Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban the importation of big-game trophies to the UK; and if they have any such plans, when they intend to publish their proposals to implement such a ban.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously, with imports of hunting trophies into the UK subject to strict controls under the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.
The UK has adopted stricter national measures for three species, including tigers, than those set out in CITES and in European legislation. The import and export of live wild taken specimens and tiger parts and derivatives, including hunting trophies, is banned.
The UK is also continuing to work hard on the international stage to agree tough, transparent, global standards on trophy hunting to make sure hunting safeguards are of the highest standard and there is no impact on the sustainability of the species concerned. We will continue to discuss this with other countries.
The Government hosted a stakeholder roundtable in May to hear views from all sides of the debate surrounding trophy hunting. Those discussions continue and we are actively reviewing our position on this important issue.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban the importation of tiger trophies to the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously, with imports of hunting trophies into the UK subject to strict controls under the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.
The UK has adopted stricter national measures for three species, including tigers, than those set out in CITES and in European legislation. The import and export of live wild taken specimens and tiger parts and derivatives, including hunting trophies, is banned.
The UK is also continuing to work hard on the international stage to agree tough, transparent, global standards on trophy hunting to make sure hunting safeguards are of the highest standard and there is no impact on the sustainability of the species concerned. We will continue to discuss this with other countries.
The Government hosted a stakeholder roundtable in May to hear views from all sides of the debate surrounding trophy hunting. Those discussions continue and we are actively reviewing our position on this important issue.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of "canned hunting".
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is aware of the practice of so called “canned hunting”. It is considering this issue carefully and will be informed by evidence it continues to gather.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider banning the importation of lion trophies to the UK, following the decision by Australia, France, and the Netherlands to ban such imports.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In May 2019 the Government hosted a stakeholder roundtable to hear views from all sides of the debate. We are reviewing existing evidence surrounding trophy hunting and its impact on conservation.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Sentencing for animal cruelty in England and Wales, published in 2017, what plans they have to introduce legislation to increase the maximum sentence for the most serious cases of animal cruelty from six months to five years imprisonment.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We are committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and the Government has announced that it will increase the custodial maximum penalty for animal cruelty from 6 months' to 5 years' imprisonment as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) support the UK poultry meat industry in key trade developments, and (2) ensure that future poultry meat imports meet Britain's welfare and production standards.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is determined to get the best deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, including for our world-leading poultry sector.
Significant work is already underway to ensure that UK exporters can maintain access to EU markets after March 2019. The Government is seeking continuity for our existing EU free trade agreements as we leave the European Union. The Government is also actively working with trading partners to promote the concept of regionalisation to minimise the impact on UK exports due to any future outbreak of avian influenza in poultry.
The UK imports a wide range of produce from around the world, all of which already meet our high standards of food safety and animal and plant health. We have no reason to believe that other third countries cannot meet our high standards, and this will be a condition for any market access granted as part of future trade agreements. Any future trade agreements must work for UK consumers, farmers, and businesses.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for banning the sale and consumption of dog meat in the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
It is already illegal to sell dog meat for human consumption and the Government has seen no evidence that dog meat is being sold or consumed in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which dog meat (1) has been sold, and (2) is being sold, in the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
It is already illegal to sell dog meat for human consumption and the Government has seen no evidence that dog meat is being sold or consumed in the UK.