Campaign reply - Caged Farm Animals

I would like to assure you that my ministerial colleagues and I take the welfare of all animals seriously. Since publishing the Action Plan for Animal Welfare, the Government has delivered an ambitious legislative programme, bringing significant improvements for animals both in the UK and abroad. Ministers are firmly committed to maintaining the UK’s strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond.

 

I understand that my ministerial colleagues do not believe that the time is right to consult on cage reforms, recognising some of the challenges that numerous sectors have faced in recent years. I am informed that the market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production, and that the proportion of eggs from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47 per cent of total throughput in Q4 of 2017 to 21 per cent in Q1 of 2023. Regarding pigs, the UK is ahead of most other pig producing countries in terms of zero confinement farrowing, in that 40 per net of the national sow breeding herd farrow freely on outdoor pig units with no option of confinement.

I am assured that the Government will continue to work with the sector maintain and enhance high standards of welfare. For example, the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway will prioritise areas for additional improvement in the health and welfare for pigs, cattle, sheep and poultry. I know that one of the Government’s priorities for the pathway includes supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems. 

Of course, if you have specific concerns about the welfare of an animal, I recommend reporting it to the police or the RSPCA.

Campaign reply - Animal Welfare (Four Paws Campaign)

The UK has long led the way on animal welfare and the Government has delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. Ministers are committed to building on our strong track record on animal welfare.  

 

In the King’s Speech, the Government announced the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill, which will ban the export of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain, stopping unnecessary stress, exhaustion and injury caused by exporting live animals. This Bill will ensure that animals are slaughtered domestically in high welfare slaughterhouses in the UK, reinforcing the UK’s position as a world leader on animal welfare.

Regarding puppy smuggling, the UK has one of the most rigorous pet travel border checking regimes in the world and I am aware that every dog travelling into Great Britain on approved routes has its microchip and paperwork checked to make sure they are all properly vaccinated and are old enough to travel. The Government has said that it will ban the imports of young, heavily pregnant or mutilated dogs and it would be supportive of legislating to ban this through a single-issue Bill when parliamentary time allows.

Further, mindful of the challenges the sectors are facing, I am aware that Ministers do not consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms. However, I understand that the market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. In addition, the Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.

On food labelling for animal welfare, Ministers want to make it easier for consumers to purchase food that aligns with their values, by improving transparency and providing the industry with a level playing field to promote such products. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) intends to work with the industry to explore how to harness the market to improve food information for consumers and raise animal welfare standards.

In 2021, Defra carried out a call for evidence on the fur trade in Great Britain. Defra continues to build an evidence base on the fur sector, which will be used to inform any future action on the fur trade. This includes commissioning the Animal Welfare Committee to explore current responsible sourcing practices in the fur industry.

Finally, in May, the Prime Minister set out the Government’s six principles to ensure that British farming is at the heart of British trade. One of these principles included seeking to advance international co-operation on animal welfare and to promote high welfare standards. I am assured that the UK will safeguard its ability to maintain high animal welfare, environmental and food standards in new trade agreements.

Campaign reply - Earwax Removal

Ear wax removal services are commissioned at a local, rather than national level. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance from June 2018 recommends that adults should be offered earwax removal if the earwax is contributing to hearing loss or other symptoms. 

If they determine that the treatment is clinically necessary, GP practices can offer NHS ear wax syringing services or refer to an appropriate NHS service in a local area.  Eligible patients would not be charged for this service. 

There are a range of services known as core services that all GP practices are expected to provide and enhanced services that GP practices are commissioned to provide over and above this. The provision of ear syringing is an example of an enhanced service. It is for the local Integrated Care System to decide whether or not to commission this enhanced service.

Campaign reply - Puppy Smuggling

I would like to assure you that Ministers are committed to cracking down on puppy smuggling and will ban the imports of young or heavily pregnant dogs, as well as dogs with mutilations, such as cropped ears or docked tails. Applying strengthened penalties will send a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated and will enable our courts to take a firmer approach to cases where pets are illegally imported. I know that the Government would be supportive of legislation to ban this through a single-issue Bill when parliamentary time allows.

 

The UK has one of the most rigorous pet travel border checking regimes in the world and I am aware that every dog travelling into Great Britain on approved routes has its microchip and paperwork checked to make sure they are all properly vaccinated and are old enough to travel. In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) consulted on proposed changes to the commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into Great Britain. Defra has been carefully reviewing feedback from this consultation, and I look forward to reading a summary in due course.

 

Further, Ministers have taken action to tackle the practice of puppy farming. Following the introduction of Lucy’s Law in 2020, everyone must now buy directly from breeders or consider adopting from rescue centres, which is a major step in stopping the illegal pet trade. If an individual sells puppies or kittens without a licence, they could receive an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to six months.

Campaign reply - Data reform

Now that the UK has left the EU, there is opportunity to simplify the clunky parts of our data protection laws and create a world class data rights framework that will allow us to realise the benefits of data use while maintaining high data protection standards. 

Data is fundamental to fuelling economic growth in all areas of society from unlocking medical breakthroughs to helping people travel, manage their finances and shop online. It is vital to the development and use of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence.

The Government consulted on an ambitious package of reforms to create a new regime that is pro-growth and trusted for UK citizens and businesses. The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill was first introduced in 2022 but paused so Ministers could engage in a co-design process with business leaders and data experts – ensuring that the new regime built on the UK’s high standards for data protection and privacy, and seeks to ensure data adequacy while moving away from the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach of European Union’s GDPR.

The Bill has since been improved (and reintroduced as the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill) to introduce a simple, clear and business-friendly framework that will not be difficult or costly to implement – taking the best elements of GDPR and providing businesses with more flexibility about how they comply with the new data laws. Furthermore, it will ensure the UK's new regime maintains data adequacy with the EU, and wider international confidence in the UK’s comprehensive data protection standards. By reducing the amount of paperwork and supporting international trade without additional costs if they're already compliant, the changes will give organisations greater confidence about when they can process personal data without consent. 

Ministers have improved the Bill to further cut down on the amount of paperwork organisations need to complete to show compliance. Now, only organisations whose processing activities are likely to pose high risks to individual’s rights and freedoms will need to keep processing records. This could include, for example, where organisations are processing large volumes of sensitive data about people’s health.

The new rules will give organisations more clarity about when they can process personal data without needing consent or weighing up their own interests in processing the data against an individual’s rights for certain public interest activities. This could include circumstances where there is a public interest in sharing personal data to prevent crime, safeguard national security or protect vulnerable individuals.

Alongside these new changes, the Bill will increase fines for nuisance calls and texts to be up to four per cent of global turnover or £17.5 million, whichever is greater, and aims to reduce the number of consent pop-ups people see online, which allow websites to collect data about an individual’s visit.

The Government's reforms are expected to unlock £4.7 billion in savings for the UK economy over the next 10 years and maintain the UK’s internationally renowned data protection standards so businesses can continue to trade freely with global partners, including the EU.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Campaign Reply - The Two-Child Policy

Thank you for contacting me about the cap which restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in a family.

Supporting families and helping parents into work requires a balanced system that provides support for those who need it, but that also ensures a sense of fairness to the taxpayer and many working families who do not see their incomes rise when they have more children.

The previous benefits structure, which adjusted automatically to family size, was unsustainable. Moreover, the latest statistics show that 78 per cent of families on Universal Credit (UC) had fewer than three children. I understand that the Government therefore feels it is proportionate to provide support through Child Tax Credit and UC for a maximum of two children. The same policy does not apply to help with childcare costs, passported benefits (for example, free school meals), additional support for any disabled children or Child Benefit.

I do recognise that some people are not able to make the same choices about the number of children in their family, and I welcome the full support for third and subsequent children born after April 2017 in certain circumstances. This includes children cared for by family or close friends under kinship care arrangements, children adopted from local authority care, and multiple births.

Campaign Reply - Support for the Night-time Economy

I fully recognise the importance of the night-time economy and have been reassured that the Government continues to support this industry as well as the wider hospitality sector.

At Autumn Statement 2023, the Government announced a business rates support package worth £4.3 billion over the next five years to support small businesses and the high street. The small business multiplier will be frozen for a fourth consecutive year, and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief will be extended, ensuring the most vulnerable businesses continue to be supported. A third of properties in England have already been taken out of rates completely through Small Business Rates Relief.

The Government is also making full expensing permanent, representing the largest business tax cut in modern British history. This means the UK will have not just the lowest headline corporation tax rate in the G7 but also its most generous capital allowances.

These measures are in addition to the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, which provided £7.4 billion to businesses; the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, which provides a baseline discount on energy bills until the end of March 2024; the increased Employment Allowance of £5,000, which takes the smallest 40 per cent of businesses out of paying any National Insurance at all; and setting the Annual Investment Allowance at £1 million permanently.

I believe this is a comprehensive package of support which is helping protect businesses such as pubs, cafes, and nightclubs.