Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to protect the welfare of wild animals touring with travelling circuses in England once The Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 expire in January 2020.
Answered by David Rutley
I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave to the honourable member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 16 October 2018 to Question 176633.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill which closed on 31 Jan 2018.
Answered by George Eustice
The summary of consultation responses on the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill, including the Government's next steps, was published on 7 August 2018 at the following link:
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to restore the ecosystems on the moors in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Lancashire after the recent fires in those areas.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Government is closely monitoring the environmental impact on the moors but it is too early to have a clear picture in terms of the severity or extent of the damage caused at this stage. Natural England is in contact with local landowners and land managers affected by both incidents and will work closely with them and the National Park Authority once the fires are out. We are on standby to arrange site visits and to begin assessing the damage and help with recovery.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill which closed on 31 Jan 2018.
Answered by George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bristol East, PQ UIN 133919. Publication will also need to take account of the purdah period for the May 2018 local elections.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
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 reduce the number of dogs being brought illegally into the UK for sale.
Answered by George Eustice
The illegal importing of dogs is a serious issue. Defra is currently reviewing enforcement and consulting on new measures to help further crack down on this trade.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is working in partnership with Dogs Trust and other NGOs, enforcement bodies and transport carriers to identify non-compliant animals destined for Dover and Folkestone ports. This partnership began in December 2015 and has resulted in over 700 puppies being seized and placed into quarantine.
In January 2018, APHA established an intelligence database now in use for the receipt, development and dissemination of information covering the range of animal health and welfare work. APHA is also looking into establishing a Task Force to consider the better co-ordination of intelligence with other Government Departments and enforcement bodies.
At the 2nd EU Platform for animal welfare several Members asked for the establishment of a further sub-group on the illegal trade in dogs and cats. The UK would be supportive of a group focusing on this issue. In terms of bilateral engagement, Defra has raised specific abuses of the Pet Travel Scheme with authorities in the relevant countries, and this has resulted in changes to how they implement their pet regulations.
We also recognise the illegal trafficking of dogs is ultimately driven by demand. We have published guidance to follow when purchasing a dog such as buying from a reputable supplier and viewing the animal, its mother and its documentation before purchase. The guidance also highlights the trade in illegal imports.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect and support the populations of (a) bees and (b) other pollinators.
Answered by George Eustice
Protecting our pollinators is a priority for this Government. They are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production. Our National Pollinator Strategy highlights the vital contribution we can all make to support pollinators.
The Strategy is a shared plan between Government and stakeholders, and builds on policies which support pollinators, including habitat creation, species conservation and honey bee health.
The Strategy includes actions to protect pollinators in the countryside including on farmland, as well as in towns and cities, and to strengthen the response to pests and disease risk. Earlier in the year, Bees’ Needs week called for everyone, from window box gardeners to farmers, to take action to protect pollinators. Further details are available from www.gov.uk/government/news/bees-needs-food-and-a-home.
Defra supports the honey bee population through its Bee Health programme, delivered for England and Wales by the National Bee Unit. The programme aims to protect honey bees from pests and diseases, including tackling disease outbreaks and monitoring for exotic pests, including the Asian hornet. Inspectors carry out a total of over 6,000 apiary inspections each year during which free training is provided to beekeepers on how to keep their bees healthy.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the UK intends to maintain the EU ban on neonicotinoids after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
As part of the preparation for EU exit, we are considering future arrangements for pesticides. Our highest priority will continue to be the protection of people and the environment.
The Government remains of the view that decisions on the use of neonicotinoids and other pesticides should be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks. Pesticides that carry unacceptable risks to pollinators should not be authorised. The Government keeps the developing evidence on neonicotinoids under active review, advised by the Expert Committee on Pesticides.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government will bring forward legislative proposals to ban wild animals from being used in circuses.
Answered by George Eustice
A ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses is a manifesto commitment and will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows. In the interim, the welfare of any wild animals still being used by travelling circuses in England is protected by the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012. Currently, 16 wild animals are licensed by Defra under the Regulations for use by two circuses.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward proposals to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.
Answered by George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Angela Smith, on 21 July 2015, PQ UIN 7749.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on provision for the kennelling and seizure of suspected dangerous dogs; and what changes he expects to make to the regulations on dangerous dogs.
Answered by George Eustice
On 6 February 2013 the Government announced, as part of its package of measures to tackle irresponsible ownership of dogs, that it would provide powers for the police to allow suspected prohibited type dogs to be kept with the owners in cases where they considered that the dog was not a threat to public safety. The Government is in the process of making changes to the relevant regulations to enable this power to be available to the police.