I have long made clear my opposition to low animal welfare imports and this was a commitment of the Conservative election manifesto. It would be bad for animals and bad for farmers to be undercut by overseas competitors who cut costs by reducing standards. It would, in effect, be exporting animal cruelty.

In your email, you have asked if I would support calls for a Food Standards Commission to ensure that our food continues to be produced to high environmental standards, and I would be happy to do so. I have now written to the Department for International Trade on your behalf to ask what plans exist to set up such a Commission.

I have also tabled a Parliamentary Question on this matter, and if selected, I will raise this matter in the Commons.