The Environment Bill 2019-21 has completed it Committee Stage in the House of Commons. This paper is a summary of what happened in the Committee and how the Bill has changed. It considers key Government and Opposition amendments. It is prepared in advance of the Bill's next stages scheduled for 26 January 2021.
The EU & UK have agreed how to fully implement the Northern Ireland Protocol, after coming to decisions in the EU-UK Joint Committee. The Joint Committee have agreed rules on how goods will move between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, including how they can avoid tariffs. These rules will come into force regardless if the EU & UK agree a future relationship or if there is "no deal" . The two sides have also agreed for some temporary grace periods for goods such as Agri-food and medicines, to give Northern Ireland businesses time to prepare for the new rules and checks.
New rules for pet travel will come into force on 1 January 2021. This briefing paper sets out the new requirements.
Research Briefing
In February 2020, The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill 2019-21, was reintroduced as a Private Members Bill with Government support. The First Reading took place on 5 February 2020 with the Second Reading scheduled to take place on 23 October 2020.
Debate Pack
A debate will be held in Westminster Hall at 4.30pm on Monday 19th October 2020 on two e-petitions concerning pet theft. The debate will be opened by Tom Hunt MP.
Research Briefing
In 2019, there were 3.4 million procedures completed involving regulated living animals, which was the lowest annual number since 2007. This note summarises and analyses trends in data, including the growth of universities as the dominant seat of research on animals, the use of different species, and the decline of research for toxicological purposes.
Research Briefing
This paper provides an update on the first three rounds of negotiations on the future UK-EU relationship and analysis of the draft new partnership treaty tabled by the EU in March 2020
Debate Pack
There will be a debate on an e-petition relating to the caging of farm animals in Westminster Hall at 6pm on Monday 16 March 2020. The debate will be opened by Kerry McCarthy MP.
Research Briefing
This reading list brings together briefings on Brexit by the Parliamentary libraries and the Devolved Assembly research services with reports by Parliamentary and Devolved Assembly committees following the result of the EU Referendum on 23 June 2016.
Research Briefing
This paper provides an overview of the general licence system for controlling wild birds in England, following media attention given to the revocation of three licences in April 2019.
Debate Pack
A debate will be held in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 23 October 2019 at 9.30 am on Government policy on TB in cattle and badgers. The debate will be opened by Ruth George MP.
Research Briefing
Boris Johnson's Government have negotiated a new 'deal' with the European Union. It is formed of a Political Declaration and a Withdrawal Agreement. This paper focuses on the Withdrawal Agreement and how it compares to the one negotiated by Theresa May's Government in November 2018. The main differences are in the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland or the 'backstop' as it is commonly known. It contains very different arrangements, the UK will no longer be in a single customs territory or union with the EU. The UK will no longer be legally bound to continue with level playing field commitments at the end of the transition period. Northern Ireland will still be in the UK's customs territory and VAT area, however, the region will align with the EU's rules in these areas. Northern Ireland will remain mostly aligned to the EU's regulations for goods. Four years after the end of the transition period Northern Ireland's democratic institutions will vote on whether they wish to continue the arrangements in the Protocol.
Research Briefing
The No-deal Brexit: A guide to Commons Library research is an annotated bibliography of sources published by the House of Commons Library on a potential no-deal Brexit. It will be updated regularly. Links to the papers included in the resource are available on this page, the downloadable version includes additional comment on some of the selected papers.
Research Briefing
There is ongoing debate about trophy hunting, its contribution to wildlife conservation and links to wildlife trafficking. Those opposed to trophy hunting are calling for a ban on imports of hunting trophies into the UK.
Research Briefing
Live animals are exported to EU countries from the UK for breeding, fattening, and slaughter. EU rules to protect the welfare of live animals during transport and related operations were agreed in 2004, and implemented in the UK in 2007. However, there are a number of ongoing campaigns calling for a ban on live exports for slaughter, on welfare grounds. Brexit has prompted renewed calls for such a ban. There are also concerns amongst farmers about the impact of Brexit on their ability to export live animals, including between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
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