Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
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 is taking to promote sustainable practices in the clothing and textiles industry.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In the Resources and Waste Strategy for England (2018), the Government committed to develop policy measures to promote sustainable practices in the clothing and textiles industry. We are currently working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and industry to develop an ambitious new phase of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan, which has to date delivered significant reductions in signatories’ carbon and water footprints. The recently introduced Environment Bill also seeks powers to develop ecodesign and consumer information requirements subject to consultation to support durable, repairable, and recyclable textiles. We have also identified textiles as a priority area in which to consult on an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. We are seeking to support closed loop recycling through the WRAP-administered Resource Action Fund. Our plans to promote sustainable practices in the textiles sector will be developed and enhanced in a new Waste Prevention Programme on which we will consult this year.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to (a) support a circular economy for clothing and textiles and (b) create the required infrastructure for fibre-to fibre recycling of garments.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In the Resources and Waste Strategy for England (2018), the Government committed to develop policy measures to support a circular economy for clothing and textiles. We are currently working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and industry to develop an ambitious new phase of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan. We are seeking enabling powers in the forthcoming Environment Bill to develop ecodesign and consumer information requirements subject to consultation to support durable, repairable, and recyclable textiles. We have also identified textiles as a priority area in which to consult on an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. We are seeking to support closed loop recycling through the WRAP-administered Resource Action Fund. Our plans for shifting towards greater circularity in the textiles sector will be developed and enhanced in a new Waste Prevention Programme on which we will consult this year.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on environmental standards in the UK.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government has made clear that environmental standards will not only be maintained but enhanced as we leave the EU.
Through the proposed Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration, both the UK and the EU have committed to prevent any reduction in the levels of environmental protections as they stand at the end of the implementation period, known as a non-regression provision, and to maintain existing international commitments.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to close the legal loophole that allows human consumption of dog and cat meat in the UK.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is already illegal to sell dog and cat meat for human consumption and the Government has seen no evidence that dog or cat meat is being sold or consumed in this country.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Government has made on the establishment of an independent horse welfare regulator for horse racing.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has made no announcement about the establishment of an independent horse welfare regulator. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) works alongside animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA, and regularly reviews the safety of racetracks and, where necessary, makes improvements. The Government is satisfied that the BHA works to make horseracing as safe as possible
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the implementation of higher maximum penalties for animal cruelty.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government will introduce the necessary legislation to increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences from 6 months’ imprisonment to 5 years’ imprisonment as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on undertaking a review of the Common Agricultural Policy Convergence uplift since the meeting of 6 November 2017 with the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity.
Answered by George Eustice
Ministers and officials are in regular discussion with their Scottish counterparts on the future of agriculture policy after the UK has left the EU.
Decisions on future funding arrangements will be taken by the Government drawing on representations from the devolved administrations. As we move to a new agriculture and land management policy that works for the whole of the UK, we have committed to ensure that all parts of the UK are treated fairly and that their individual circumstances are taken into account. On 23 October 2017, the member for Dumfries and Galloway wrote to the Secretary of State requesting a review of the funding allocations. We will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
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 25 year environmental plan, what joint work is underway between his Department and the devolved administrations on a framework for a new environmental management system that reflects regional circumstances.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
A new environmental land management system will support farmers and land managers to adopt long term sustainable practices which integrate the production of food and timber with actions to improve the environment.
We are working closely with the devolved administrations on an approach to returning powers from the EU that works for the whole of the UK and respects the devolution settlements of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is the Government’s expectation that this will lead to a significant increase in decision-making powers in the devolved administrations.
In England, we will work with farmers, food producers and environmentalists to develop a new system.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of 1 November 2017, Official Report, column 418WH on puppy smuggling, if he will detail who the stakeholders are who believe that a third party ban is unnecessary.
Answered by George Eustice
The EFRA Committee looked at the issue of third party sales in some detail as part of its review on animal welfare and domestic pets. The transcript of the Committee’s evidence and the final report note there were mixed views on the consequences of a ban on third party sales of puppies. The Committee divided on this recommendation. During the EFRA Committee’s review, my department received briefing material from two stakeholders, Blue Cross and the Dogs Trust in which they outlined their concerns about a ban on third-party sales of puppies, including the risk of sales going underground.
To address the concerns about breeding and sale of puppies, we are planning to bring forward regulations that would ensure that anyone in the business of selling pets, whether online or in a pet shop, will need a licence, and they would have to abide by a statutory animal welfare code for dogs. The regulations will tighten up the controls on dog breeding, pet sales and other licensable activities involving animals, applying up to date statutory animal welfare standards and give local authorities new powers on enforcement which will deal with the issue.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
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 ensure the adequacy of the welfare standards of licensed sellers of puppies.
Answered by George Eustice
Following an extensive public consultation, Defra is developing new regulations on licensed pet sellers that will require them to abide by statutory minimum welfare standards. The new regulations are planned to be published in the New Year.