Thank you for contacting me about the
Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
As the highest ranked G7 nation on World
Animal Protection's Animal Protection Index, the UK is a world leader on animal
welfare. In 2021, the Government's Action Plan for Animal Welfare
set out reforms for this Parliament and beyond, many of which the
Government has since enacted. This includes passing the Animal Welfare
(Sentience) Act, recognising the sentience of vertebrate animals and some
invertebrate animals. In addition, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act
introduced tougher sentences for cruelty, increasing maximum sentences. The
Ivory Act came into force in 2022 and was recently extended to cover five more
endangered species. In April, the Government made cat microchipping compulsory.
I am assured that the Government remains
fully committed to delivering its manifesto commitments on animal
welfare. I am aware that the scope of the Kept Animals Bill, introduced in
June 2021, was becoming increasingly broad. In light of this, and the
successful progress made so far with single-issue legislation in this
Parliament, the Government is supporting several Private
Members’ Bills which individually deliver on animal welfare measures
in the Kept Animals Bill. Ministers believe this to be the quickest and
most effective way of achieving our aims.
In the King’s Speech, the
Government announced the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill, which will
ban the export of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses for slaughter and
fattening from Great Britain, stopping unnecessary stress, exhaustion and
injury caused by exporting live animals. This Bill will ensure that animals are
slaughtered domestically in high welfare slaughterhouses in the UK, reinforcing
the UK’s position as a world leader on animal welfare.
My ministerial colleagues in Defra are
committed to animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both
in this Parliament and beyond.
Thank you again for taking the time to
contact me.
No comments:
Post a Comment