Written questions by Jones.

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 applied. As part of this work, we will continue to consider how we can improve data collection and recording on dog attacks so that we are in a better position to take action.

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 undertaken two related studies. Contributing towards a circular economy utilising Critical Raw Materials from waste electricals and Copper Crunch Report – Future challenges of copper consumption. The Secretary of State has convened a Small Ministerial Group on Circular Economy and asked his Department to work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and the civil service to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England and a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the Government will make on a sector-by-sector basis. We will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what further interventions may be needed in the electricals sector as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to (a) repair and (b) refurbish more (i) household appliances and (ii) electronic waste.

There is currently an existing right-to-repair scheme for a range of industrial and domestic energy-related products. Further policy development for waste electricals including on right-to-repair and ecodesign will be guided by the Government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

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 an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) discounts, (b) vouchers, (c) other financial incentives and (d) deposit-return schemes to recycle small consumer electronics that no longer (i) work and (ii) are used.

We have not made an assessment of introducing these measures to recycle small consumer electronics. Future policy related to waste electricals will be guided by the government’s work to transition to a circular economy.

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.

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, 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 interventions may be needed. This will support the Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower and deliver net zero. I will continue to discuss the work of this department with the three devolved Governments, including learning from their experience, as the work progresses.

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 the volume of electronic waste.

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 assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in plastic (a) products and (b) packaging on human health.

Defra has been working with other government Departments and researchers to address evidence gaps and to inform potential action relating to the risks from endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Regulatory action can and has been taken to address these risks, including those associated with plastics and packaging.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support businesses to transition away from plastic.

Stakeholder engagement continues to be at the core of our packaging reforms, and we continue to engage with all sectors in bringing this policy into place. Additionally, Defra has updated guidance on all single-use plastic regulations to improve clarity on single-use plastic bans and restrictions. Defra continues to engage with and support industry through the UK Plastics Pact to tackle plastic waste and pollution. The pact's membership represents two-thirds of all consumer packaging in the UK. Members have reduced their problematic and unnecessary plastic items by 84% since 2018.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to publish a schedule of plastic bans.

The Government is currently considering the actions that can be taken to address the challenges associated with single-use plastic products and is committed to moving to a circular economy. As a part of this transition, managing and reducing plastic waste and following the principles of the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle, will be crucial.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2024 to Question 3584 on Foie Gras: Imports, whether he plans to publish a consultation on a potential ban on the import of foie gras.

The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.The Government looks forward to delivering the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.Ministers are reviewing policies and any next steps will be announced in due course.