I take the welfare of all animals extremely seriously and I am committed to strengthening and supporting long-term conservation of animals both internationally and at home.
In May 2021, the Government set out a series of ambitious reforms in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. Since 2010, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has had a strong track record in delivering reforms and passing legislation. This includes banning the use of conventional battery cages for laying hens, making CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses across England, banning the use of wild animals in circuses and introducing the strongest ivory ban in the world.
Other measures introduced include the mandatory microchipping of dogs in 2015 and the modernisation of the licensing system for dog breeding and pet sales. I understand that Ministers have also been working to add a new requirement for the compulsory microchipping of cats.
In 2021, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act came into force, raising the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from 6 months to 5 years.
The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act formally recognises animals as sentient beings in domestic law and ensures that animal sentience is taken into account when developing policy across Government through the creation of an Animal Sentience Committee, which will be made up of animal experts from within the field.
Further, the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill will bring in some of the world’s strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals. This includes introducing a ban on keeping primates as pets, banning the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening, and also addressing the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets that can travel under pet travel rules. I look forward to supporting this Bill as it continues to progress through Parliament.
Ministers recognise the welfare concerns related to foie gras and are actively considering further steps that could be taken. The Government is committed to exploring potential action in relation to animal fur, as set out in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare and launched a call for evidence on the fur sector. The Government has been considering options relating to the advertising and offering for sale of unacceptably low welfare activities using force feeding practices.
Regarding cages, I am aware that the Government has been working to improve the welfare of farmed animals and transitioning to non-caged systems. Ministers will work with producers and the food sector to raise animal welfare standards. Any decisions that are made on cage reforms need to take full consideration of the implications for animal welfare and for the sectors concerned, including a realistic phase out period to secure achievement of our better welfare goals and sustainability for the industry.
Finally, I recently spoke in support of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill - a really important Private Members Bill brought by my colleague Henry Smith, which will ban the import of hunting trophies for specific species. You can watch my speech in Parliament on this important issue here. This Bill is part of the Government's sustained and concerted effort to improve animal welfare standards,
(January 2023)
