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Animal Welfare Bills (4/22)

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The Government is committed to upholding our world-leading standards in animal welfare and is delivering a series of ambitious reforms, as outlined in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare.

The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill enshrines in domestic law the recognition that animals are sentient and creates an expert Animal Sentience Committee to review the efficacy of policy decisions relating to animal welfare. The Bill will soon return to the House of Lords and has nearly completed its passage into law.

Further, the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was introduced to Parliament in June 2021 and includes powers to introduce new restrictions on pet travel and on the commercial import of pets on welfare grounds. The Government is analysing responses to the consultation on further proposals to crack down on this illegal trade and is working to deliver the necessary secondary legislation alongside the passage of the Bill. In addition, the export of livestock and equines for slaughter and fattening from, or transiting through, Great Britain to anywhere outside the British Islands will be banned. The Bill will also ban the keeping of primates as pets and improve zoo regulations, as well as give new powers to the police to provide greater protection to livestock from dangerous dogs. Further, I am glad that a new offence of taking and detaining a dog was added to the Bill at Committee Stage in the House of Commons, with a power to extend to other pets, if necessary. This Bill has completed Committee Stage and will be back as soon as parliamentary time allows. 

The Government is firmly committed to plans to deliver one of the toughest bans in the world on the import of hunting trophies from nearly seven thousand endangered and threatened species. This means the UK will be leading the way in protecting endangered animals and helping to strengthen and support long-term conservation. This will be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows. Ministers are also looking at further measures to protect animals abroad, including taking action against low welfare animal experiences.

The production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding is rightly banned in the UK as it is incompatible with the UK’s welfare standards. Through the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare, I welcome that ministers have committed to building a clear evidence base to inform decisions on the import or sale of foie gras. 

Fur farming has been banned in the UK for 20 years, and there are already restrictions on some skin and fur products which may never be legally imported into the UK. The Government’s recent call for evidence to seek views and evidence on the current fur sector will be used to inform any future decisions on the fur trade. 

Letters

  • Big Plastic Count (5/22)
  • Bristol Airport - Reply from the Minister (5/22)
  • Energy Costs (05/22)
  • Animal Welfare Bills (4/22)
  • Availability of Cash (4/22)
  • LGBT Rights and Support (4/22)
  • Petrol Prices (4/22)
  • Processing Asylum Claims in Rwanda (4/22)
  • Portishead/Bristol Rail Link - Letter from the Minister at the Department of Transport (4/22)
  • Statement on the Prime Minister and No 10 Parties (4/22)
  • The Elections Bill and the Electoral Commission (4/22)
  • The Government's Approach to Building Safety (4/22)
  • Workforce Planning - Health and Care Bill (4/22)
  • Free Lateral Flow Tests - Care Home Visits (3/22)
  • Fur Trade and the Import of Foie Gras (3/22)
  • Lift the Ban - Asylum Seekers and Employment (3/22)
  • Online Safety Bill Petition (3/22)
  • P&O Ferries (3/22)
  • Persecution of Women and Girls (3/22)
  • The Fur Trade (3/22)
  • Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) - 3/22
  • Cladding Remediation Costs (3/22)
  • Domestic Abuse - Valerie's Law (3/22)
  • Ukraine - Sanctions (3/22)
  • Ukraine Update (3/22)
  • Ukrainian Air Space (3/22)
  • Ukrainian Refugee Crisis (03/2022)
  • Visas for Ukrainians (3/22)
  • Animal Sentience in the UK (2/22)
  • Dementia Research (2/22)
  • Energy Price Cap (2/22)
  • Expansion of Bristol Airport (2/22)
  • Fairtrade Fortnight and International Climate Finance (2/22)
  • Hate Crime and Misogony (2/22)
  • Pubs and Alcohol Duty (2/22)
  • The Hunting Act (2/22)
  • The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (PCSC Bill) - 2/22
  • Parliamentary Standards - Owen Paterson (11/21)
  • Storm Overflows - Amendments (11/21)
  • Ambitious Environment Bill (10/21)
  • Fuel Supply Issues (10/21)
  • Food Plates Campaign (10/21)
  • Green Investment and the Spending Review  (10/21)
  • Ivory (10/21)
  • Live Animal Exports (10/21)
  • Climate Change (10/21)
  • Cambo Oil Field (9/21)
  • Dangerous Dogs (9/21)
  • Paying For Social Care (9/21)
  • Universal Credit (9/21)
  • Briefing Letter On Social Care (09/21)
  • The Building Safety Bill Second Reading (07/21)
  • Overseas Aid (06/21)
  • Reply from the Secretary of State - MHCLG (05/21)
  • NHS Pay Rise (3/21)
  • Sarah Everard Vigil (3/21)
  • Violence Against Women and Girls (3/21)
  • Coronavirus - Dementia (2/21)
  • Alcohol and Beer Duty (2/21)
  • Failand – Planning Proposals (2/21)
  • Neonicotinoids(2/21)
  • Sows – Farrowing Crates – Sir David Amess’s Bill (2/21)
  • MENCAP Campaign –  Vaccinations for People with Learning Disabilities  (1/21)
  • Vaccine Accessability for People with Sight Loss (1/21)
  • Briefing from DEFRA on the use of neonicotinoids (1/21)
  • Alcohol and Beer Duty (01/21)
  • Clap for Carers (1/21)
  • Anti-Genocide Lords Amendment (01/21)
  • Food Parcels - quality of free school meals (1/21)
  • Covid 19 - Support for Pubs (01/21)
  • Environment Bill - Nature Recovery (01/21)
  • Environment Bill - Plastics (01/21)
  • Food Trade Standards and Future Trade Deals (01/21)
  • Treatment of Animals in Laboratories (01/21)
  • Working Time Regulations (01/21)
  • Mental Health of Children and Young People - Comprehensive Spending Review (9/20)
  • Update - Covid 19 (09/20)
  • Overseas Aid (12/20)
  • Support for Pubs (11/20)
  • Fur Trade (10/20)
  • MP's Pay Rise (10/20)
  • A Green and Fair Recovery (9/20)
  • EU/International Law (09/20)
  • Protection of Birds of Prey – Grouse Moors (8/20)
  • Creativity is required to reduce exam problems (08/20)
  • Supertrawlers (7/20)
  • Trade Bill (7/20)
  • Environment Bill (7/20)
  • Regular Coronavirus Testing for NHS Staff (6/20)
  • A Democratic Planning System (6/20)
  • Proposal to Extend the Transition Period – Social Market Foundation Report (6/20)
  • HS2 (5/20)
  • Universal Basic Income (5/20)
  • Ocean Protection (3/20)
  • NHS & International Trade (3/20)
  • EU Trade Agreements (02/20)

Dr Liam Fox MP Member of Parliament for North Somerset

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