David Heath: Since 1 May 2013, a total of seven statutory notices have been served by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency for breaches of welfare during transport legislation.
David Heath: Subject to confirmation, over the 2014-20 multi-annual framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) the UK will receive £17.8 billion in Pillar 1 for direct subsidies for farmers, and £1.84 billion to spend in Pillar 2 on the environment and rural development. It will be essential to ensure we implement the CAP in a way which is as simple as possible, affordable and effective in...
David Heath: Scenarios are being developed on the impact of different rates of transfer from direct payments to the Rural Development Programme of the CAP. A formal consultation, which will cover this issue, will be undertaken in the near future. Under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), the proportion of funds allocated to each region is broadly consistent with the historic distribution of agricultural...
David Heath: The proportion of UK food consumption produced in the UK was 58% in 1997 and 51% in 2010. The latest available figures for 2012 give the proportion as 53%. A full time series from 1988 to 2012 is available in Chapter 14 of the publication 'Agriculture in the United Kingdom' at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/agricult ure-in-the-united-kingdom We do not make estimates for...
David Heath: The greyhound regulations are due to be reviewed in 2015 and this review will look at how effective they and the enforcement agencies (including the Greyhound Board of Great Britain) have been in maintaining good welfare standards.
David Heath: I shall be issuing a consultation document on the implementation of CAP reform in England in the near future. This will set out plans for providing support for upland farmers, and invite views from stakeholders, including in respect of the potential impact on stocking levels in the uplands.
David Heath: Chlorpyrifos products are authorised for use only by professionals. This means they can only be lawfully used by those who are trained and competent for their job. In certain situations the user will need to hold a certificate of competence. From November 2015 all professional users will be required to hold a certificate demonstrating that they have been trained. It will also be a requirement...
David Heath: The Environment Agency's investigations have shown that many macro-invertebrates—that is those which are visible to the eye without the aid of a microscope—have been killed but there have been no reports of any fish deaths. The Environment Agency traced the effects of the pollution between Marlborough and Hungerford with macro-invertebrates being affected for this 15 km stretch. The...
David Heath: Sheep carcase classification is not compulsory in the UK, but most abattoirs grade their carcases based on the EUROP classification grid. We are considering the operation of these arrangements with industry stakeholders.
David Heath: This data is not collected or collated by Government.
David Heath: The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations are due to be reviewed in 2015 and this will look at how effective they and the enforcement agencies have been in maintaining good welfare standards. We will consult key stakeholders, including the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, as part of the review.
David Heath: The Government is fully committed to raising animal welfare standards internationally and is prepared to explore all practical options to this end. However, we believe standards will only be effectively and consistently applied if those responsible for the animals concerned are convinced of the efficacy of the particular measures. With this in mind, we are currently exploring the potential...
David Heath: Information was redacted from the document in question since not doing so could adversely affect public safety and/or damage the environment. Non-disclosure of information in this manner is permitted and is in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations, which include specific exceptions.
David Heath: We meet representatives of the major food retailers on a regular basis and discuss environmental sustainability issues. We have no plan to make an assessment of the environmental effects of the business models used by these retailers. However, many of these businesses have their own sustainability strategies, which they share with DEFRA. They are also signatories to voluntary agreements such...
David Heath: The Government does not hold annual records of the numbers of greyhounds euthanized.
David Heath: The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds (England) Regulations 2010 provides minimum standards for the welfare of racing greyhounds in England. In addition, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 provides more general protection for all kept animals, including racing greyhounds. If anyone has any concerns about the welfare of greyhounds at a race track or anywhere else they should contact the relevant local...
David Heath: Following the recent incident in the River Kennet, which is thought to be as a result of chlorpyrifos entering the water, several parties have raised concerns about the authorisation of chlorpyrifos. Once the investigation into the cause and nature of that incident has been completed, the implications for authorisation and controls on pesticides will be fully considered. Chlorpyrifos products...
David Heath: Longstanding UK law requires that those disposing of any pesticide authorised for professional use and its remnants take reasonable precautions to ensure that this does not endanger human health or the environment. This includes all products containing chlorpyrifos. The Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products which can be found on the Gov.UK website outlines measures that should...
David Heath: All pesticides are subject to regular review to make sure that they meet current safety standards. This is a two-stage process, with a review of the active substance approval by the EU being followed by national reviews of the related products. Chlorpyrifos is at the second stage of that process; the EU has confirmed approval of the active substance and the chemicals regulation directorate is...
David Heath: Non-chemical methods of pest control for oilseed rape are currently very limited. This is due in part to the historical availability of a range of insecticides, and therefore an underdeveloped research area in identifying non-chemical methods. Additionally, for those pests with the greatest potential for causing significant yield losses, high levels of control are required, particularly in...