Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
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 concluded Fur Market in Great Britain Call for Evidence, whether the Government plans to take steps to tackle the killing of animals for fur.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Fur farming has been banned in England and Wales since 2000, and 2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Whilst there are existing import restrictions on seal, cat and dog fur, we still import other fur from abroad. Following our departure from the EU, the Government is considering further steps it could take in relation to the fur trade.
The Government wants to hear from all interested parties as we look to develop proposals and form views on what the fur trade might look like. In order to do this, the Government has concluded a call for evidence to provide both stakeholders and the public with the opportunity to provide evidence and views on this important matter. We will publish a summary of responses shortly.
Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the (a) adequacy and (b) safety of the workforce in food supply chains.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Defra works closely with other Government departments to ensure there is access to adequate numbers of suitably skilled domestic and migrant workers across the agri-food chain.
Defra, the Home Office and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, work together to ensure that businesses adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring safety and wellbeing of seasonal agricultural workers.
The Health and Safety Executive requires harvesting work in a field to be assessed by the farmer, or contractor, to determine risks, both to workers and others.
Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether food parcels will continue for people who have shielding status as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Whilst the Government’s existing advice on shielding remains in place, we are committed to providing a range of support to individuals who need to shield so that they can access the essential supplies they need.
Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow and Gateshead East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how often updates to the list of people that are clinically extremely vulnerable to covid-19 are sent to supermarkets.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Supermarkets receive an updated list of the clinically extremely vulnerable every day.