Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will consider a universal restriction on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published a PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026, which sets out our approach towards protecting human health and the environment from risks posed by PFAS. In the recently revised Environmental Improvement Plan, we have committed to reforming UK REACH. This will enable protections to be applied more quickly, more efficiently and more closely aligned with our closest trading partner the EU.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to answer 109832 of 4 February 2026 on Animal Welfare: Fines, what conversations she has had with the Leader of the House regarding the planned timetabling for the introduction of legislation to strengthen penalties for cruelty against wildlife.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The commitment to review and look to strengthen penalties for cruelty against wildlife - so they are consistent with higher levels of sentencing available for animal welfare offences against pets and livestock - was made in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. Any strengthening of penalties for cruelty against wildlife will require primary legislation, and Defra will seek to deliver this change as soon as a suitable primary vehicle is identified. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not yet held conversations with the Leader of the House regarding the planned timetabling for the introduction of this legislation.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving a) research, b) monitoring and c) labelling of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published a PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026, which sets out its approach towards protecting human health and the environment from risks posed by PFAS.
Research is being commissioned and coordinated across the Government, regulators, academia and industry to close key evidence-gaps on PFAS health, environmental impacts and innovation of alternatives.
Defra has funded the Environmental Agency to develop one of the most capable PFAS monitoring programmes globally. Using improved analytical methods and data from a range of sources, it covers water, wildlife, soil and industrial emissions.
A number of the most harmful PFAS already have a mandatory classification and labelling for carcinogenicity under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging regime.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to launch the consultation on restricting perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in consumer articles.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published a PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026. This sets out the Government’s approach towards PFAS in consumer articles.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 Answer of 29 January 2026 to Question 109591 on Responsible Dog Ownership Working Group, what the timetable is for receipt by her Department of the a) findings and b) recommendations from the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce is in the process of finalising its report. We look forward to receiving its findings and recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Responsible Dog Ownership Working Group last met.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The steering group of the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce last met on 9 December 2025.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has she made of the effectiveness of her Department's engagement with reports produced by the Animal Sentience Committee.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra greatly values the work of the Animal Sentience Committee in ascertaining whether, in their view, ministers across Government have appropriately considered how policy decisions might affect the welfare of sentient animals.
As required under the Animal Welfare Sentience Act 2022 Defra fulfils its statutory duty by formally responding to those reports that fall within the Department’s remit. Where the Committee makes recommendations, these are considered in future development or implementation of the policy as appropriate.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role the Responsible Dog Ownership Working Group has in (a) improving animal welfare and (b) improving public safety.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce is exploring measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog.
The taskforce is considering four themes: educating the public on how to stay safe around dogs, training for both dogs and their owners, enforcement, and improving data on dog attacks. Defra looks forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timetable is for a) reviewing and b) strengthening penalties for cruelty against wildlife.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The commitment to review and look to strengthen penalties for cruelty against wildlife - so they are consistent with higher levels of sentencing available for animal welfare offences against pets and livestock - was made in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. Any strengthening of penalties for cruelty against wildlife will require primary legislation, and Defra will seek to deliver this change as soon as a suitable primary vehicle is identified. The strategy document itself states there is an aim to achieve the changes and improvements set out within it by no later than 2030.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 ensure the hydrofluorocarbons phasedown proposed in the F Gas Regulation in Great Britain consultation allows industry adequate time for safety checks on flammable alternatives to F Gas.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The consultation on reforming the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown seeks views from respondents about potential wider impacts from the proposal. We will take into account responses to those views when making decisions following the consultation.