To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers there were in (a) St Helens, (b) Merseyside and (c) the North West in each year since 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers there were in (a) St Helens, (b) Merseyside and (c) the North West in each year since 2010.

I am glad that the Minister found it necessary to intervene at this stage. I am not offended in any way, shape or form, but these are not just my views, but those of campaigners and experts in the field who have witnessed it and done the reports. We differ...

I am glad that the Minister found it necessary to intervene at this stage. I am not offended in any way, shape or form, but these are not just my views, but those of campaigners and experts in the field who have witnessed it and done the reports. We differ...

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require providers of in vitro fertilisation to publish information annually about the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles they carry out and about their provision of certain additional treatments in connection with in vitro fertilisation; to require such...

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require providers of in vitro fertilisation to publish information annually about the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles they carry out and about their provision of certain additional treatments in connection with in vitro fertilisation; to require such...

Antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobials are agents that “kill” a wide range of organisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Antibiotics are a type of antimicrobial medicine and act on bacteria specifically. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) evolve over time and acquire new characteristics which reduce or stop their susceptibility to antimicrobials. This makes infections harder to treat, easier to spread and more likely to cause severe illness and death. The inappropriate and excessive use of antimicrobials contributes to the development of AMR.

AMR is of significant concern to UK and global health authorities. In 2019, the UK Government published a paper which set out its 20-year vision of a world in which AMR is effectively contained, controlled and mitigated. This is supported by more targeted commitments in the latest of its five-year plans for AMR (2019-2024). These include working with industry to improve diagnostic tools to inform veterinary prescribing and improving the available data on antimicrobial prescribing.

The UK has also committed to global initiatives such as the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on AMR.

How are antibiotics used in livestock?

Although banned in the UK and the EU from 2006, animals were historically given antibiotics in their feed as a broad preventative measure to promote healthy livestock. There are three situations where antibiotics can be given to livestock. The first is therapeutic use for specific treatment of a diseased animal. The second is control or metaphylactic use – the treatment of a group of animals after the diagnosis of disease has been made in part of the group. The aim is to treat clinically sick animals and control the spread of disease to others in close contact which may already be infected. The third category is preventative or prophylactic – the treatment of an animal or group of animals before clinical signs of disease. The aim is to prevent the occurrence of disease or infection.

Some 73% of antimicrobials sold globally in 2017 were for use in animals used for food production.

What action is being taken to reduce antibiotic use in livestock?

Campaign groups such as World Animal Action have called for greater action at a global scale to cut antibiotic use and mitigate AMR developing through over use of antimicrobials in the animal population.

The UK’s use of antibiotics in farmed animals decreased in 2021 to the lowest recorded, with a 55% reduction since 2014. The UK is now one of the lowest users of antibiotics in Europe, and lower than any EU country with a significant livestock farming industry. The National Farmers’ Union has noted that “preventative use has been phased out completely in [many livestock] sectors, meaning many animals receive no antibiotic treatments at all in their lifetime”. None the less, the Government has policies to further reduce “unnecessary” use of antibiotics in animals and does not support the routine or predictable use of antibiotics, “including where antibiotics are used to compensate for inadequate farming practices”. Certain antibiotic classes are categorised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as critically important antibiotics for human use, of which several are designated as ‘highest priority critically important antibiotics’ (HP-CIA) Policies focus on limiting the use in animals of these types of  antibiotics, but to support the use of other antimicrobials to prevent disease.  Stakeholders including the British Veterinary Association and farming organisations broadly support this approach and are working with the Government on its implementation.

Future UK action

In January 2022, the routine use of antibiotics was banned in the EU, and preventative use was restricted to exceptional treatments of individual animals. Antibiotics can also no longer be applied to compensate for poor hygiene and animal husbandry practices. This ban does not apply to the UK, although products exported to the EU must comply with its requirements. The Government’s 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance published in 2019 said that the UK would align with new EU regulations on veterinary medicines. However, an addendum to the action plan published in May 2022 replaces alignment with a commitment to “implement similar provisions” to the EU regulations. 

The Government said in January 2023 that it proposed to strengthen the law on unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in animals. Farming Minister Mark Spencer said that the UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate had been in dialogue with stakeholders in 2022 about changes to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 which set out controls on marketing, manufacturing, supply and use of veterinary medicines. A full consultation was being prepared, with legislation expected to be laid in 2023.

Antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobials are agents that “kill” a wide range of organisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Antibiotics are a type of antimicrobial medicine and act on bacteria specifically. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) evolve over time and acquire new characteristics which...

Royal Mail and the universal service obligation force us to ask questions about public services, public ownership, privatisation, and the current industrial disputes about pay and terms and conditions in workplaces. Royal Mail is a public service, and the USO, with the six-day delivery service, stamps on it the fact...

Royal Mail and the universal service obligation force us to ask questions about public services, public ownership, privatisation, and the current industrial disputes about pay and terms and conditions in workplaces. Royal Mail is a public service, and the USO, with the six-day delivery service, stamps on it the fact...

There have been reports this week that the UK might be about to adopt ludicrous proposals that were, quite rightly, rejected by the EU to ban producers of plant-based products from using terms that are traditionally associated with meat and dairy. I do not think that anyone buying a hot dog actually thinks that it has canine content. Does the Minister think that the British public is so stupid to think that a product called “oat milk” comes from a cow?

There have been reports this week that the UK might be about to adopt ludicrous proposals that were, quite rightly, rejected by the EU to ban producers of plant-based products from using terms that are traditionally associated with meat and dairy. I do not think that anyone buying a hot dog actually thinks that it has canine content. Does the Minister think that the British public is so stupid to think that a product called “oat milk” comes from a cow?

My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and I thank him for doing so. He is making important points about independent lifeboats, but also about the support services. We have independent lifeboats at Freshwater, Sandown and Shanklin in the Isle of Wight, which do wonderful work, on top of...

My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and I thank him for doing so. He is making important points about independent lifeboats, but also about the support services. We have independent lifeboats at Freshwater, Sandown and Shanklin in the Isle of Wight, which do wonderful work, on top of...

This is the challenge, because some people think that this would adversely affect them. When we were looking at whether we should change the domestic rating system, we always faced the problem of the people who were going to be worse off, who were always the losers and who were...

This is the challenge, because some people think that this would adversely affect them. When we were looking at whether we should change the domestic rating system, we always faced the problem of the people who were going to be worse off, who were always the losers and who were...

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Samantha Dixon). I hope her nerves have settled after an excellent speech. I thank all my hon. Friends for their eloquent contributions to today’s debate. I hope the Minister recognises there is a real appetite on the Labour Benches...

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Samantha Dixon). I hope her nerves have settled after an excellent speech. I thank all my hon. Friends for their eloquent contributions to today’s debate. I hope the Minister recognises there is a real appetite on the Labour Benches...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that families which use infant formula and are facing food poverty are able to access enough formula to safely feed their families.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that families which use infant formula and are facing food poverty are able to access enough formula to safely feed their families.

My Lords, after much thought, I am afraid I am a reluctant opposer of these amendments. I understand the need for transparency with the consumer—and the answer to the noble Baroness’s last question is very important—but I feel labelling will not work in this case.

Everybody supports the proposal to have...

My Lords, after much thought, I am afraid I am a reluctant opposer of these amendments. I understand the need for transparency with the consumer—and the answer to the noble Baroness’s last question is very important—but I feel labelling will not work in this case.

Everybody supports the proposal to have...

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Davies. I thank the hon. Member for Bury South (Christian Wakeford) for securing this debate and being honest and courageous enough to say that he has changed his mind. Many people get stuck in the position of thinking, “I’ve...

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mr Davies. I thank the hon. Member for Bury South (Christian Wakeford) for securing this debate and being honest and courageous enough to say that he has changed his mind. Many people get stuck in the position of thinking, “I’ve...

On Third Reading, could I take the opportunity to thank the Clerks for all their help in assisting with amendments throughout the process? I thank those on both Front Benches for their kind words on my recent appointment to my party’s Front Bench as a trade spokesperson. I also thank...

On Third Reading, could I take the opportunity to thank the Clerks for all their help in assisting with amendments throughout the process? I thank those on both Front Benches for their kind words on my recent appointment to my party’s Front Bench as a trade spokesperson. I also thank...

My Lords, I support Amendment 31. First, for the purposes of this Committee, I declare my interests: I am still involved in a family farming enterprise, growing crops and

rearing livestock; I chair the board of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; and I am the president of the...

My Lords, I support Amendment 31. First, for the purposes of this Committee, I declare my interests: I am still involved in a family farming enterprise, growing crops and

rearing livestock; I chair the board of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; and I am the president of the...

My Lords, in moving Amendment 3, I shall also speak to the rather daunting-looking number of amendments in this group. The noble Lord, Lord Winston, referred in the first group to debate on the Bill in the other place being deficient. It is interesting that, last week, the Institute for...

My Lords, in moving Amendment 3, I shall also speak to the rather daunting-looking number of amendments in this group. The noble Lord, Lord Winston, referred in the first group to debate on the Bill in the other place being deficient. It is interesting that, last week, the Institute for...

My Lords, at the risk of appearing to be part of a Cross-Bench cabal, I would like to support the comments of my colleagues on the Cross Benches and include animals in the Bill.

This is a very minor point, but I would like to respond to the comment of the...

My Lords, at the risk of appearing to be part of a Cross-Bench cabal, I would like to support the comments of my colleagues on the Cross Benches and include animals in the Bill.

This is a very minor point, but I would like to respond to the comment of the...

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision about changing local authority boundaries in cases where there is public support for such changes; and for connected purposes.

Local representation matters. Individuals and communities need to have trust in their local authority, which is charged...

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision about changing local authority boundaries in cases where there is public support for such changes; and for connected purposes.

Local representation matters. Individuals and communities need to have trust in their local authority, which is charged...

My Lords, the noble Lord raises a very important point, but is it not the case that many public institutions—including, I am afraid, this House in the past—have signed up to various highly controversial charters and indexes which require a standard of behaviour from the people covered by those institutions?...

My Lords, the noble Lord raises a very important point, but is it not the case that many public institutions—including, I am afraid, this House in the past—have signed up to various highly controversial charters and indexes which require a standard of behaviour from the people covered by those institutions?...

I am delighted to be able to close today’s debate on behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition, and I share the indignation of my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela Rayner), the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, that we are once again having to come here to...

I am delighted to be able to close today’s debate on behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition, and I share the indignation of my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela Rayner), the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, that we are once again having to come here to...