Thank you to those constituents who invited me to attend the Animals Matter Event in Parliament on the 16th October. Protecting animals and enhancing animal welfare means a great deal to me and I recognise the strength of feeling around this issue. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it due to diary commitments but a member of my team did attend on my behalf.
The UK is a world leader in animal welfare and and I was pleased the last Conservative Government took proactive action such as introducing new laws to recognise animal sentience, introducing tougher penalties for animal cruelty offences and banning wild animals in travelling circuses.
My colleagues and I take the welfare of all animals extremely seriously and were committed to strengthening and supporting long-term conservation of animals, internationally and at home while in Government. I was fortunate to be able to help deliver the world leading Ivory Act during my time as the Government Whip at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which enforced a near total ban on the import, export and dealing of items containing elephant ivory. So, I do appreciate the need for action around trophy hunting.
As you may know, the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill was introduced to Parliament in June 2022 as a Private Member’s Bill to ban the import of hunting trophies from around 6,000 species, including lions, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears. It is disappointing that, despite overwhelming support from MPs and the public, this Bill failed to complete its passage before the general election. I can assure you that I will continue to advocate for a ban on the importation of animal trophies into the UK. I am aware that the new Government promised to ban the import of hunting trophies in the Labour manifesto, and I will be watching to see if Ministers stick to this promise.
In the last Parliament, the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act passed, having been fully supported by the previous Government. This allows the new Labour Government to bring forward a ban on the advertising and sale of specific unethical activities abroad where animals are kept in captivity or confinement, subjected to cruel and brutal training methods, forced to take selfies or are ridden, drugged and de-clawed. Such activities, attractions and experiences are unacceptable, and it would be far better for tourists from the UK to opt to visit higher welfare attractions and experiences abroad.
The Association of British Travel Agents has published guidance and lists activities which have been classified as unacceptable. I would strongly encourage all holidaymakers to research activities before taking part and consider the potential impact on animals and wildlife. In addition, I would actively encourage tourists to report any animal welfare concerns to their UK tour operator or travel agent on return to the UK.
The last Government also took action to tackle the practice of puppy farming; following the introduction of Lucy’s Law in 2020, everyone must now buy directly from breeders or consider adopting from rescue centres, which is a major step in stopping the illegal pet trade. If an individual sells puppies or kittens without a licence, they could receive an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to six months.
We also delivered on a key manifesto commitment to ban the export of live animals including cattle, sheep, and pigs with the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill which was introduced in Parliament in December 2023.
However, while the UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world which we can be proud of, it is right that we continue to improve those standards where it is needed.
With respect to some of the animal welfare issues you mention, I would like to assure you that my parliamentary colleagues and I remain committed to cracking down on puppy smuggling. I support the strengthened penalties introduced by the previous Conservative Government, which send a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated and enable our courts to take a firmer approach to cases where pets are illegally imported.
The UK has one of the most rigorous pet travel border checking regimes in the world, and I am aware that every dog travelling into Great Britain on approved routes has its microchip and paperwork checked to ensure they are properly vaccinated and old enough to travel.
The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, brought forward in the previous parliamentary session, sought to tackle the import of dogs with cropped ears. The Bill aimed to introduce stringent measures to regulate the import of the titled pets, ensuring their health and safety during transportation and deterring illegal trade practices. Unfortunately, the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill ran out of Parliamentary time. However, given its unanimous cross-party support, I am hopeful the Bill will be brought forward again in the current Parliamentary Session and I can assure you, I will be supporting it fully.
Regarding foie gras, the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force-feeding raises serious welfare concerns. This method of production has been banned in the UK for over 15 years, following the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which established a legal requirement to provide for an animal’s welfare needs, such as supplying a suitable diet and protecting the animal from injury and disease. Under this legislation, it is a criminal offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal.
I understand that the previous Government had committed to building a clear evidence base to inform any future decisions relating to foie gras imports and sales. It remains unclear whether the new Labour Government will continue this work or take a different approach.
I do believe that any potential future changes to animal welfare will need to be evidence based and I understand the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is undertaking research in several areas. I will follow any developments closely.
I hope my comments assure you of my, and my colleagues', commitment to animal welfare in this parliament.
