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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 18 Nov 2025
Flood Risk and Flood Defence Infrastructure: North-west England

"My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and I agree with all the things that she has asked for. Perhaps I can add one more ask of both the EA and the Government, which is for more of a focus on the upstream prevention activity, so we can stop …..."
Jeff Smith - View Speech

View all Jeff Smith (Lab - Manchester Withington) contributions to the debate on: Flood Risk and Flood Defence Infrastructure: North-west England

Written Question
Dangerous Dogs
Wednesday 7th December 2022

Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, How much her Department has spent on the enforcement of the [Dangerous Dogs Act 1991] in the last year.

Answered by Rebecca Pow

The police and local authorities are responsible for enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. Defra has, therefore, not incurred any enforcement costs in the last year.


Written Question
Dangerous Dogs
Wednesday 7th December 2022

Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)

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 make an estimate of the (a) costs to local authorities of maintaining kennels, (b) legal costs of listing a dog on the Index of Exempted Dogs, (c) cost of enforcement by police authorities and (d) other costs of enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in the last year.

Answered by Rebecca Pow

Defra does not hold this information. Any information on the costs of kennelling and enforcement associated with dogs seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 will be kept by individual local authorities and police forces.


Written Question
Dangerous Dogs: Exemptions
Wednesday 7th December 2022

Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for dogs to be listed on the Index of Exempted Dogs there were in the last year; and how many of those were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

Answered by Rebecca Pow

Applications to be listed on the Index of Exempted Dogs (“the Index”) are governed by the Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015. The person in charge of a prohibited dog may only apply for the dog to be listed on the Index if the court has granted a contingent destruction order under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in relation to a prohibited dog. The person in charge of the dog must fulfil a number of conditions for the dog to be listed on the Index, including ensuring that the dog is neutered, microchipped and that they have a policy of third-party insurance in respect of the dog that is to be exempted. Defra will list the dog on the Index and issue the applicant with a Certificate of Exemption following receipt of a completed application form, evidence showing that the conditions have been met and payment of the fee within the specified period. In 2021, 129 applications were processed successfully and 17 applications were not successful.


Written Question
Deposit Return Schemes
Thursday 29th September 2022

Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)

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 respond to the further consultation on the introduction of a deposit return scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which closed in June 2021.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

Further details on when a Deposit Return Scheme will be introduced will be set out in the Government response to last year's consultation. We are working towards publication in late 2022.


Written Question
Land Drainage
Monday 20th December 2021

Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timescale is for (a) the review of the case for implementing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in England and (b) the implementation of recommendations from that review.

Answered by Rebecca Pow

The review is currently underway and will report in 2022.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 09 Dec 2021
Oral Answers to Questions

"12. What recent discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on the adequacy of flood risk management in inner cities. ..."
Jeff Smith - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 09 Dec 2021
Oral Answers to Questions

"That is welcome, because in my constituency we found out that this is a growing problem this time last year, when we narrowly—by 2 cm—averted a disastrous flooding incident in Chorlton and Didsbury when the Mersey flooded. What is the Department’s assessment of the state of readiness in general of …..."
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View all Jeff Smith (Lab - Manchester Withington) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 21 Oct 2021
COP26: Limiting Global Temperature Rises

"I said in my maiden speech that the climate crisis was the most important issue we faced, and in the six years that have passed since then, it has got even more urgent each year. COP26 is the best chance we have of mitigating the damage and keeping the target …..."
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 20 Oct 2020
Local Clean Air Targets

"I beg to move,

That this House has considered local clean air targets.

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Walker. I am grateful to have the opportunity to talk about air quality. The issue involves a lot of different aspects, as I think we will …..."

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View all Jeff Smith (Lab - Manchester Withington) contributions to the debate on: Local Clean Air Targets