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.
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 she will meet with the heating, refrigeration and air conditioning industries to discuss the F Gas Regulation in Great Britain consultation.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Officials have been in regular contact with sector representatives during the current consultation on reforming the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown and before it. They welcome further discussions as part of ongoing engagement with the sector.
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 she has made of the adequacy of the (a) training and (b) certification of technicians in the use of alternative products during the planned transition away from fluorinated gases.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
F-gas regulatory changes, such as training and certification, are out of the scope of the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown consultation but their importance in delivery of the phasedown is recognised. The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, is committed to further exploring other areas for F-gas reform.
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 she has made of the adequacy of the availability of fluorinated gases during the planned transition to alternative gases.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government is consulting on proposed reforms to the GB hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. The consultation closes on 17 December, and the Department will be carefully considering the responses.
The consultation and accompanying De Minimis Assessment outline our modelling assumptions on HFC availability. We have asked respondents to provide feedback on those assumptions.