Written questions by Jones.

Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department intends to engage with (a) community organisations, (b) charities and (c) people with lived experience of air pollution during the upcoming review of the Air Quality

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of involving people directly affected by air pollution in the review of the Air Quality Strategy.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support will be made available from Government to support a transition away from enriched cages.

Under the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, eligible poultry keepers have had access to capital grants to support the transition away from enriched cages. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant, which closed to final applications on 28 April...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether further supported welfare improvements for laying hens will be incorporated into the UK Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

Under the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, eligible poultry keepers have had access to capital grants to improve welfare in laying hens. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, which closed its fourth and final round on 12 May this year, has offered ...

Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government will publish the findings of its consultation on a proposed ban on keeping a) laying hens, b) pullets and c) breeder layers in cages.

A UK-wide consultation on laying hen cage reform was launched on 12 January 2026 and closed on 9 March 2026. The Government is now analysing consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps will be taken to ensure that imports of eggs, liquid eggs and powdered eggs meet UK animal welfare standards, in the context of any phase-out of caged systems domestically.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, sought views on that assessment. The consultation also sought additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and cur...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether Government plans to introduce measures to prevent the import of a) eggs, b) liquid eggs and c) powdered eggs produced in systems that are banned in the UK.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, sought views on that assessment. The consultation also sought additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and cur...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the risk of increased imports of lower-welfare eggs following domestic reforms to housing systems for laying hens.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, sought views on that assessment. The consultation also sought additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and cur...

Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons will Articles 2(5)(a) and 3(2)(a) of the The Dangerous Dogs (Exemption Schemes) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026 come into force on 1st November 2026, rather

From 1 November 2026, it will be an offence to leave a child under the age of 12 in close proximity with a banned breed dog, in a home or garden without adult supervision. This measure is intended to strengthen safeguards for children, where evidence indi...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has she made of the potential safety risks of leaving children under the age of 12 unsupervised with a dog of any breed; and what if she will make an assessment of the

From 1 November, it will be an offence to leave a child under the age of 12 in close proximity with a banned breed dog, in a home or garden without adult supervision. This measure is intended to strengthen safeguards for children, where evidence indicates...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department if taking with local authorities to help improve access to nature in deprived communities.

This Government is committed to improving access to nature, particularly in deprived communities, and works closely with a range of local delivery partners, including local authorities. A key part of this ambition is our commitment to ensure that everyon...

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made towards protecting 30 per cent of land and sea for nature by 2030.

I refer the hon. Member to the response given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire on 10 June 2026 to PQ UIN 6552.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to consult on a draft ban on the use of carbon dioxide to stun pigs.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell, Helen Maguire, on 20 May 2026 to PQ UIN 613.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made towards bringing forward regulations to give effect to the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023; and when she intends to lay such regu

As set out in the animal welfare strategy published in December 2025, Defra is continuing to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising of low-welfare animal activities abroad and will set out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she will bring forward legislation to ban the use of enriched cages for laying hens.

A UK-wide consultation on laying hen cage reform was launched on 12 January 2026 and closed on 9 March 2026. The Government is carefully analysing the consultation responses, and the next steps will be announced when the analysis is completed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking, in the context of the UK–EU SPS negotiations, to pursue animal welfare measures, including a ban on foie gras imports, in the context of representa

This Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation as set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy. It has made clear that the production of foie ...

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to introduce legislation to create a closed hunting season for hares.

This Government committed to consider how to bring forward and introduce a close season for hares in England in its Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. In short, a close season should reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the bre...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a) companion animal ownership trends and b) recent legislative changes on local authority costs, including i) kennelling and ii) enforcement services.

The Department engages regularly with local authority representative groups to understand pressures on their animal welfare functions, including kennelling and enforcement.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish guidance on how owners of exempted dogs will be able to remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

Defra has published guidance on our gov.uk page and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. We will share further guidance which will be published on gov.uk in early June. Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans to help stop the breeding of cats with extreme physical traits associated with adverse health and welfare outcomes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Spen Valley to PQ UIN 121026.