Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to introduce the activity regulations for the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad.
We continue to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising of low-welfare animal activities abroad and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 introduce farming payments to help support animal welfare outcomes.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since 2023, farmers in England have been able to access funding through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to improve livestock health and welfare while supporting farm productivity and sustainability. This support covers annual veterinary reviews, disease testing, and capital grants, including the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (which provides animal welfare grants) and the Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant. To date, we have funded more than 10,000 vet visits. Full details of available support are published on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 take steps to stop the expansion of low-welfare farms.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All farms, regardless of size and type of production system, must comply with comprehensive animal welfare legislation.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 ending the routine culling of day-old male chicks in the UK egg industry; and whether she plans to encourage the use of in-ovo sexing technology through the development of an animal welfare strategy.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 July 2025 to the hon. Member for Stockport, PQ UIN 64121.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents of animal welfare abuse have been recorded on intensive livestock farms in (a) England and (b) Norfolk in each of the last five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out regulatory duties and monitors compliance with animal welfare legislation through proactive and reactive inspections.
The outcome of all animal welfare inspections is recorded on APHA systems according to a scoring system, where A and B scores indicate compliance, and C and D scores indicate non-compliance. The D score indicates specifically that the non-compliance identified resulted in unnecessary suffering.
This data is not in the public domain.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people with disabilities were employed in his Department on 2 September 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each Government department are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Latest published data are as at 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025
Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 14 February 2025 to Question 28814 on Lead: Paint, if he will make it his policy to issue updated guidance.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environmental Protection (Controls on Injurious Substances) Regulations 1992 banned the use of lead paint, except for certain specialist uses. Concerns over the presence of lead paint should be referred to a certified lead-based paint risk assessor, who can assist you in following the necessary steps, guidelines including safety protocols. The Government is not currently planning to release further guidance on lead paint.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle environmental harm in (a) South West Norfolk constituency and (b) Norfolk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) regulates businesses in energy, agriculture, and waste, and is the environmental regulator for water companies. It prosecutes polluters, protects against flood risk and coastal erosion, and is a Category 1 Responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, working with local responders during flood incidents. In Norfolk, the EA advises on planning applications and supports Local Planning Authorities in developing Local Plans, ensuring flood risk, climate change, and water environment issues are addressed. It partners with other organisations including Local Authorities and the Police to tackle environmental waste crime using an intelligence-led enforcement approach. The EA investigates poor water quality sites and implements pollution reduction actions. Regulation of water companies has increased significantly, with over 700 inspections of Anglian Water wastewater assets completed last year - more than the previous four years combined, with plans to double inspections again this year.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 14 February 2025 to Question 28814 on Lead: Paint, whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle toxic lead paint in (a) homes and (b) public buildings.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environmental Protection (Controls on Injurious Substances) Regulations 1992 banned the use of lead paint, except for certain specialist uses. Concerns over the presence of lead paint in private domiciles should be referred to a certified lead-based paint risk assessor, who can assist you in following the necessary steps, guidelines including safety protocols. Regarding public buildings, the HSE is responsible for regulating health and safety risks associated with paints and coatings, including those used in construction and refurbishment.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many vehicles were seized for waste crime offences in (a) South West Norfolk constituency and (b) Norfolk in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions, such as vehicle seizures, to Defra, which are published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england. This data isn't available at a constituency level and excludes the majority of private-land incidents.
The Environment Agency also has the power to seize vehicles suspected of being used in waste crime. The Environment Agency has not seized a vehicle in Norfolk or the South West Norfolk constituency since 2020.