Live Exports

Strengthening our animal welfare laws is a priority and I will always support action to achieve the strongest possible animal welfare policies. All animals deserve protection and I believe it is wrong to promise tougher legislation if promises are then not seen through.

I am extremely disappointed the Government has now dropped the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. Over 18 months had passed since it was last scrutinised by Parliament and reassurances were given that it would be returned for further debate. The Government states it will instead take forward the Bill’s contents as single-issue pieces of legislation, which I am concerned will further delay protections.

This decision is not what the public, our dedicated animal welfare charities or I want. It represents a profound setback for animal welfare in the UK, with innocent animals suffering the consequences.

I supported an Opposition motion to bring back the Bill as written to Parliament, but the Government voted this down.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill would have introduced a licensing system for keeping primates as pets, banned the live export of animals for fattening and slaughter, and allowed the Government to make regulations about the importation of cats, dogs and ferrets into Great Britain. 

I believe that it is inhumane and wrong to keep primates as pets. The Opposition tabled an amendment at Committee Stage to introduce a full ban on keeping primates as pets, but disappointingly the Government voted this down, favouring a licensing scheme.

I have long supported measures to ban live exports of animals for slaughter and fattening. I share welfare concerns about what many of those animals experience in being transported for long periods of time.

We also need proper action on the issue of puppy smuggling. I believe there should be strict limits on the number of animals transported per vehicle. Furthermore, I support increasing the minimum import age for puppies to six months and increased maximum penalties for those who illegally import dogs.