Every parliamentary written question tabled by Steve Witherden this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–5 of 5 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to accept the recommendation of the Animal Welfare Committee's report entitled The welfare impacts on pigs of high concentration CO2 gas stunning and of potential alternative stunning methods, published on 16 October 2025, to prohibit the use of high concentration CO2 as a method of stunning for pigs.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the sale of unethical fur products.
Fur farming is banned in the UK. Restrictions also apply to imports including fur and fur products from seals, cats and dogs. Other long-established controls include those covering fur from species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. On 26 March the Government published the Opinion on the responsible sourcing of fur by our expert Animal Welfare Committee and will carefully consider its findings. The Government has also published the summary of responses to the call for evidence on the fur trade in Great Britain, which was held under the previous government in 2021 jointly with the Scottish and Welsh Governments. Building on this, the Government will now bring together a working group on fur, with involvement from both industry experts and those who support restrictions on the trade in fur, to explore concerns and the different ways in which they could be addressed.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of exemptions permitting the use of birds of prey in fox hunting activities; and whether it plans to review those provisions.
The department has made no assessment of the effectiveness of exemptions permitting the use of birds of prey in fox hunting activities and has no plans to review those provisions.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to publish an (a) Green Paper and (b) public consultation on access to nature; and what steps he has taken to improve people's access to nature.
We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other Government departments and key stakeholders, and further information will be available in due course. In addition, we are already delivering key initiatives aimed at improving people’s access to nature, including: Completing the King Charles III England Coast Path, which will become the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world. With over 2,400 miles of the route now approved and 1,430 miles already open, this will also create 250,000 hectares of new open access land within the coastal margin.Designating Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route as a National Trail across the north of England.Delivering the £16 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which is designed to make our protected landscapes, national trails, forests, and the wider countryside more inclusive and accessible to all.
Food and Rural Affairs, what the UK's carbon footprint including emissions from imported goods is since 2010.
Information about the Carbon footprint for the UK is published here : Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK Data are available up to 2021. The total carbon footprint now includes the seven main Greenhouse Gases comprising: CO2, Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydro-flourocarbons (HFC), Perflurocarbons (PFC), Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). We do not hold information on total UK emissions but can provide those associated with consumption. UK consumption emission figures, including those from imported goods, are provided in the table below. Table 1: Greenhouse gas emissions associated with UK consumption, million tonnes CO2 equivalent, UK, 2010-2021 YearGHG from UK produced goods and services consumed by UK residentsGHG embedded in imported goods and services to UKUK Households heating emissions arising from the use of fossil fuelsUK Transport emissions generated directly by UK householdsTotal201031033691668042011292347746677820123053608066811201329535882678012014283366696778420152753627268777201623632073696982017211321717067320182133427470699201920833671706852020176311715461320211893817659705