To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential toxicity of bioplastics; and whether he plans to introduce specific toxicity testing requirements beyond existing waste management regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential toxicity of bioplastics; and whether he plans to introduce specific toxicity testing requirements beyond existing waste management regulations.

My hon. Friend is making a very powerful and important speech. My Committee heard from Professor Anna Stec about her concerns about the way that these combustible panels are being used in warehouse, school and hospital constructions that are exempt from the Government’s review of the new regulations post the...

My hon. Friend is making a very powerful and important speech. My Committee heard from Professor Anna Stec about her concerns about the way that these combustible panels are being used in warehouse, school and hospital constructions that are exempt from the Government’s review of the new regulations post the...

The Chairman of the Select Committee has proved very tenacious in following up on these issues. Does he agree with me that the Grenfell Tower fire was a systems failure—a whole-system failure—at various points, and that it is now imperative for the Government to put in whatever money is required...

The Chairman of the Select Committee has proved very tenacious in following up on these issues. Does he agree with me that the Grenfell Tower fire was a systems failure—a whole-system failure—at various points, and that it is now imperative for the Government to put in whatever money is required...

Does my hon. Friend share my concerns about the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s review of fire retardants in foam on the back of fridges and in furnishings, cots and mattresses? This issue has been ongoing since 2004, following warnings from officials that the flame retardants were no...

Does my hon. Friend share my concerns about the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s review of fire retardants in foam on the back of fridges and in furnishings, cots and mattresses? This issue has been ongoing since 2004, following warnings from officials that the flame retardants were no...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many food standards samples were submitted to each local authority's appointed public analyst in each of the last five years; how many of those samples submitted were taken as part of a Food Standards Agency funded co-ordinated sampling...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many food standards samples were submitted to each local authority's appointed public analyst in each of the last five years; how many of those samples submitted were taken as part of a Food Standards Agency funded co-ordinated sampling...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many public analysts were employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many public analysts were employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2017 to Question 69282, on Volkswagen, how many Skoda cars fixes had been applied to by the time of the (a) January, (b) February and (c) March 2017 meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2017 to Question 69282, on Volkswagen, how many Skoda cars fixes had been applied to by the time of the (a) January, (b) February and (c) March 2017 meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2017 to Question 68777, if he will provide the number of (a) Audis, (b) SEATs, (c) VW commercial vehicles and (d) VW private cars to which fixes had been applied by the time of the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2017 to Question 68777, if he will provide the number of (a) Audis, (b) SEATs, (c) VW commercial vehicles and (d) VW private cars to which fixes had been applied by the time of the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings have taken place between Ministers of his Department and Volkswagen's UK representative since December 2016 to discuss Volkswagen's manipulation of emissions tests; and how many cars affected by that scandal had been rectified at the date of each of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings have taken place between Ministers of his Department and Volkswagen's UK representative since December 2016 to discuss Volkswagen's manipulation of emissions tests; and how many cars affected by that scandal had been rectified at the date of each of...

The Secretary of State has advised us not to believe everything we read in the Sunday newspapers, but should we believe the Whitehouse official who, while we have been debating, has confirmed to CNN that the missile did auto-self-destruct off the coast of Florida? If that is the case, why...

The Secretary of State has advised us not to believe everything we read in the Sunday newspapers, but should we believe the Whitehouse official who, while we have been debating, has confirmed to CNN that the missile did auto-self-destruct off the coast of Florida? If that is the case, why...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure on (a) equine DNA testing and (b) phenylbutazone testing by (i) local authorities, (ii) Government and (iii) industry has been in 2013.

[161380]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure on (a) equine DNA testing and (b) phenylbutazone testing by (i) local authorities, (ii) Government and (iii) industry has been in 2013.

[161380]

First opposition day debate (part one). Main question negatived on division (250 to 299). Amendment agreed to on division (298 to 237). Main question, as amended, agreed to.

First opposition day debate (part one). Main question negatived on division (250 to 299). Amendment agreed to on division (298 to 237). Main question, as amended, agreed to.

I beg to move,

That this House believes the badger cull should not go ahead.

We begin with a question: is culling badgers the most effective way to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis? Labour Members believe that it is not. The consensus among scientists who are not on the Government payroll...

I beg to move,

That this House believes the badger cull should not go ahead.

We begin with a question: is culling badgers the most effective way to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis? Labour Members believe that it is not. The consensus among scientists who are not on the Government payroll...

I understand the desperation that farmers are in. However, the Government have presented culling as the silver bullet—the thing that will stop this disease—and it is not. I will explain why it presents further risks later in my speech. This is not just about the cull; it is about what...

I understand the desperation that farmers are in. However, the Government have presented culling as the silver bullet—the thing that will stop this disease—and it is not. I will explain why it presents further risks later in my speech. This is not just about the cull; it is about what...

In government we spent £20 million on delivering a vaccine. That contrasts rather unhappily with this Government’s investment. In 2009-10, under Labour, investment in a cattle vaccine was £3.7 million and investment in a badger vaccine was £3.2 million. By 2014-15, that will fall to £2 million for a cattle...

In government we spent £20 million on delivering a vaccine. That contrasts rather unhappily with this Government’s investment. In 2009-10, under Labour, investment in a cattle vaccine was £3.7 million and investment in a badger vaccine was £3.2 million. By 2014-15, that will fall to £2 million for a cattle...

I want to make some progress.

The cull method—free shooting—is untested. The number of badgers removed may be lower than that in Labour’s RBCT. Nobody has shot a badger legally in the UK since 1973, so it is an untested method. If it happens, it risks making TB worse.

We do not...

I want to make some progress.

The cull method—free shooting—is untested. The number of badgers removed may be lower than that in Labour’s RBCT. Nobody has shot a badger legally in the UK since 1973, so it is an untested method. If it happens, it risks making TB worse.

We do not...

I have not read that report, but today’s report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on a badger vaccination to control TB does not mention culling. [Interruption.] It is extraordinary that a report on bovine TB does not mention—

I have not read that report, but today’s report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on a badger vaccination to control TB does not mention culling. [Interruption.] It is extraordinary that a report on bovine TB does not mention—

I know it is about vaccines, but it is extraordinary that it does not mention the Government’s main control strategy.

I want to return to the badger numbers. Last year, the farm industry estimated that there were 1,800 badgers in west Gloucestershire and 2,700 in west Somerset. The Government’s figures then...

I know it is about vaccines, but it is extraordinary that it does not mention the Government’s main control strategy.

I want to return to the badger numbers. Last year, the farm industry estimated that there were 1,800 badgers in west Gloucestershire and 2,700 in west Somerset. The Government’s figures then...

That is right. The free shooting method is being adopted because cage trapping and shooting is much more expensive—it is 10 times more expensive. Of course, there is a risk to the taxpayer if anything goes wrong in the cull areas. A bond has been laid, but we do not...

That is right. The free shooting method is being adopted because cage trapping and shooting is much more expensive—it is 10 times more expensive. Of course, there is a risk to the taxpayer if anything goes wrong in the cull areas. A bond has been laid, but we do not...

I commend the approach of the Welsh Assembly Government and I am glad that the preliminary results look very positive.

I want to return to the 16% or 12% reduction. The cull depends on killing 70% of badgers in the cull area. When I asked about badger numbers in July 2011,...

I commend the approach of the Welsh Assembly Government and I am glad that the preliminary results look very positive.

I want to return to the 16% or 12% reduction. The cull depends on killing 70% of badgers in the cull area. When I asked about badger numbers in July 2011,...