Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Animal Welfare

Thursday 9 May 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Henry Smith inquired about steps his Department is taking to improve animal welfare since the publication of the action plan.
  • The Minister responded with commitment to the action plan, highlighting significant progress on various animal welfare measures.
  • Henry Smith acknowledged the Government's work and mentioned a letter from pupils at Three Bridges Primary School regarding endangered species protection.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Henry Smith Con
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The question arises from the government's action plan for animal welfare published in 2021.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help improve animal welfare. Since the publication of the action plan, there have been several initiatives but concerns remain about ongoing efforts and progress.

Answer from Rebecca Pow

This Government remain absolutely committed to implementing our action plan for animal welfare. Since the action plan was published in 2021, we have made significant progress on a whole raft of animal welfare measures, such as introducing tougher sentences on animal cruelty and new laws on animal sentience, bringing forward legislation to ban live exports and keeping primates as pets, launching the animal health and welfare pathway, ensuring the microchipping of cats, and backing critical legislation to crack down on puppy smuggling, pet abduction and livestock worrying.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed with concrete steps or commitments beyond general statements about ongoing work.

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Q2 Henry Smith Con
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Pupils in Larch class at Three Bridges Primary School wrote to the MP expressing concern for the welfare and protection of endangered species.

Question

I am grateful for that answer and, indeed, for all the animal welfare measures that this Government have introduced. Recently, pupils in Larch class at Three Bridges Primary School wrote to me very eloquently about their concern for the welfare and protection of endangered species. Can the Minister say a little more about what her Department is doing in that respect?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

I thank my hon. Friend for that question, and indeed for his own work on animal welfare in this place, which has been impressive. I also thank the pupils of Larch class at Three Bridges Primary School. He can go back and tell them that this Government are absolutely committed to tackling this and to helping endangered species. We are actually the first Government to legislate to halt species decline in this country—as far as I know, no other country has done that anywhere in the world—and we have funds to save species.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed with concrete steps or commitments beyond general statements about ongoing work and future plans.

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