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  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which animal welfare groups her Department consulted on the new Code of Practice for the use of snares for fox control in England.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government has sought to improve the welfare of snared animals through the commission of snare use research and by working with stakeholders to produce improved best practice guidance and increase its observance by users.

    Evidence obtained from the research helped to identify possible improvements to the code of best practice as well as to snare design. Defra worked with animal welfare groups such as OneKind, the League Against Cruel Sports and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as snare user groups to develop an improved guidance for the use of snares in England and Wales.

    This improved guidance, which was supported by both sides of the debate, was then used as the basis for Welsh Government designed and owned guidance for Wales and snare user group designed and owned guidance for England.

    By taking ownership of this guidance and showing leadership in this area, the snare user groups should be more successful in promoting good practice with their members and changing their behaviour than the Government would on its own.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to mark the centenary of the birth of Richard Walker by ensuring that Clarissa the carp appears on the front of the 2017-18 fishing licence; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The images on the rod licence are currently produced under agreement with a specialist wildlife artist and have focused on fish in their natural environment. The exact image is determined the year before the licence goes on sale and the image for 2017/18 has already been determined. The design for 2018/19 will be determined during 2017. The Environment Agency is happy to consider the option of using Clarissa to mark the centenary of the birth of Richard Walker.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to relax rules on the use of animal growth hormones in beef farming once the UK has left the EU.

    George Eustice

    There are no plans to relax rules on the use of hormones for the purposes of growth promotion, following the UK’s exit from the EU.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that people who violate the law on protected birds of prey are prosecuted.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Defra Ministers have received a number of representations, including from Members of this House on behalf of their constituents, highlighting their concerns about illegal persecution of birds of prey such as the hen harrier and wildlife crime more generally.

    The Government takes wildlife crime very seriously. All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with strong penalties for committing offences against birds of prey and other wildlife. All incidents of wildlife crime should be reported to the police.

    Raptor persecution is a UK wildlife crime priority and has a taskforce led by a senior police officer to develop a plan to prevent crime, gather intelligence on offences and enforce against it. It focuses on the golden eagle, goshawk, hen harrier, peregrine, red kite and white tailed eagle.

    The National Wildlife Crime Unit, which Defra funds jointly with the Home Office, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities affecting birds of prey and provides assistance to police forces when required.

    It is a matter for the prosecuting authorities to ensure those who commit such offences receive the appropriate penalties as set out in law.

  • Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hugo Swire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugo Swire on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support officials of his Department are providing for the Commonwealth Trade Ministers’ meeting in London in 2017.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK will co-host this meeting with Malta in London next March. Officials are working closely with colleagues in the Department for International Trade and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council on the practical arrangements and how the meeting can be used to increase cooperation, break down trade barriers and improve trading environments.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding from the public purse the UK will contribute to the Better Migration Management programme.

    Rory Stewart

    The €46 million ‘Better Migration Management’ programme is part of the EU’s joint work on addressing unmanaged flows from Africa under the Horn of Africa component of the €1.9 billion EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. The UK has made no direct financial contribution to this programme. However, we have committed to a contribution of €3 million to the Horn of Africa component of the Trust Fund overall. That is in addition to the UK’s underlying contribution to the Trust Fund, which amounts to approximately 15% of the EU’s total €1.8 billion contribution, predominantly drawn from the European Development Fund.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the joint projects between the UK and Sudanese governments that are tackling extremism in the Horn of Africa region.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are not engaged in any joint projects with the Government of Sudan directly designed to tackle extremism in the Horn of Africa. We are, however, exploring options for cooperation in this area with relevant Sudanese Government bodies, as we believe the Government of Sudan has an important role to play in countering these threats.

  • Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle extremism in Sudan.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK has engaged directly with the University of Medical Sciences and Technology in Khartoum on counter extremism issues. This led to us supporting two parallel events in 2015 – one at the university in Khartoum and one in Manchester for alumni – which aimed to raise awareness and to engage staff, students and the graduate association on options for tackling the risks of radicalisation.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what consultation took place between the Government and hon. Members prior to the UK disarmament ambassador to the UN speaking against the UN resolution to start negotiations in 2017 on a treaty banning nuclear weapons.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    There have been no consultations between the Government and Parliament specifically on the UN General Assembly resolution on the nuclear weapons ban treaty. However on 18 July 2016, Parliament debated the successor submarine programme to maintain the UK’s independent, minimum, credible nuclear deterrent, during which the issue of the ban treaty was raised.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2016 to Question 46239, what options for loan repayment are made available to people who contact his Department on returning to the UK.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    British nationals to whom we have issued an emergency loan are able to discuss with FCO staff a repayment plan that is convenient to them. They can pay as much (minimum payment of £5) and as frequently as they wish. They can pay by telephone, using a credit or debit card – we accept most cards which are linked to a British bank; electronic bank transfer; personal cheque; Postal Order; or online.

    We explain to the individual that their outstanding debt will be subject to a surcharge of 10% if it is not cleared within six months, and that they will not have their passport returned, or be able to apply for a new one, until their debt is repaid in full.