Contributions
1,571 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBiodiversity: Impact of NeonicotinoidsThe authorisation that has been provided is for a specific and limited period of time, covering one season, and there are no plans to extend that emergency authorisation. The…14 Jan 2021HANSARDBiodiversity: Impact of NeonicotinoidsI will certainly convey the noble Lord’s request in relation to the NFU application, but I am afraid that is not a decision I can make here and now. The Government are committed,…14 Jan 2021HANSARDBiodiversity: Impact of NeonicotinoidsThe Government considered the impact on biodiversity and the environment posed by the use of the product Cruiser SB on the basis of expert scientific assessment. The Government…14 Jan 2021HANSARDBiodiversity: Impact of NeonicotinoidsThe ability to consider this emergency authorisation comes from EU legislation. It is not a case of reducing our standards after leaving the EU, since 10 EU countries including…14 Jan 2021HANSARDBiodiversity: Impact of NeonicotinoidsPollinators have an almost unimaginable and incalculable importance. They are an essential part of our environment; they play a crucial role in food production and have suffered…14 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesThe noble Lord makes an important point and I will convey it to the Attorney-General, on whose behalf I am afraid I am not able to speak. There are now over 500 wildlife crime…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesThe Government introduced a ban on the commercial third-party sale of puppies and kittens in England, and ahead of that we launched a big national communications campaign strategy…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesThe noble Baroness makes an important point. As she says, Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU legislation on animal welfare and transport for as long as the Northern…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesThis was a manifesto commitment and we have taken a key step in delivering it by launching, just a few weeks ago, a consultation on ending live animal exports for slaughtering and…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesRecordable offences are set outside Defra, although Defra has been working with, for example, the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group, led by police forces across England…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesAnimal experimentation clearly has an enormously important role to play. It needs to be science-led, and there needs to be a clear understanding that the results of such research…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesIn 2018, the UK hosted the biggest ever illegal wildlife trade conference, and 65 countries signed up to the London declaration, which committed them to accelerating efforts to…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesThe Government support increasing the maximum custodial sentence for animal cruelty offences from six months to five years. We have always been clear about that. It will enable…12 Jan 2021HANSARDAnimal Welfare and Wildlife Crime OffencesMy Lords, the Government recognise the importance of tackling wildlife crime and animal cruelty. Since 2016, Defra and the Home Office have jointly committed £300,000 a year to…12 Jan 2021HANSARDRepair and Reuse ProgrammesMy Lords, we work very closely with all the devolved Administrations and are permanently looking for ways to improve our approach to tackling waste issues. I point the noble Lord…14 Dec 2020HANSARDRepair and Reuse ProgrammesI disagree with the noble and right reverend Lord’s suggestion that the Government are not taking this issue as seriously as they should. We have made huge progress in the last…14 Dec 2020HANSARDRepair and Reuse ProgrammesMy Lords, our resources and waste strategy for England outlines actions on reuse and repair. It will be supplemented by a new waste prevention programme to be published for…14 Dec 2020HANSARDRepair and Reuse ProgrammesThat is exactly the focus of the work that we are doing. The purpose of the Environment Bill and the overall waste strategy is precisely to tackle “built-in obsolescence”—the…14 Dec 2020HANSARDRepair and Reuse ProgrammesThe new waste prevention programme has been delayed. I simply point to the pandemic, which has delayed much of our progress on this and many other issues; in addition, the date…14 Dec 2020HANSARDRepair and Reuse ProgrammesThat is absolutely right—there is much that can be learned and much information, advice and ideas that can be exchanged between the various nations. The Welsh Government are often…14 Dec 2020