Animal Testing (Cosmetics)
May 2023
I can assure you that the Government has recognised the public concern around the testing on animals of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics. I welcome the fact that no new licences will now be granted for animal testing of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products.
Alongside this, the Government is taking action to seek alternatives to animal testing for worker and environmental safety of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetic ingredients. This reflects the Government’s wider commitment to replacing the use of animals in science wherever scientifically possible. The Government is confident that the UK science sector and industry has the talent to provide the solutions needed here.
The regulatory framework around cosmetics has long required manufacturers to demonstrate that their products are safe for use by consumers. Animal testing for this purpose was banned in the UK in 1998 and this ban remains in force.
Under chemicals regulations, manufacturers and importers must assess and stringently mitigate the hazards to human health and the environment of the chemicals they place on the market. This includes chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics. In some cases, where there are no validated alternatives, this has in the past required testing on animals as a last resort.
These regulations are separate from, and have a different purpose to, the consumer cosmetics regulations, which is why it had been possible that a chemical used in cosmetics could have been required to be tested on animals. On that basis, a small number of time-limited licences were issued between 2019 and 2022.
However, a ban on new licences has now been introduced with immediate effect, and the Government is engaging urgently with the relevant firms to determine a path forward on the few remaining legacy licences.
The Government is also undertaking to review at pace the effective administration of the ban over the longer term. This will give due regard of the needs of the science industry, the need to ensure worker and environmental safety, and the need to protect animals from unnecessary harm.
E-Collars
May 2023
The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and my ministerial colleagues and I are committed to raising these standards even higher.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has considered the evidence regarding the use of electronic aids to control dogs. Defra listened to the views from pet owners, animal welfare organisations, e-collar manufacturers and trainers who use e-collars. I am aware that concerns were raised that electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices can cause long-term harm.
Research commissioned by Defra showed that many e-collar users were not using them properly or in compliance with the manufacturers’ instructions. As well as being misused to inflict unnecessary harm, there is also concern that e-collars can redirect aggression or generate anxiety-based behaviour in pets, making underlying behavioural and health problems worse. In addition, the Government’s consultation on this received more than 7,000 responses.
Following this research, the Government will ban training collars that can deliver an electric shock to a cat or dog by a hand-held remote-controlled device in England. I understand that this ban will not extend to collars which use alternative stimuli, such as noise, spray or vibration. Invisible fencing systems which help animals quickly learn to stay within a boundary and have welfare benefits, such as keeping pets away from roads, will also still be permitted. These new regulations will come into force on 1 February 2024.
Neonicotinoids
April 2023
I am aware that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has approved emergency temporary authorisation for the use of the neonicotinoid pesticide Cruiser SB, due to the risks of yellows viruses to the UK's sugar beet crop.
When making this decision, the potential risks, such as any possible environmental harm, must be balanced against the potential benefits in addressing the danger, such as protection against a pest. In making this judgement, the Farming Minister considered the advice from the Health and Safety Executive, the Expert Committee on Pesticides and Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser.
Emerging sugar beet seedlings are vulnerable to predation from aphids that have the potential to spread beet yellows virus. This can severely affect sugar beet yield and quality. In 2020, around 25 per cent of the national sugar beet crop was lost, which resulted in a total loss of £67 million across an industry that is linked to nearly 10,000 jobs.
I am assured by my ministerial colleagues in Defra that there are strict conditions to the emergency authorisation of Cruiser SB. This includes only allowing for application if independent modelling predicts a virus incidence of 63 per cent or above. On 1 March 2023, the Rothamsted Virus Yellows forecast announced that the threshold has now been reached, with the forecast predicting a national Virus Yellow infection level of 67.51 per cent for 30 March 2023.
Finally, I am informed that as the threshold has been met and as such limited use is allowed, then further strict conditions will be applied to minimise risks to the environment. This includes a maximum number of seeds planted per hectare and restrictions on farmers planting flowering crops in the same field within 32 months of a treated sugar beet crop, which will allow time for the chemical to break down.
Swift Boxes
April 2023
While the Government welcomes any action by individual developers who wish to provide “swift bricks”, I understand that the Government does not have plans to legislate and require local authorities or developers to include particular forms of green infrastructure in every development. Ministers have been clear that planning is a local matter and it is for each local planning authority to assess how it will deliver the Government's environmental goals, alongside its ambition to deliver the identified housing needs of their communities.
Planning Practice Guidance published to help implement planning policy makes clear that relatively small features can often achieve important benefits for wildlife, with incorporating ‘swift bricks’ in developments in particular highlighted as an option. Specific biodiversity features, such as swift bricks, would normally be required for developments through either the relevant local plan or through the local authority’s development control team.
Finally, through the Environment Act 2021, the Government has introduced a mandatory duty for developers to deliver a “biodiversity net gain”, which will mean that habitats for wildlife must be left in a measurably better state than they were before any development. The Government recently consulted on the detail of implementation and secondary legislation for mandatory biodiversity net gain in the Environment Act.
I will write to our local planning authority, South Cambs District Council, to urge them to include swift bricks in their planning approval decisions.
Fox Hunting
April 2023
The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs except where it is carried out in accordance with the exemptions in the Act. Those found guilty under the law are subject to its full force. The investigation and prosecution of all criminal offences, including consideration of whether an actual offence has been committed, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service, who have comprehensive powers to take action under criminal law. The Government was elected on a manifesto which committed to not amending the Hunting Act.
Since the introduction of the Hunting Act 2004, many hunts have turned to trail hunting as an alternative to live quarry hunting. This involves a pack of hounds following an artificially laid, animal-based scent so does not involve a hunt for a live fox, and therefore is not banned. For an offence to be committed it is necessary to prove that a wild animal is being hunted intentionally. If proven, this can lead to a prosecution and an unlimited fine.
I recognise it is possible that dogs used for trail hunting may on occasion pick up and follow the scent of live foxes during a trail hunt. If that occurs, it is the responsibility of the huntsmen and women and other members of hunt staff to control their hounds and, if necessary, stop the hounds as soon as they are made aware that the hounds are no longer following the trail that has been laid.
I know that failure to prevent dogs from chasing or killing a fox may be taken as intent to break the law. Anyone who believes that an offence has taken place should report the matter to the police, as the police deal with complaints of illegal hunting. I understand that decisions on the arrest and prosecution of those taking part in illegal hunting activities are matters for the police and prosecuting authorities. They will, among other things, need to take into account any failure on behalf of the huntsman to prevent the dogs from chasing or killing a fox. If anybody is found to be breaking the law on this sort of activity, I would fully welcome prosecutions being brought.
Hen Caging
April 2023
I would like to assure you that my ministerial colleagues and I take the welfare of all animals very seriously. Ministers are delivering a series of ambitious reforms, as outlined in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
The Government is committed to strengthening animal welfare standards and is currently examining the use of cages for laying. Ministers recognise the need to work carefully and sensitively with the poultry industry. Decisions on a future public consultation on this issue would need to be carefully considered due to wider challenges.
Around 60 per cent of our hens are now kept in free-range systems, and several major supermarkets have pledged to stop selling eggs from the remaining 40 per cent of hens in cages by 2025. Ministers will continue to work with the poultry industry on improving feather cover and bone health, as well as reducing the amount of beak trimming.
Further, the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway will prioritise areas for additional improvement in the health and welfare for pigs, cattle, sheep and poultry. On meat chickens, through the Pathway, producers are being encouraged to implement the Better Chicken commitment which would require the use of slower growing breeds and lower stocking densities.
MBR Acres
April 2023
Establishments, such as MBR Acres, that either breed dogs for use in science elsewhere or conduct regulated procedures on dogs are required to provide care and accommodation to those dogs in line with the published code of practice for that purpose. Adherence to that code of practice, and to all other standard conditions applied to any establishment licence, is assessed by the regulator as part of its compliance assurance programme. Breaches of animal welfare laws are a matter for the police, and any suspicions or allegations should be referred to them. If an individual or organisation is found guilty of breaking animal welfare laws, they should face the penalties available.
Fox Hunting
March 2023
The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs except where it is carried out in accordance with the exemptions in the Act. Those found guilty under the law are subject to its full force. The investigation and prosecution of all criminal offences, including consideration of whether an actual offence has been committed, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service, who have comprehensive powers to take action under criminal law. The Government was elected on a manifesto which committed to not amending the Hunting Act.
Since the introduction of the Hunting Act 2004, many hunts have turned to trail hunting as an alternative to live quarry hunting. This involves a pack of hounds following an artificially laid, animal-based scent so does not involve a hunt for a live fox, and therefore is not banned. For an offence to be committed it is necessary to prove that a wild animal is being hunted intentionally. If proven, this can lead to a prosecution and an unlimited fine.
I recognise it is possible that dogs used for trail hunting may on occasion pick up and follow the scent of live foxes during a trail hunt. If that occurs, it is the responsibility of the huntsmen and women and other members of hunt staff to control their hounds and, if necessary, stop the hounds as soon as they are made aware that the hounds are no longer following the trail that has been laid.
I know that failure to prevent dogs from chasing or killing a fox may be taken as intent to break the law. Anyone who believes that an offence has taken place should report the matter to the police, as the police deal with complaints of illegal hunting. I understand that decisions on the arrest and prosecution of those taking part in illegal hunting activities are matters for the police and prosecuting authorities. They will, among other things, need to take into account any failure on behalf of the huntsman to prevent the dogs from chasing or killing a fox. If anybody is found to be breaking the law on this sort of activity, I would fully welcome prosecutions being brought.
Puppy Smuggling
February 2023
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill has passed Committee Stage in the House of Commons and will return to the House as soon as parliamentary time allows. Through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, new powers will be introduced to tackle the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets that can travel under pet travel rules. The Bill will also include powers to bring in further restrictions on the movement of pets on welfare grounds, such as increasing the minimum age of imported puppies and restricting the import of pregnant dogs and dogs with mutilations such as cropped ears and tails. I look forward to supporting this Bill as it continues to make its way through Parliament.
Since 2018, anyone who is breeding dogs and advertising a business of selling dogs or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period needs a licence from their local authority. All licensees must adhere to strict minimum animal welfare standards and local authorities have powers to grant, refuse or revoke a licence.
Finally, the ban of commercial third-party sale of puppies and kittens in England came into force in 2020. This prohibits pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them. It means anyone looking to get a puppy or kitten must buy direct from a breeder or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead.
Woodcock Hunting
February 2023
I am aware that the woodcock has been on the red list of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK since 2015 due to a breeding range decline. I understand that the reasons for the decline of the breeding population of woodcock are not fully understood but are likely to include disturbance; habitat loss due to land drainage; the drying out of natural woodlands; changes in surrounding woodland management; the maturation of new plantations; and overgrazing by deer. Further work is needed to fully understand the causes of its decline.
While I am not aware of any current plans to introduce further limits on shooting woodcock, I understand that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs intends to review Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which lists species of birds which may be killed or taken outside a close season.
In particular, consideration will be given to the evidence underpinning the listing of species such as woodcock so that we can ensure that recreational shooting is sustainable and does not undermine species recovery. This may include a review of the evidence for the timing and duration of the close season. This is an issue I will continue to follow closely.
More broadly, the woodcock will be supported by a number of measures already in place. The Government is committed to species recovery in England and has set a new legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 through the Environment Act 2021.
Cat Theft
February 2023
The theft of a much-loved pet causes emotional trauma and impacts pet owners and families. The Government launched a Pet Theft Taskforce in May 2021 in response to concerns about a perceived increase in pet theft.
While it is already a criminal offence to steal a pet, the emotional impact of having a pet stolen, on both the owner and the animal, is undeniable. The Pet Theft Taskforce recommended a new offence of pet abduction would best address concerns that the criminal law is only currently capable of treating the theft of a pet as a theft of property.
This new offence would also recognise the potential impact on the pet’s welfare when taken by strangers. The offence as currently drafted in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill focuses on dogs, with enabling powers. The inclusion of the enabling powers means that the Secretary of State would be able to extend the offence to other animals, such as cats. I am aware that this Bill is due to return to the House as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Farmed Fish
February 2023
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any protected animal, or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of an animal, including fish.
I am aware that Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations but does not include any further requirements. The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 makes it an offence for any person engaged in the restraint, stunning or killing of an invertebrate to cause avoidable pain, distress or suffering.
As part of the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare, Ministers have been considering improvements that could be made to the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing and asked the Animal Welfare Committee for advice on the killing of farmed fish. The Committee’s advice will take into account species-specific welfare considerations for fish that are farmed in the UK. Ministers expect to receive the Committee’s updated opinion by the end of March.
Finally, I am aware that any allegations of welfare or health issues will be investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Cefas. Appropriate action is taken against anyone who breaks the law when non-compliances are disclosed.
Neonicotinoids
February 2023
When making the decision, the potential risks, such as any possible environmental harm, must be balanced against the potential benefits in addressing the danger, such as protection against a pest. In making this judgement, the Farming Minister considered the advice from the Health and Safety Executive, the Expert Committee on Pesticides and Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser.
Emerging sugar beet seedlings are vulnerable to predation from aphids that have the potential to spread beet yellows virus. This can severely affect sugar beet yield and quality. In 2020, around 25 per cent of the national sugar beet crop was lost.
I am assured by my ministerial colleagues in Defra that there are strict conditions to the emergency authorisation of Cruiser SB. This includes only allowing for application if independent modelling predicts a virus incidence of 63 per cent or above. This threshold is increased from the level that was applied in 2022. If the virus threshold is not met, then the neonicotinoid treated seed will not be used. I understand that the forecast as to whether the threshold has been met will be made on 1 March and it is only then that it will be confirmed whether the seed treatment will be used this year. In 2021, the model predicted that the virus level would not meet the threshold so the seed treatment was not used.
Finally, I am informed that if the threshold is met and limited use is allowed, then further strict conditions will be applied to minimise risks to the environment. This includes a maximum number of seeds planted per hectare and restrictions on farmers planting flowering crops in the same field within 32 months of a treated sugar beet crop, which will allow time for the chemical to break down.
Trophy Hunting
February 2023
I appreciate the strength of feeling around this issue. Ministers take the welfare of all animals extremely seriously and are committed to strengthening and supporting long-term conservation of animals both internationally and at home. Around a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction and the abundance, diversity and connectivity of species is declining faster than at any time in human history.
In 2019, the Government held a consultation on the scale and impact of the import and export of hunting trophies. Over 44,000 responses to the call for evidence and consultation were received and 85 per cent of responses were in favour of further action. The Government’s response to the consultation set out plans to ban imports of hunting trophies from thousands of endangered and threatened species.
The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill was introduced to Parliament as a Private Member’s Bill in June 2022. The Government fully supports this Bill, which will ban the import of hunting trophies for specific species. The Bill includes a power to add or remove species from the scope of the ban which will ensure that the Bill remains comprehensive and can achieve its aims.
I welcome that this Bill continues to make good progress and I look forward to supporting this Bill when it returns to the House.
Crabs and Lobsters
December 2022
Under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, it is an offence to transport any cold-blooded invertebrate animal in a way which causes, or is likely to cause, injury or unnecessary suffering to that animal. It is also an offence to transport a cold-blooded invertebrate in a receptacle or means of transport under conditions (in particular with regard to space, ventilation, temperature and security) and with such supply of liquid and oxygen, as are inappropriate for the species concerned. Local authorities are responsible for the enforcement of animal welfare in transport regulations. Further, I understand that the industry is currently in the process of developing further guidance to support the welfare needs of decapod crustaceans including their transport and handling. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently awaiting the outcome of this work.
Cats and Kitten Smuggling
May 2022
I am a life-long cat lover, and have always had a cat, and currently have two.
The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and it is only right that we continue to improve our world-leading standards. I welcome that the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill will bring in some of the world’s strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals.
The Bill will tackle the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets, including dogs, cats and ferrets, that can travel under pet travel rules. The Bill also contains an enabling power to allow the Environment Secretary to make regulations about the importation of cats, dogs and ferrets for the purpose of promoting their welfare.
In August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. I am aware that this consultation did not include proposals to increase the minimum age of kittens imported or non-commercially moved to six months or ban the import of heavily pregnant or declawed cats. This is because there is limited evidence of a significant illegal trade in cats or significant numbers of low welfare movements.
The number of movements of cats into Great Britain is much lower than for dogs, and despite the statistics you quote, my ministerial colleagues insist we are not seeing the same issues with young kittens and pregnant cats being imported. In 2020, for example, no pregnant cats and only 17 kittens (under the age of 15 weeks) were seized and detained. My ministerial colleagues are currently analysing the responses to the consultation.
Kept Animals Bill
April 2022
The UK has a long history of leading the way on animal welfare. I am pleased that now we have left the EU, the Government is committed to improving our already world-leading standards by delivering a series of ambitious reforms, outlined in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. Building on the Action Plan, the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill will bring in some of the world’s highest and strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals. I look forward to supporting the Bill as it makes its way through Parliament.
Primates are highly intelligent animals with complex needs and require specialist care. I am pleased that through the Bill the Government will deliver on the manifesto commitment to introduce a ban on keeping them as pets, ensuring that all primates being kept privately in England are being kept at zoo-level standards and that ownership of primates at a level below these standards is phased out.
I understand that live animals can endure excessively long journeys during export, causing distress and injury. EU rules prevented any changes to these journeys, but the UK Government is now free to pursue plans which would see a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening. This Bill will ensure that the UK is the first European country to end this practice.
As a dog owner myself, I want to reassure you that I take the issue of illegal puppy imports very seriously. I am pleased that the Bill will introduce new powers to tackle the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets, including dogs, cats and ferrets, that can travel under pet travel rules. It will also provide powers for the Government to bring in further restrictions on the movement of pets on welfare grounds, and allow for enforcement measures to support these restrictions. Further restrictions could include an increase in the minimum age of imported puppies, as well as the prohibition of the import of pregnant dogs and dogs with mutilations such as cropped ears and tails.
Puppy Smuggling
March 2022
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill includes measures to protect the welfare of pets by introducing restrictions to crack down on the low welfare movements of pets into Great Britain and includes powers to introduce new restrictions on pet travel and the commercial import of pets on welfare grounds, via secondary legislation.
Under existing legislation, the Animal Plant and Health Agency is able to undertake checks on pets, including documentary, identification and physical checks. All non-commercial dogs, cats and ferrets entering Great Britain on approved routes under the Pet Travel rules undergo full documentary and identity checks by authorised pet checkers. These pet checkers are trained by the Animal and Plant Health Agency prior to being granted approval and receive annual audits of their checking and processing to ensure they uphold our requirements. I understand that the Government is not proposing to make fundamental changes to the existing enforcement regime.
Further, in August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. I know that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a summary in due course. This will allow ministers to take onboard the views of the public and interested groups on puppy smuggling and low welfare imports in order to shape future policy.
This Bill has passed Committee Stage in the House of Commons and will return to the House as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Fur Free Britain
March 2022
We are a nation of animal lovers, so it is only right that we have some of the highest welfare standards in the world. In addition to fur farming being banned in the UK, I am pleased to note that the import of fur products is tightly regulated. It is illegal to import furs derived from cats or dogs, or products made from them. In addition, the fur and skin of endangered animals or fish cannot be imported without a valid permit.
As well as this, it is prohibited to import furs or fur products from 13 wild animal species originating in countries where they are caught in the wild by leg-hold traps, or trapping methods that do not meet international standards of humane trapping. Strict rules are also in place to ensure that animals kept for fur production are kept, trapped and slaughtered humanely. I appreciate that there is considerable support for banning all imports of fur products. The UK continues to support higher animal welfare standards worldwide as the best way of phasing out cruel and inhumane fur farming and trapping practices that are banned here.
Now we have left the EU, the Government has retained all the current regulations banning imports of cat and dog fur and seal products from commercial hunts, as well as controls on products from endangered species and humane trapping. Until the end of the transition period it is not possible to introduce additional restrictions on the fur trade, but at the end of that period the UK will have a unique opportunity to ensure we have the highest standards in every area of animal welfare. The UK will also be able to press for high standards through international forums such as the World Organisation for Animal Health, CITES and others. The UK will retake our seat on these bodies and be able more effectively to promote and support improved animal welfare standards internationally
ASRU Change Programme
March 2022
I take the issue of animal welfare extremely seriously and I am proud to have supported a legislative agenda so focused on further raising standards for the treatment of animals.
I welcome that there are stringent provisions already in place to ensure compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). This Act makes provision for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes. It also adopts the 3Rs principle which seeks to use experimental procedures which either replace the use of animals, reduce the number of animals used, or refine how the animals are treated during the process.
The ASRU is responsible for the administration and enforcement of ASPA, which includes providing advice on the regulations, operating the licence system, and ensuring the compliance of licence holders and the terms of their licenses. Regarding the Change Programme, I have been assured that its core aim is to better align ASRUs activities to deliver its purpose of protecting animals in science by maintaining compliance with ASPA. The benefits of the programme include increased efficiency and more effective delivery of outcomes and services.
Furthermore, the Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) is an essential part of establishment governance to ensure compliance with ASPA. All applicants for a new project licence must be evaluated by the local AWERB which is constituted to advise on how effectively the applicant is applying the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement).
Cats in the Kept Animals Bill
February 2022
I am a life-long cat lover, and have always had a cat, and currently have two.
The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and it is only right that we continue to improve our world-leading standards. I welcome that the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill will bring in some of the world’s strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals.
The Bill will tackle the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets, including dogs, cats and ferrets, that can travel under pet travel rules. The Bill also contains an enabling power to allow the Environment Secretary to make regulations about the importation of cats, dogs and ferrets for the purpose of promoting their welfare.
In August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. I am aware that this consultation did not include proposals to increase the minimum age of kittens imported or non-commercially moved to six months or ban the import of heavily pregnant or declawed cats. This is because there is limited evidence of a significant illegal trade in cats or significant numbers of low welfare movements.
The number of movements of cats into Great Britain is much lower than for dogs, and despite the statistics you quote, my ministerial colleagues insist we are not seeing the same issues with young kittens and pregnant cats being imported. In 2020, for example, no pregnant cats and only 17 kittens (under the age of 15 weeks) were seized and detained. My ministerial colleagues are currently analysing the responses to the consultation.
The Bill has now passed Committee Stage in the House of Commons and will return to the House as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Ivory
January 2022
Ivory is one of the world's most iconic and treasured species and it should never be seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol.
I am therefore glad that Ivory Act 2018 will introduce one of the world's toughest bans on ivory sales. This includes a ban on the purchase or hire of items containing elephant ivory and applies to UK exports and imports. The ban will cover items of all ages and the maximum available penalty for contravention will be an unlimited fine or up to five years in prison. The ban will also include certain narrowly defined exemptions for items that do not contribute to poaching, where a ban would be unwarranted.
Progress on implementing the legislation was delayed by a legal challenge which the Government successfully defended. Ministers have confirmed that the Ivory Act will come into force in the spring.
The Act will not affect the ownership of ivory items. Ministers recognise that some owners may decide it is not cost-effective to register their low value items for sale and that this is a decision for individual owners. These items may instead be gifted, donated or bequeathed rather than discarded. Ministers have committed to an awareness raising campaign to explain to owners their options.
Further, ministers have also consulted separately on extending the Ivory Act to afford greater protections to a range of ivory-bearing species, including hippopotamuses and walruses, and I look forward to reading the Government's official response to this once this has been published.
I am also encouraged that since 2015, Defra has provided over £4.2 million in funding for Asian elephants living in the wild through the Darwin Initiative and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund. This includes funding towards a project seeking to reduce the illegal ivory trade in Cambodia, and a project supporting Nepal’s world-leading community anti-poaching efforts.
Breed Specific Legislation
January 2022
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, it is a criminal offence to allow any dog of any breed or type to be dangerously out of control. It also prohibits certain types of dog that are considered a serious risk to public safety. These specific types of dogs are: Pit bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. It is for a court to decide if a prohibited dog can be kept by someone once it has considered the dog’s temperament, among other issues. Conviction under this Act can lead to a prison sentence or a disqualification order which prevents the owner from keeping dogs for a certain period of time.
Recently, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) commissioned research from Middlesex University into dog attacks. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of current dog control measures, identify and examine the factors and situations that may cause dog attacks, and consider how to promote responsible dog ownership.
I understand that this research did not specifically extend to considering the merits of breed specific legislation. However it makes reference to the fact that some literature suggests breed specific legislation is not effective and highlights that some academic studies suggest dog breed is not a major risk factor. The report’s conclusion is that while there is no single risk factor when it comes to dog attacks, there are improvements that can be made to prevent attacks, particularly around early intervention and enforcement.
I am aware that the recommendations in the report included the statutory recording of dog attack incidents, improving the quality and availability of dog training, addressing inconsistent approaches to dog enforcement, and a register for dog owners. This could ensure that people with offences could be struck off the register and not allowed to keep dogs in the future.
I welcome that the report’s recommendations will provide the basis for consideration of further reform in the area. I understand that officials will set up a steering group with the police and stakeholders to consider these recommendations further and I will consider carefully any developments stemming from this.
Assistance Dogs
January 2022
I have raised this matter with the Department for Transport and their reply is as follows:
“Effective disability awareness training can help ensure that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers have the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide passengers with appropriate assistance, so that they can travel independently and with confidence.
The Department wants every local licensing authority to require taxi and PHV drivers to complete this training and will make this clear in updated best practice guidance, due to be published for consultation later in the year.
The Government also remains committed to introducing mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities when Parliamentary time allows.”
Animal Sentience Bill
January 2022
I was proud to vote in favour of this bill. The Government has set out a series of ambition reforms as outlined in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. I am encouraged that since 2010, the Department has achieved many changes regarding improving animal welfare including banning the use of conventional battery cages for laying hens, as well as making CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses across England. Other measures introduced include the mandatory microchipping of dogs in 2015 and the modernisation of the licensing system for dog breeding and pet sales. Further, I welcome that the Government’s Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill will bring in some of the world’s strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals. This includes introducing a ban on keeping primates as pets, banning the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening, and also addressing the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets that can travel under pet travel rules. I welcome that the Bill has passed the Committee stage in the House of Commons and I look forward to supporting this Bill as it continues to progress through Parliament. I can assure you that the Government is committed to ensuring that these proposals are delivered to ensure that animals both in this country and overseas have the best possible welfare.
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