Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring dogs to be on a leash when on agricultural land.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We maintain that it is best practice to keep your dog on a lead around livestock. The Countryside Code advises dog walkers to always check local signs as there are situations where this is already a legal requirement for all or part of the year – for example when on Open Access Land between 1 March and 31 July.
There is a careful balance to be struck between the level of freedom people enjoy when accessing the countryside to walk their dogs, the welfare of those dogs who require regular exercise (including the freedom to exhibit normal behaviours) and the welfare of livestock and interests of their keepers. There is also a public safety consideration. The behaviour of certain livestock species can be unpredictable, especially when they are with their young. That is why the recently refreshed Countryside Code reminds dog walkers to let their dog off the lead if they feel threatened by livestock or horses. Releasing a dog will make it easier for both the dog and walker to reach safety and avoid getting hurt.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the Administrative Arrangement for the admission of the UK to the military mobility element of the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation upon completion.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK's Administrative Arrangement to join the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) military mobility project would be a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
We will not be publishing the Administrative Arrangement, as it is not Ministry of Defence policy to publish MOUs because they often deal with classified military or technical matters.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the Administrative Arrangement for the UK's admission to the military mobility element of the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation to be concluded.
Answered by James Heappey
The Military Mobility Project delivered through the European Union's Permanent Structural Corporation (PESCO) is an important part of enabling Allies' response to the crisis in continental Europe. The Military Mobility Project coordinates infrastructure development and other logistics measures that will allow NATO to move forces more quickly across the continent. The UK would be joining the US, Canada and Norway who are already part of the project.
The Council of the European Union gave political approval for our application on 15 November 2022, and we are now negotiating the technical terms of our participation in the form of an Administrative Arrangement. These negotiations will conclude once the UK and the EU Member States that participate in the project reach agreement.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ensure that any legislative proposals for the Not for EU labelling scheme are produced in sufficient time for them to be scrutinised by Members.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Yes, sufficient time will be given to Members to consider any forthcoming legislation.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
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 Foreign Secretary’s appearance before the Sub-Committee of the House of Lords European Affairs Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland on 16 May 2023, if she will set out the legal basis for the planned all-UK not for EU labelling regime.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The legal basis for the “Not for EU” label requirements in Great Britain, confirmed in the Command Paper, will be set out in due course, following consultation with the Scottish and Welsh governments. This requirement will not come into force until October 2024.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has conducted any consultation on the proposed introduction of not for EU labelling across the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have engaged closely with industry about these arrangements and will continue to do so in advance of changes taking effect in October 2024. We have met with businesses and trade bodies, through weekly forums along with separate bespoke engagements, to discuss these proposals. We will support businesses in adapting to these new arrangements.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Not for EU labelling regime will apply to goods produced in Northern Ireland for sale in (a) Great Britain and (b) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The requirement for a “Not for EU” label will not apply to goods produced in Northern Ireland and sold in either Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to provide compensation to Gibraltar for the loss of EU structural funding.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
In March 2021, the UK Government allocated £500,000 to Gibraltar under the UK Community Renewal Fund to support Gibraltar's transition away from EU Structural Funds. The UK Government and Government of Gibraltar continue to work side-by-side to conclude a UK-EU treaty which can secure the future prosperity of Gibraltar and the region.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which infrastructure for the diagnosis of dementia adequately serves (a) each UK region and (b) rural areas in particular.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has commissioned the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities Dementia Intelligence Network to investigate the underlying variation in dementia diagnosis rates. This includes the assessment of underlying population characteristics such as rurality, ethnicity, and age. The aim of this work is to provide context for variation and enable targeted investigation and provision of support at a local level to enhance diagnosis rates. The resource is currently being tested with Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the response of the Northern Ireland haulage industry to the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland meets regularly with Northern Ireland stakeholders, including representatives of the road haulage industry to discuss a range of relevant issues, including following the announcement of the Windsor Framework.
The Windsor Framework restores the free flow of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland with a first-of-its-kind green lane that will enable goods destined for NI to move easily without burdensome customs bureaucracy.
Customs paperwork will be scrapped and replaced with data sharing of ordinary, existing commercial information. This information will be provided from sales invoices and transport contracts – information that businesses will already hold and use for the movement of goods.
In other words, the only data traders will need to move from Birmingham to Belfast is the same as if they were going to the Isle of Wight.
We have also secured complete unfettered access for NI goods on the UK market, with no export processes required.