Written questions by Cordova.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of processes for transferring animals between the EU and UK for breeding conservation programmes.

Defra continues to work closely with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to address immediate challenges to the cross-border movement of animals between the UK and EU. This includes the availability of Export Health Certificates and Border Control Post capacity. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at reducing trade barriers to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of goods, including zoo animals of conservation significance. We’re expecting to start negotiations in the autumn, once the EU has confirmed their mandate. We want to see businesses benefit from removing barriers to trade as soon as possible, and we will provide further updates in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help meet (a) climate and (b) nature targets.

The UK fully supported the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and has already submitted to the Convention on Biological Diversity National Targets that are fully aligned with the Framework. We will publish the full UK National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in due course, and we will provide an assessment of our progress in the implementation of the KMGBF, including progress towards the national targets, in our seventh and eighth national reports in February 2026 and June 2029, respectively. The UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 2030 and 2035 targets – to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68% and 81% respectively on 1990 levels – are a fair and ambitious contribution to global action on climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement temperature goal, and remains in place. We are absolutely committed to our climate targets. That is why making Britain a clean energy superpower is one of the five missions of this Government - delivering clean power by 2030 and accelerating the transition to net zero across the economy. This will make it easier and affordable for people across the country to move towards sustainable lifestyles. The UK was the first major economy to halve its emissions, cutting them by around 53% between 1990 and 2023, while growing our economy by 79%. The UK over-achieved against the first, second and third Carbon Budgets, and we will deliver an updated cross-economy plan in due course, which will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver carbon budgets 4-6 and the 2030 and 2035 NDCs on a pathway to net zero.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to publish the results of his Department's consultation entitled 'The Fur Market in Great Britain', which closed on 31 May 2021.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23 July 2024 to the Rt Hon Member for Islington North, PQ 592.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning the use of farrowing crates; and if he will commission a consultation on such a ban.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of farrowing crates for pigs is an issue we will want to fully consider in due course.