Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of stricter regulations on the use of snares and traps.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Regulation of traps and snares balances the welfare needs of the trapped animal against the need for effective methods of killing or taking target species.
With regard to snares, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins MP, on 11 February 2016, PQ UIN 25710.
As for other kinds of trap, we already ensure all new spring traps are tested for humaneness before they are approved for use and the use of any trap is prohibited against certain species of European or national concern, for example the European otter and pine marten.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce measures to (a) improve the welfare of pheasants reared in the UK and (b) reduce the number of such pheasants that are reared in cages.
Answered by George Eustice
The welfare of pheasants reared for sporting purposes is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. A Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes, made under the 2006 Act, provides keepers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their birds, as required under the 2006 Act. The code can be used as evidence in court in support of a prosecution for poor welfare. A review of the code is due to commence later this year. At this stage there are no plans to reduce the number of pheasants that are reared in cages.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 communicate the requirements of the European Commission's Interpretative Notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, published on 11 November 2015, to (a) businesses, (b) importers and (c) consumers.
Answered by George Eustice
The principal feature of the Interpretative Notice is a recommendation that goods imported into the EU which originate from Israeli settlements in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 should bear an indication which makes that provenance clear. That recommendation was included in technical advice to UK retailers and importers concerning labelling agricultural produce from the West Bank that was issued by Defra in 2009. We are currently in discussion with other Departments to consider whether revisions need to be made to the 2009 advice in the light of the Interpretative Notice.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 has taken to promote to UK investors the publication by the European Commission of the Interpretative Notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, on 11 November 2015.
Answered by George Eustice
The principal feature of the Interpretative Notice is a recommendation that goods imported into the EU which originate from Israeli settlements in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 should bear an indication which makes that provenance clear. That recommendation was included in technical advice to UK retailers and importers concerning labelling agricultural produce from the West Bank that was issued by Defra in 2009. We are currently in discussion with other Departments to consider whether revisions need to be made to the 2009 advice in the light of the Interpretative Notice.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department has given to recycling initiatives of spoil wastes from harbour dredging.
Answered by George Eustice
There are a number of good examples where support has been provided to the successful, beneficial re-use and recycling of dredged materials, including land formation at Allfleet’s Marsh on Wallasea Island, beach replenishment in Poole Bay and land claim undertaken to construct the London Gateway Port in the Thames Estuary. In addition, in 2014 the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) published research on the potential to improve the co-ordination of such projects in the future.
The UK Marine Policy Statement (2011) states that applications to dispose of wastes must demonstrate that appropriate consideration has been given to the internationally agreed hierarchy of waste management options for sea disposal, which includes recycling.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the International Maritime Organisation on (a) disposal and (b) recycling of spoil waste from the dredging of harbours.
Answered by George Eustice
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) provides the secretariat for the London Protocol, to which the UK is party.
Under this global instrument (and the OSPAR Convention) that aims to protect the marine environment from pollution caused by dumping at sea, the UK has agreed guidelines on the management of dredged materials and the encouragement of its re-use and recycling. Moreover, we provide data on the disposal of dredged materials to the IMO (and the OSPAR Convention).
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Scottish Government on seal (a) culls and (b) conservation; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rory Stewart
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dudley North, Ian Austin, on 24 June 2015, PQ UIN 3275.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 tackle food waste in supermarkets.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Through the Waste and Resources Action Programme the Government is working with food manufacturers and retailers, including all the major UK supermarkets, to meet targets to reduce food waste from households and the grocery supply chain under the Courtauld Commitment.
Signatories reported a reduction of 7.4% in food supply chain waste since 2010 (there are also targets on household food waste and packaging waste). The third phase targets a further 1.1 million tonnes of food and packaging waste reduction by the end of 2015.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from animal enforcement bodies and charities on the Pet Animals Act 1951.
Answered by George Eustice
We have received representations suggesting that the Pet Animals Act 1951 could be updated in particular to deal with sale of pets on the internet and banning the sale of puppies and kittens from pet shops. Tthe Act already applies to sales of pet animals over the internet Anyone selling pets commercially from any sort of premises, whether on the high street or on-line from a private dwelling by way of example, is required to be licensed by their local authority.
The welfare of all animals sold from pet shops is provided for, not only in the provisions of the 1951 Act, but also under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which requires that all owners must provide for the welfare needs of their animals.
Guidance on the Model Conditions for Pet Vending Licensing assists local authorities with the licensing and inspection of pet shops, whether on-line or not and includes a specific section on dogs. The document was recently updated to take account of the latest welfare standards.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on implementation of point 7, on constantly improving standards of animal health and welfare, in the dairy industry growth plan, Leading the Way, published in June 2014.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government is committed to championing a thriving, sustainable British food and farming sector and to promote high standards of animal welfare. The UK’s animal welfare and environmental standards are among the highest in the world and we will continue to promote this across all sectors.
We have worked closely with the dairy industry to produce the ‘Leading the Way’ Growth Plan. The Plan sets out a clear vision for the dairy industry, including improving standards and safeguarding the health and welfare of dairy cows. The industry is now taking this forward. The industry steering group set up to oversee progress on the Growth Plan will provide regular updates on progress via the Dairy Supply Chain Forum.