Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information she holds on the number of trail hunts on land owned by Departments that have resulted in the (a) hunting and (b) killing of an animal in the last 12 months.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Defra does not hold this data. The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information she collects on the prevalence of trail hunting on her Department's land.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Defra does not hold this data. The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 her Department has made of the potential merits of banning sky lanterns.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We commissioned new research to examine the impact on the environment of sky lanterns in order to further understand the risks they pose to the environment. The research concluded in the Spring, and we are considering next steps.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 the effectiveness of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government considers that the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 plays an important part in our overall approach to tackling dangerous dogs and protecting the public. We have established a Responsible Dog Ownership working group involving the police, local authorities and other key stakeholders to consider all aspects of tackling irresponsible dog ownership. The working group is considering improved data collection and reporting, dog training, consistency of enforcement practices and education and communications to encourage responsible dog ownership. Recommendations are expected later this year.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the use of (a) electronic shock collars used in conjunction with containment fences for cats, (b) other electric shock collars and (c) other aversive training devices.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have laid legislation for approval by Parliament which will ban the use of hand-controlled electronic training collars that deliver an electric shock to cats and dogs given their scope to cause harm and be misused.
The ban will not extend to other types of collars which are controlled by hand-held devices.
We do not plan to extend the prohibition to the use of invisible fencing or containment systems.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
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 the Leader of the House on scheduling Parliamentary time for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Business Managers are aware of the manifesto commitments to be fulfilled and are in charge of scheduling Government business. I am sure the House will be pleased with the progress of other commitments on animal welfare that are now in the Lords and I hope will progress unamended. The Leader of the House will continue to announce business in the usual way.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to introduce a ban on the use of farrowing crates.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer given on 20 March 2023 to the Rt hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion, PQ UIN 166171.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dog breeders who breed (a) one and (b) two litters per year have a dog breeding licence.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 March 2023 to PQ158888 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the Government has not prohibited the use of electric shock collars.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain committed to prohibiting the use of remote controlled electronic training collars that deliver an electric shock to cats and dogs. We will introduce the necessary legislation soon.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on research into electronic dog training aids in the last ten years; what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of that research; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
My Department commissioned research projects AW1402: ‘Effect of pet training aids, specifically remote static pulse systems, on the welfare of domestic dogs’ and AW1402A: ‘Studies to assess the effect of pet training aids, specifically remote static pulse systems on the welfare of domestic dogs; field study of dogs in training’, at a cost of £469,000 and £69,925 respectively. The findings of both projects were published in 2014.
Findings from these research projects informed our decision to ban the use of remote controlled electronic training collars that deliver an electric shock to cats and dogs, given their scope to cause harm.
We plan to introduce these regulations soon.