Contributions
1,459 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillThat the order of commitment of 19 June be discharged and the bill be committed to a Grand Committee.27 Jun 2019HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019My Lords, this statutory instrument establishes a ban on the commercial third-party sale of puppies and kittens under six months of age. After six months, the puppy or kitten is…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019My Lords, we have had an important and absorbing debate on these matters. I think there is a shared recognition across your Lordships’ House that these are valuable and important…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackMy Lords, extensive action is being taken on ash dieback. We have restricted the movement of ash trees from other countries and invested more than £6 million in ash dieback…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackMy Lords, the ash is a very important tree in our ecosystem, which is why we are investing in trying to find, through science, the best and most tolerant trees. We are planting…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackThe noble Baroness is absolutely right. That is why our work with the UK plant biosecurity alliance and the Horticultural Trades Association is so important in forming an…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 13 May be approved. Relevant document: 52nd Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackMy Lords, the whole issue of biosecurity is absolutely essential, which is why we have increased the number of inspectors at borders. It is important that we keep these pests and…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackMy Lords, that is precisely why we funded, and the Tree Council has published, a toolkit that helps local authorities to manage the effects of ash dieback; it contains guidance…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackMy Lords, the noble Lord is right: it does not respect borders, which is why there was a natural spread across our seas. It is imperative that there is collaboration between all…25 Jun 2019HANSARDAsh DiebackMy Lords, a range. Obviously, health and safety issues are hugely important—this is why we are also working with local authorities—but in many parts we are encouraging landowners…25 Jun 2019HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillMy Lords, this is a straightforward Bill. It seeks to prohibit the use of wild animals, whether in performances or displays, in travelling circuses. There is strong public opinion…19 Jun 2019HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillThat the Bill be now read a second time.19 Jun 2019HANSARDWild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) BillMy Lords, this has been an extremely thought-provoking debate from the outset. This is a measure which is designed, at this stage, to manage 19 wild animals, but we have gone into…19 Jun 2019HANSARDPlastic Bag ChargeMy Lords, a lot of what my noble friend said is involved in the consultation, which closed on 13 May—that is the only precise date I can give—but it is therefore now being…17 Jun 2019HANSARDPlastic Bag ChargeOn the last point first, it is important that research is going on, including at EU level, on certain types of degradable plastics—precisely because of chemicals and…17 Jun 2019HANSARDPlastic Bag ChargeMy Lords, the noble Baroness is right that one of the complications is that certain wrapping increases how long produce lasts and stops food waste, so we need to look at these…17 Jun 2019HANSARDPlastic Bag ChargeMy Lords, that is not quite the case, as with all such things. I am well aware of the sort of responses one is given, but as I said, perhaps the interpretation of “very soon”…17 Jun 2019HANSARDPlastic Bag ChargeMy Lords, that is an intriguing comparison, but the position is that combining the publication of the summary and intended action will reduce the overall time taken, compared to…17 Jun 2019HANSARDPlastic Bag ChargeMy Lords, earlier this year we consulted on proposals to extend the charge to all retailers and to increase the minimum charge to 10p. To advance this matter, we will publish both…17 Jun 2019