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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 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) expressions of interest and (b) applications Natural England has received for a badger control licence; and what the timetable for decisions is on applications received.

    George Eustice

    Natural England has received (a) 21 expressions of interest; and (b) 8 applications for badger control licenses. Decisions will be announced before the start of each year’s badger control operations.

  • 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 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding her Department has allocated for its badger cull policy for 2016-17.

    George Eustice

    The amount of funding allocated for industry-led badger control will depend on the number of applicants authorised to proceed in 2016.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to educate consumers about the welfare risks of certain breed characteristics in cats so that consumers can make informed decisions when considering a purchase.

    George Eustice

    The Government would be happy to work with key stakeholders to discuss health problems associated with pedigree cats

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many kittens and cats entered the UK under the EU Pet Travel Scheme in (a) 2015 and (b) each previous year since that scheme’s introduction.

    George Eustice

    The number of pet cats entering Great Britain from January 2004 to December 2015 under the EU Pet Travel Scheme is detailed below.

    Year

    Total

    2004

    7314

    2005

    8544

    2006

    9450

    2007

    9935

    2008

    11643

    2009

    6789

    2010

    7870

    2011

    8280

    2012

    14601

    2013

    14147

    2014

    15081

    2015

    21404

    Kittens which are old enough to meet the requirements for the scheme will be included in these figures.

    The statistics are provided by the carriers transporting pet animals on approved routes into Great Britain.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for her Department’s assessment of applications for emergency authorisation of neonicotinoid seed treatments; and whether she plans to remove restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids.

    George Eustice

    The timetable for assessing an application for emergency authorisation varies from case to case. It needs to enable expert scientific assessment and a decision to be made against the legal criteria in time for any authorisation to be of value to users.

    Two recent applications for emergency authorisation of neonicotinoids as seed treatments for oilseed rape were turned down on 12 May following expert advice that they did not meet the criteria for authorisation.

    The UK has fully implemented restrictions on the use of three neonicotinoids. UK experts are contributing to a review of the risks to pollinators from neonicotinoids being led by the European Food Safety Authority, which is due to complete by January 2017. The European Commission will then consider whether to propose changes to the current restrictions.

  • Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that those who breed and sell kittens where there is evidence of commercial trade do so under a pet vending licence; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Earlier this year, Defra consulted on proposals to update the laws on breeding and selling of pet animals. We are currently analysing the responses.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals have been on the staff of the European Commission in each year since 2010.

    Mr David Lidington

    Whilst the European Commission provides staffing numbers by nationality they do not break them down between permanent and temporary agents. In total the numbers of UK nationals employed by the European Commission in each year since 2010 is:

    April 2010: 1284
    April 2011: 1162
    April 2012: 1134
    April 2013: 1079
    April 2014: 1053
    April 2015: 1008

    The latest figure available is for Feb 2016 and is 982.

    UK representation has been falling across EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture, recognising that this will require a sustained effort. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, promotes EU careers across the UK and supports candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on the EU Global Strategy.

    Mr David Lidington

    At the European Council meeting of 25-26 June, European leaders asked the EU High Representative to prepare an EU Global Strategy on foreign and defence policy to replace the 2003 European Security Strategy, which was last updated in 2008. It will identify and describe EU Member State interests, priorities and objectives, existing and evolving threats, challenges and opportunities, and the instruments and means to meet them. The Government supports this initiative, which complements the UK’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, and has engaged regularly with the High Representative during its preparation. The Government believes that the Global Strategy can enhance UK and other Member State foreign and security policy by covering the full range of EU external action tools.

  • 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 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens in each country who are in prison and facing the death penalty.

    James Duddridge

    We are currently aware of 13 British nationals in detention abroad who have been sentenced to death. There are a further 54 cases of British nationals who are under trial, appeal or at a pre-trial stage that could lead to a death sentence. Cases with a potential death penalty sentence in Pakistan make up the biggest number (31).

    We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances. If a British national has been sentenced to death or faces a charge that carries the death penalty, we will raise the case at whatever stage and level we judge to be appropriate.

  • 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 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens imprisoned abroad in each country.

    James Duddridge

    We collect global detainee statistics twice a year. On 30 September 2015 we were aware of 2,003 British nationals detained overseas (either pre- or post- sentencing). The largest numbers are detained in USA (499), Spain (186), Ireland (173), Australia (155) and France (102).