Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps have been taken to ensure the adequate welfare of racing greyhounds.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The welfare of greyhounds in England is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Act allows action to be taken where there is evidence of cruelty to an animal or a failure to provide for that animal’s welfare needs. Specific welfare standards at all greyhound racing tracks in England are also required by the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010.
In addition to these statutory protections, the sport’s main regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), has also undertaken several welfare reforms, including publishing a long term, national welfare strategy – ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’. The strategy focuses not only on reducing risks of injury but also developing new management practices to improve the welfare of greyhounds throughout their lives.
The Government is monitoring GBGB’s progress in delivering the strategy. Should further measures be required the Government will consider options which are targeted, effective, and proportionate.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has been made of the potential impact of fireworks on the welfare of (a) livestock and (b) pets.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of fireworks on animal welfare.
However, the Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to create a national inventory to (a) capture and (b) report sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is actively considering its approach to managing the risks posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and progressing work on PFAS measures. To better understand legacy PFAS pollution, the Environment Agency (EA) has undertaken a risk screening project to identify potential PFAS sources which provides crucial information for the EA and its stakeholders to investigate and mitigate these risk issues.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 take steps to produce a chemicals strategy.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The delivery of a Chemicals Strategy was a commitment included in the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023. Defra’s future approach to chemicals management will be set out in the revised EIP.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to establish new statutory action standards for PFAS in drinking water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Drinking Water Inspectorate published a report on 26 February 2025 recommending revisions to some of the parameters listed in the drinking water regulations; this included a new standard for PFAS. Defra and the DWI will work together to consider potential regulatory updates to England’s drinking water quality legislation based on these recommendations. DWI have issued guidance to water companies on PFAS. Concentrations of ‘sum of 48 PFAS’ reported as greater than 0.1 micrograms (or 100 nanograms) must be reported to the DWI as a water quality event and all necessary actions to reduce concentrations below this value must be taken. There is no evidence of PFAS above 0.1 micrograms (or 100 nanograms) in drinking water supplies.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 she has had with local councils on improving street cleanliness.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I have not had any recent discussions with local councils on street cleanliness.
My officials chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which they engage with a wide range of interested parties such as local councils, National Farmers Union and others, to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping.
Local councils are responsible for keeping streets clear of litter and refuse. The Pride in Place Strategy sets out how Government will support local action by bringing forward statutory enforcement guidance on both littering and fly-tipping, modernising the code of practice that outlines the cleaning standards expected of local authorities, and refreshing best practice guidance on the powers available to local authorities to force land and building owners to clean up their premises.
This Government also remains focused on delivering a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers due to go live in October 2027. Single-use drinks containers are some of the UK’s most commonly littered items. It is expected that providing a financial incentive for people to return their drinks containers through the Deposit Return Scheme will drastically reduce the amount of litter.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to help protect populations of the (a) House Sparrow and (b) Song Thrush in the South East.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to restoring and protecting nature. In England, we have four legally binding targets for biodiversity: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; to reverse declines by at least 10% by 2042, when compared with 2030; to reduce the risk of national species extinction by 2042; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042. The actions to reach these targets will support our priority native bird species such as house sparrow and song thrush.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) will work together to drive action including to create or restore habitats that will enable wildlife to recover and thrive. In early 2024 we introduced mandatory biodiversity net gain, to ensure development has a measurably positive impact (a 10% net gain’) on biodiversity, compared to what was there before development. Responsible authorities are also required to consider national environmental objectives when preparing their LNRS, including the target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. LNRS will map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species, including the house sparrow and song thrush.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that imported meat products are slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to those in the UK.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. Under existing legislation, imports of meat must meet standards at least equivalent to welfare at slaughter requirements set out in assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to prevent the importation of low-welfare animal products.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally.
All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards.
As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, the Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. We recognise concerns about methods of production, such as sow stalls and battery cages, which are not permitted in the UK. While methods vary in line with different climates, diseases, and other contextual reasons, we will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, we will be prepared to use the full range of powers at our disposal to protect our most sensitive sectors including permanent quotas, exclusions, and safeguards.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 potential impact of the use of snares on animal welfare.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises many people in this country have concerns about the use of snares.
Free-running snares are currently legal in England and are regulated by law. They must be checked at least once a day and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits the setting of any type of snare in places where they are likely to catch certain non-target animals. Anyone using snares also has a responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to ensure their activities do not cause wild animals or pets any unnecessary suffering.
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. Defra is considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.