Written questions by Jones.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the transparency of the UK REACH framework in relation to the generation of new data.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers. In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025. Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent duplication of animal tests under UK REACH where data has already been submitted under EU REACH.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers. In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025. Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with the European Chemicals Agency to ensure that animal tests are not duplicated in the EU when the test has already been approved to fulfil requirements for the same chemical under UK REACH.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers. In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025. Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) stakeholder engagement and (b) public participation in UK REACH processes that involve the generation of new data.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers. In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025. Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs are registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs by (a) breed and (b) type.

As of the 12 March 2025, the total number of dogs registered on the Dangerous Dogs Index, broken down by breed type, is as follows. This excludes dogs that have died, destroyed or have been exported. Type of DogNumber on Dangerous Dogs IndexDogo Argentino24Japanese Tosa4Pitbull Terrier2,698XL Bully56,469

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report entitled Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Recommendations for future veterinary legislation, published on 13 October 2021; and whether he plans to bring forward a consultation on the reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

The department acknowledges the calls from the veterinary sector to update the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. Defra is actively engaging with stakeholders, including the RCVS, to explore how legislation can best address the needs of the profession and public, both now and in the future.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 in regulating the welfare of c

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets, boarding cats or using cats for exhibition purposes needs to have a valid licence issued by their...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has consulted (a) canine and feline behaviourists, (b) manufacturers of electronic shock collars and (c) farming bodies on the use of electronic shock collars on

Defra has previously engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in relation to electric shock collars, including via a public consultation in 2018, direct engagement across the sector, and consideration of relevant academic research. We will be considering...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the amount of electronic waste generated by the UK by (a) product type and (b) region in each year since 2013.

Currently we do not collect data on the amount of electronic waste generated by product type or by region. The Environment Agency publish data on waste electricals and electronic equipment (WEEE) collected by registered Producer Compliance Schemes (PCS)...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings in the report by Which? entitled How to make big savings on a second-hand phone, published in

We have not made an assessment of the report by Which entitled 'How to make big savings on a second-hand phone', published in October 2023. In our manifesto, the government committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy. The Secretary of Stat...

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is to introduce legislation to end (a) puppy and (b) kitten smuggling.

As outlined in our manifesto, we are committed to ending puppy smuggling. The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The Bill wil...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching a (a) comprehensive and (b) holistic review of the causes of dog attacks.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to help prevent attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is a...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to review the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

Defra is finalising its post-implementation review of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. The report into the review will be published shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of recycling precious metals found in (a) smartphones, (b) laptops and (c) other devices on the economy.

Defra has not made the assessment requested. However, the industry group Material Focus, a not-for-profit organisation funded through industry compliance fee monies raised under the UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations has under...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of tech manufacturers building barriers into their device systems to stop repairing by independent technicians on recent trends in t

We have not made this assessment. Further policy development around promoting greater circularity for electricals, including right-to-repair, will be guided by the government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the development of a UK-wide strategy on the circular economy.

The Secretary of State has asked his department to convene a taskforce of experts to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The taskforce will consider the evidence for action right across the economy, and as such will evaluate what intervention...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to amend the right to repair requirements within the Ecodesign for Energy-related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021.

Policy development for waste electricals including right-to-repair and ecodesign will be guided by the Government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what sectors his Department has considered within scope for interventions in the context of his planned circular economy strategy.

Defra will work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and other government departments to prepare for the transition to a circular economy. This will include consideration of the evidence for sectoral interventions.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make a comparative estimate of the volume of electronics (a) repaired and (b) refurbished before being fed back into the circular economy compared to the rest of the world.

Currently we do not collect separate data on reuse activities for electrical items and electronic equipment.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make a comparative estimate of the UK's total electronic waste compared to the rest of the world.

The Environment Agency regularly publishes data on the volumes of waste electricals collected. Currently we do not compare this figure to that of other countries or the rest of the world.