Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Minister has made an assessment of the merits of adopting a Nature Inclusive Design as a standard requirement for offshore projects to (a) boost marine biodiversity and (b) create jobs in coastal communities.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the potential for nature-inclusive design (NID) to have a positive environmental benefit when used in suitable areas of the marine environment. However, we are developing Marine Net Gain policy to deliver further positive environmental enhancement which could incorporate the use of NID and consider its wider benefits.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
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 adequacy of the steps wind energy developers are taking to incorporate nature-inclusive design as standard in offshore wind infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the potential for nature-inclusive design (NID) to have a positive environmental benefit when used in suitable areas of the marine environment. Developers must already follow the mitigation hierarchy to avoid, minimise, mitigate, and compensate for their impacts.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Animal Welfare Committee’s December 2024 recommendation on banning the importation of any domestic wild cat hybrids.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government welcomes the Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion on the welfare implications of current and emergent feline breeding practices. We are carefully considering the Committee’s recommendations.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on the provision of waste disposal bins in male toilets for people experiencing incontinence due to (a) prostate cancer treatment and (b) other medical conditions.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Officials are working across the Government to deal with this important issue. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reviewing the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 regarding provision of disposal facilities in workplace toilets. This work is included within the Government’s wider plans under Make Work Pay, and HSE will hold appropriate consultation in due course.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered increasing the trawler by-catch limit for bass.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Negotiations between the UK and EU concerning the allocation of fishing opportunities for over 70 stocks, including bass, take place on an annual basis. This year on the 9 December annual bycatch limits for commercial trawls and seines were agreed.
Fisheries: consultations between the UK and the EU for 2025 - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time-equivalent civil servants are working on trading corporation agreements with the fishing industry.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are no civil servants working on trading corporation agreements. The Defra EU negotiations team of 12.2 full-time-equivalent civil servants works on implementing the Fisheries Heading of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), amongst other work in its portfolio. There are also many other civil servants and public servants across Defra, its agencies, and the devolved governments that are responsible for implementing aspects of the Fisheries Heading.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and litter as well as the protection of drains and sewers. This, however, does not extend to providing guidance to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients; these decisions are for local authorities to make.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of breeding for extreme conformations on the health and welfare of (a) dogs and (b) cats.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
To provide a detailed scientific view on the range of issues faced by breeding dogs and cats, the Department commissioned two Opinions from the Government’s Animal Welfare Committee. One Opinion assesses the welfare implications of specialised canine reproductive practices, and one on the welfare implications of current and emergent feline breeding practices. The Opinions can be found here: Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
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 implications for his policies of the Animal Welfare Committee’s December 2024 opinion on specialised dog reproductive practices.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The department is carefully considering the Animal Welfare Committee’s findings and will outline any next steps in due course. Any policy changes would be made with appropriate engagement with stakeholders.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
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 plans to take to regulate the use of stud dogs in dog breeding.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority. Licensed breeders who own and use stud dogs as part of their breeding activity must provide for their welfare in line with the 2018 Regulations’ licensing conditions.
The Government is considering the findings of its post-implementation review of the 2018 Regulations and the Animal Welfare Committee’s opinion on the welfare implications of specialised canine reproductive practices and will outline any next steps in due course.