Many thanks to those who contacted me about animal welfare standards and the UK’s trade policy.
All animals deserve to be respected and cared for throughout their lives, so I was pleased to see the Government’s clear commitment that future trade agreements will uphold our country’s high animal welfare standards. These standards will not be watered down in pursuit of any trade deal.
Four public consultations were launched in 2018, providing people with the opportunity to give their views (for example, on animal welfare) in relation to how the UK should approach future Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the USA, Australia and New Zealand, and on the UK’s consideration of accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. All four consultations collectively attracted over 600,000 responses – making this one of the largest consultation exercises (by volume of responses) run by the UK Government. In any future potential trade agreement that the UK seeks to negotiate, I understand the Government will undertake proportionate consultation.
I am glad of the Government's intention to ban the live export of animals and I understand that ministers hope to have legislation in place by the end of the year. I am also pleased about the Government's establishment of the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) to put environmental standards and animal welfare concerns at the heart of UK trade policy.
Outside the EU, the UK remains party to bodies such as the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and others, and continues to promote improved animal welfare standards internationally.
I will continue to monitor this issue. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.