That this House notes with concern the growing number of puppies being imported from Eastern Europe following the relaxation of the UK's quarantine rules; further notes that some points of entry have recorded an increase in the number of illegally imported dogs detained; is concerned at the lack of specific regulations governing transport conditions and journey times for these animals; is further concerned that many may be reared and transported in poor conditions; questions the validity of the paperwork accompanying many of these animals; is further concerned that these imports could introduce disease to the UK, potentially including rabies; applauds the work of the FOUR PAWS organisation and others in this area; and calls on the Government to strengthen the current rules to end this trade in puppies and protect the UK's rabies-free status.

That this House notes with concern the growing number of puppies being imported from Eastern Europe following the relaxation of the UK's quarantine rules; further notes that some points of entry have recorded an increase in the number of illegally imported dogs detained; is concerned at the lack of specific...

That this House congratulates and supports the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on their work to raise awareness and educate service providers on providing equal access for guide and hearing dog owners; recognises that despite amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People have found that 80 per cent of hearing dog recipients have been refused access on one or more occasions; further recognises that hearing and guide dog owners are more reliant on public and private transport and so this affects confidence and independence; notes that guide and hearing dogs users are left financially responsible for prosecution of those who breach the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and urges the Government to review current legislation and access to legal services at the earliest possible opportunity.

That this House congratulates and supports the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on their work to raise awareness and educate service providers on providing equal access for guide and hearing dog owners; recognises that despite amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the...

That this House recognises that 145 hon. Members signed Early Day Motion 299 expressing concern over the pilot badger cull; notes that since this EDM was tabled the pilot badger culls have killed fewer badgers than was envisaged and that the cull timetable has been extended; further notes that 10 members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have written a letter to England's Chief Veterinary Officer suggesting that the extension of the badger cull could result in increased suffering of badgers and place both badgers and cattle in and around the cull zones at greater risk of contracting bovine tuberculosis; further notes that the reduced effectiveness of the cull makes vaccination more cost effective; and calls on the Government to make a statement to the House and bring forward a vote to decide on the most cost effective, humane and efficient way to reduce bovine TB.

That this House recognises that 145 hon. Members signed Early Day Motion 299 expressing concern over the pilot badger cull; notes that since this EDM was tabled the pilot badger culls have killed fewer badgers than was envisaged and that the cull timetable has been extended; further notes that 10...

That this House is deeply concerned that dog attacks killed 14 people between 2005 and February 2013, including eight children; welcomes the Government's commitments to introduce universal microchipping and extend the law governing dangerous dogs to cover private property and its increasing emphasis on deed not breed; further welcomes the commitment to introduce measures to tackle irresponsible dog ownership before dogs cause harm; urges the Government to go further and tackle the root problem of abandonment; and calls for urgent measures to review dog breeding legislation to address unlicensed breeders and introduce regulations for the advertising and selling of pets.

That this House is deeply concerned that dog attacks killed 14 people between 2005 and February 2013, including eight children; welcomes the Government's commitments to introduce universal microchipping and extend the law governing dangerous dogs to cover private property and its increasing emphasis on deed not breed; further welcomes the...

That this House recognises that there have been concerns about the current pilot badger cull; notes the mixed evidence from similar schemes abroad; further notes that the response from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to Questions tabled by the hon. Member for St Albans on 19 June 2013 stated that after culling in the pilot areas has finished in 2013, the results will be evaluated and a decision taken on wider roll-out and a decision is expected to be made in early 2014 and will be reported to Parliament; and calls on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to bring this matter before the House before any decision on a wider roll-out of a pilot badger cull is taken and that such a matter should be subject to a vote of the House.

That this House recognises that there have been concerns about the current pilot badger cull; notes the mixed evidence from similar schemes abroad; further notes that the response from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to Questions tabled by the hon. Member for St Albans on...

That this House opposes the mass cull of badgers; urges the Environment Minister to follow the lead of the Welsh Assembly by implementing a vaccination programme with increased levels of testing and improved bio-security as a more effective way to tackle bovine tuberculosis long-term; notes that vaccination is the more sustainable and humane solution which has already been shown to significantly reduce the potential transmission of tuberculosis and that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' own advisory body, Natural England, has said that it has little confidence in the cull delivering the predicted long-term benefits; and further urges the Minister to halt the imminent cull which could make the situation worse and lead to the badger population in some areas being entirely wiped out.

That this House opposes the mass cull of badgers; urges the Environment Minister to follow the lead of the Welsh Assembly by implementing a vaccination programme with increased levels of testing and improved bio-security as a more effective way to tackle bovine tuberculosis long-term; notes that vaccination is the more...

That this House notes the encouraging downward trend in bovine TB incidence in England and Wales; urges the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairsnot to put these improvements at risk by culling badgers; further urges the Secretary of State to follow the peer-reviewed advice of the Independent Scientific Group to concentrate on improving and rigidly enforcing cattle-based controls and testing procedures in order to bring the disease under control; and calls on the Secretary of State to take account of the opportunities now offered by successful badger vaccination trials and to prepare the way with Brussels for the earliest possible application and introduction of cattle vaccines that offer the only real long-term solution.

That this House notes the encouraging downward trend in bovine TB incidence in England and Wales; urges the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairsnot to put these improvements at risk by culling badgers; further urges the Secretary of State to follow the peer-reviewed advice of the Independent...

That this House expresses its concerns about the impact upon small- and medium-sized abattoirs in Wales of Food Standards Agency plans for full cost recovery of meat hygiene controls at slaughterhouses which farmers unions in Wales warn may close as a result of these charges; notes the estimate that over 50 per cent. of cattle, 70 per cent. of sheep, 25 per cent. of pigs and 40 per cent. of poultry are slaughtered in independent, small- and medium-sized plants; remembers the key role played by small- and medium-sized abattoirs in the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak where local slaughterhouses reduce the risk of the disease spreading by ensuring animals did not have to travel significant distances to slaughter; supports locally reared and slaughtered meat from independent retailers which have a low number of travel miles and keeps small businesses profitable; and calls for the Food Standards Agency to re-consider these plans to raise prices for abattoirs.

That this House expresses its concerns about the impact upon small- and medium-sized abattoirs in Wales of Food Standards Agency plans for full cost recovery of meat hygiene controls at slaughterhouses which farmers unions in Wales warn may close as a result of these charges; notes the estimate that over...

That this House notes public concern regarding puppy farms producing animals in excess of demand; is concerned that this leads to damage to the welfare and health of dogs; further notes an upward trend in abandoned dogs and in the number of dogs being advertised in the media; is concerned that this leads to serious repercussions for dog and animal welfare shelters that deal with unwanted animals; and urges the Government to improve regulations and advertising criteria at breeding establishments and to encourage local authorities to carry out more stringent inspections to tackle this issue at source.

That this House notes public concern regarding puppy farms producing animals in excess of demand; is concerned that this leads to damage to the welfare and health of dogs; further notes an upward trend in abandoned dogs and in the number of dogs being advertised in the media; is concerned...

That this House is gravely concerned by the contents of a recently leaked memo from the the US Environment Protection Agency whose scientists warn that bees and other non-target invertebrates are at risk from a new neonicotinoid pesticide and that tests in the US approval process are insufficient to detect the environmental damage caused; acknowledges that these findings reflect the conclusions of a 2009 `Buglife' report that identified similar inadequacies in the European approval regime with regard to neonicotinoids; notes reports that bee populations have soared in four European countries that have banned these chemicals; and therefore calls on the Government to act urgently to suspend all existing approvals for products containing neonicotinoids and fipronil pending more exhaustive tests and the development of international methodologies for properly assessing the long-term effects of systemic pesticides on invertebrate populations.

That this House is gravely concerned by the contents of a recently leaked memo from the the US Environment Protection Agency whose scientists warn that bees and other non-target invertebrates are at risk from a new neonicotinoid pesticide and that tests in the US approval process are insufficient to detect...

That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production is currently the most significant worldwide cause of biodiversity loss, with the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats to produce animal feeds a cause of particular concern; further notes that the sector contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and also has impacts on small farms and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; congratulates the pioneering farmers in the UK who produce livestock and dairy products using sustainably-produced home-grown feed crops and wildlife-rich pasture, which reduces these damaging impacts and has employment, landscape and biodiversity benefits for the UK, but recognises that many British farmers find current policies and market structures a barrier; and so welcomes the Sustainable Livestock Bill which calls on the Government to produce a strategy that assesses the impacts the livestock sector has on the environment, sets out the policy changes needed to reduce them, ensures problems are not simply moved overseas, and supports a sustainable and thriving UK farming industry.

That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production is currently the most significant worldwide cause of biodiversity loss, with the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats to produce animal feeds a cause of particular concern; further notes that the sector contributes 18 per cent. of...

That this House welcomes the call made by the European Parliament's Agricultural Committee for an amnesty of three years on cross-compliance penalties relating to electronic identification of sheep and goats; notes that the committee made this call because this is a new and complex technology which will require some time for farmers to become accustomed to and for the systems to be road-tested; believes that such an amnesty would remove the current threat of high fines which Scottish farmers and crofters face as they struggle to cope with technology which has been shown to be far from perfect; and calls on the Government to seek the agreement of the European Commission for the early introduction of such an amnesty in the UK.

That this House welcomes the call made by the European Parliament's Agricultural Committee for an amnesty of three years on cross-compliance penalties relating to electronic identification of sheep and goats; notes that the committee made this call because this is a new and complex technology which will require some time...

That this House notes that recent advances in the quality and look of fake fur make it difficult for many consumers to tell the difference between items made with fake fur and those made with real fur; further notes that there is now evidence that consumers are confused and some may be purchasing items made or trimmed with real fur believing the fur to be fake; further notes that some people are allergic to real fur; further notes that a law has been introduced in the states of New York, Delaware and New Jersey requiring all real fur and fur-trimmed clothing to carry a label; and calls on the Government to introduce, as soon as possible and as a measure to protect consumers, legislative proposals for a labelling order requiring all other real fur on sale to carry a label that clearly states that the item is made using real animal fur, whether or not it has been dyed and the country of origin of the fur.

That this House notes that recent advances in the quality and look of fake fur make it difficult for many consumers to tell the difference between items made with fake fur and those made with real fur; further notes that there is now evidence that consumers are confused and some...

That this House welcomes the extra ??10 million investment from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the Scottish Government for research and investigation into the decline in British honey bee and other insect pollinator numbers; believes that the severity of the immediate health problems facing honey bees demands that a significant proportion of this funding is allocated straight away to tackle honey bee population decline; gives its full backing to the Sussex Plan for Honey Bee Health and Well-being, which aims to breed disease-resistant hygienic honey bees, decode dances to determine where worker honey bees are foraging, test and develop European and North American Varroa control methods under British conditions, and monitor hives for pathogens and other causes of mortality; and calls on the Government to give a proportion of this additional funding to research into honey bee health, such as the Sussex Plan to help determine what is harming honey bees and how best to maintain the health and well being of the UK's most important pollinating animal.

That this House welcomes the extra ??10 million investment from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the Scottish Government for research and investigation into the decline in British honey bee and...

That this House is concerned that over 97,000 dogs are picked up as strays by local authorities annually; congratulates Speaking Out for Animals, the animal action club at Thorpe House School, Norwich for campaigning hard to promote the mandatory microchipping of dogs as a means of reducing the huge numbers of strays and for its work to promote responsible pet ownership; commends the Dogs Trust, RSPCA and other animal charities for microchipping all dogs at point of adoption; believes that microchipping should be compulsory for all dogs at the point of sale; and urges the Government to introduce legislation on the mandatory microchipping of dogs.

That this House is concerned that over 97,000 dogs are picked up as strays by local authorities annually; congratulates Speaking Out for Animals, the animal action club at Thorpe House School, Norwich for campaigning hard to promote the mandatory microchipping of dogs as a means of reducing the huge numbers...

That this House notes with concern the threat to the UK bee population, valued commercially at approximately ??165 million by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, posed by an increase in reported cases of colony collapse disorder and resistance to the chemical treatment for the varroa destructor mite; further notes that Scottish bee farmers, who run 25 per cent. of the UK's commercial hives, are particularly vulnerable as the alternative treatment for the varroa mite requires an ambient temperature of over 15 degrees centigrade; observes that the limited diagnostic and follow-up service for bee health matters in Scotland comprises only four bee inspectors; calls for greater coordination between Westminster and Holyrood to solve this national problem; and welcomes the support of the Scottish Beekeepers' Association and Bee Farmers' Association for greater funding for research into ways of combating the threats to Scottish hives.

That this House notes with concern the threat to the UK bee population, valued commercially at approximately ??165 million by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, posed by an increase in reported cases of colony collapse disorder and resistance to the chemical treatment for the varroa destructor...

That this House welcomes the arrival of two peregrine falcons to the Palace of Westminster; notes that peregrine falcons are a protected species; further notes that peregrines breed in late March and April and congratulates the Palace authorities and Natural England on providing a nesting box for the pair; and wishes these two new residents all the best in their new home and hopes there will soon be a clutch of eggs.

That this House welcomes the arrival of two peregrine falcons to the Palace of Westminster; notes that peregrine falcons are a protected species; further notes that peregrines breed in late March and April and congratulates the Palace authorities and Natural England on providing a nesting box for the pair; and...

That this House strongly recommends the use of microchips as the preferred means of permanent identification for domestic pets; acknowledges that the microchip system can only be fully effective if animals are scanned regularly, which is particularly the case for pets that have been stolen and sold on; commends and fully supports the work of Vets Get Scanning, its founder Debbie Matthews and patron Bruce Forsyth CBE, who have campaigned tirelessly in encouraging all veterinary practices to routinely scan all new patients and retrieved and rescued animals to ensure that no chip remains undetected and that known chips remain functional; and further endorses the work of the Microchip Advisory Group and also Petlog on their success in helping to return hundreds of lost and stolen dogs and cats to their rightful owners.

That this House strongly recommends the use of microchips as the preferred means of permanent identification for domestic pets; acknowledges that the microchip system can only be fully effective if animals are scanned regularly, which is particularly the case for pets that have been stolen and sold on; commends and...

That this House calls for local authorities to introduce routine scanning of domestic animals including cats and dogs killed on roads; recognises the upset caused to families, particularly those with children when a pet goes missing; and seeks to ensure that micro-chipped pets are reported to their owners.

That this House calls for local authorities to introduce routine scanning of domestic animals including cats and dogs killed on roads; recognises the upset caused to families, particularly those with children when a pet goes missing; and seeks to ensure that micro-chipped pets are reported to their owners.

That this House congratulates the Havering-atte-Bower Conservation Society for re-establishing the traditional English ceremony of Horseman's Sunday held at St John The Evangelist Church, Havering Village Green, Romford, on Sunday 12th October; notes with pride that this was the first such event since the early 1970s; commends the organisers for this momentous achievement in re-creating a special day for horses and their riders to attend an open air service of thanksgiving, to be presented with commemorative rosettes and receive a blessing; and believes that Horseman's Sunday is a joyous event, bringing the entire community together, fostering tradition and encouraging respect for the great British horse, a creature that has been an inspiration and help to man throughout the ages.

That this House congratulates the Havering-atte-Bower Conservation Society for re-establishing the traditional English ceremony of Horseman's Sunday held at St John The Evangelist Church, Havering Village Green, Romford, on Sunday 12th October; notes with pride that this was the first such event since the early 1970s; commends the organisers for...