and biodiversity of waterbodies.
This includes carrying out river maintenance work such as vegetation management, operational checks on flood defence assets, treatment of invasive non-native species, bridge inspections, and inspection and maintenance of public safety measures. The Environment Agency also worked closely with the local council to form the rivers policy in their Local Plan, which now influences developments adjacent to Havering's rivers and river corridors.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 has taken to address dog thefts in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We fully understand the devastating impact the theft of a pet can have, which is why in 2016 we made it compulsory to microchip all pet dogs in England and have extended this legislation to include cats from 10 June 2024.
On 29 March, we published the Government’s response to a consultation on cat and dog microchipping that sets out how we will address a number of recommendations made in the Pet Theft Taskforce report. This includes developing a new single point of search portal to make it easier to search compliant databases for a microchip record and strengthening the process for changing keepership.
We are also already supporting Anna Firth’s Pet Abduction Bill through parliament. This Private Member’s Bill is looking to introduce new offences for dog and cat abduction. Alongside this, police forces are working together to better coordinate and share best practice and advice on the steps owners can take to protect their pets.
This package of measures will help protect dogs and cats across England, including in the Romford constituency.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 help reverse biodiversity loss in Romford constituency.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In England, we have set four legally binding targets for biodiversity. We have legislated to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and to reverse species decline by 2042; to reduce the risk of species extinction; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats. These targets will drive actions to support biodiversity in Romford and every other area across England.
We have set out our plan to deliver on these ambitious targets, along with our other environmental targets, in the Environmental Improvement Plan published 31 January 2023. Here we link the different objectives, plans and mechanisms for recovering nature.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are being prepared across the whole of England to support delivery of the targets. The 48 strategies are bringing together local partners to agree priorities and propose practical actions in areas where they would have the most benefit for nature recovery and the wider environment. The Romford constituency is within the Greater London LNRS area. Preparation of the strategy is being led by the Greater London Authority, with support from the local planning authorities in the area, including Havering Borough Council, which serves the Romford constituency.
The Environment Agency is working with partners to improve the water quality and biodiversity of waterbodies within the constituency of Romford. The agency created a backwater on the side of the main channel of the river Rom as a fish refuge. This has benefitted fish populations and improved the wider river corridor for biodiversity by creating a varied mosaic of habitats. The agency also part funded a multi-partnership project to deliver river enhancement and restoration works to the River Rom and is currently looking at a potential project that would address issues impacting the River Ravensbourne at Harrow Lodge Park.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to provide legal protection for the title of veterinary nurse.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the important work carried out by veterinary nurses across the country, and the legal protection of the title is part of the ongoing consideration of legislative actions. Suitably qualified practitioners can sign up to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ register of veterinary nurses, which holds around 19,000 currently. Defra officials continue to work with stakeholders across the sector on possible avenues for legislative reform and will explore the inclusion of protection of the title within any future reforms, when parliamentary time allows.