Tag: Angela Smith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions (a) she and (b) her Department have had with animal welfare organisations on the incorporation of animal welfare in the national curriculum.

Edward Timpson

The Department received representations from animal welfare groups about the inclusion of animal welfare in the science curriculum in response to the consultation on the new National Curriculum.

The new primary science curriculum, introduced from September 2014, focuses on the essential scientific knowledge that children need to be educated citizens. It teaches pupils about the requirements for animals to survive such as appropriate habitat, food, water and air. Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education also provides opportunities for pupils to be taught about animal welfare and teachers are free to decide what further activities they offer on this topic.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times project licence applications were referred to an independent assessor in each year since 2012.

Mr John Hayes

The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.

The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).

The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.

The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.

The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.

Year	(a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1]	(b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors	(c) Project licences granted
2012	9	4	626
2013	3	0	604
2014	4	1	474
2015	3	0	577

[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in what proportion of child contact cases presided over by the family judiciary in each year since 2010, where there was an allegation of domestic abuse, either party were litigants in person.

Dr Phillip Lee

This information is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2015 to Question 17199, when she will publish the outcome of her Department’s review of animal licensing legislation; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

The Government’s proposals on the review of the animal licensing legislation will be made available shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the environmental effects of the disposal of imported (a) animal blood, faeces and urine and (b) other biological by-products in rural areas of the UK.

Rory Stewart

We have no plans to make such an assessment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of domestic abuse victims in child contact cases in the family court have been in receipt of legal aid in each year since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee

This data is not centrally recorded and could only be obtained by incurring disproportionate costs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the threat to human health and safety from poor canine welfare at breeding establishments; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

There are a number of diseases that can be passed between animals and humans (these are known as zoonotic diseases). Those affecting dogs include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. One of the standard conditions of holding a dog breeding establishment is that all reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious or contagious diseases.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were (a) granted and (b) refused on the basis of the results of the harm-benefit analysis carried out on those applications by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.

Karen Bradley

I refer the Hon. Member to the response I previously provided to her question on 4 February 2016 (24508). The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected / refused or withdrawn at the concept or at the drafting stage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 11893, when her Department plans to publish an assessment of the effectiveness of the Soil Protection Review and cross-compliance inspection regime in reducing soil erosion; and what penalties there are for landowners who do not take steps to reduce soil erosion.

Rory Stewart

Defra published the report ‘An Assessment of the implementation of the Soil Protection Review (SPR) 2010 and soil management practices in England’ in 2012. The report considered the overall impact of the SPR on soil management practices in England including on erosion.

Defra introduced new national standards for agricultural soils under cross compliance in January 2015 which apply to recipients of Common Agricultural Policy funding. The Government is monitoring the implementation of the new rules.

The penalty regime for cross compliance is set out in the Cross Compliance Guidance 2016 at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guide-to-cross-compliance-in-england-2016

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the environmental effects of the disposal of imported (a) animal blood, faeces and urine and (b) other biological by-products in rural areas of the UK.

Rory Stewart

We have no plans to make such an assessment.