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Written Question
Foie Gras: Imports
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the reasons for changes in the amount of foie gras imported in 2023 compared with previous years; what information his Department holds on the number of businesses involved in importing foie gras in 2023; and when he plans to conclude the evidence base research phase of the foie gras importation ban consultation.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.

Whilst we have domestic restrictions on the production of force-fed foie gras, it is possible to import foie gras from abroad. In line with the Government’s commitment to improving animal welfare standards as set out in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we are committed to building a clear evidence base to inform future decisions.

We do not currently have an end date for when this research will conclude.


Written Question
Foie Gras: Imports
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the total tonnage of foie gras imported in 2023; and whether he plans to ban its importation when produced via force-feeding.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In 2023 the UK imported 628 tonnes of fatty livers of geese and ducks, valued at £3.3m (source HMRC UK Trade Info; data for 2023 is provisional and subject to change).

The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.

We are committed to building a clear evidence base to inform future decisions. Any proposals would be informed by the evidence base and likely subject to consultation.


Written Question
Furs: Import Controls
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) restrict fur imports from European countries, in the context of outbreaks of avian flu in Europe in 2023.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Furs: Imports
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) restrict as necessary fur imports from European countries, in the context of outbreaks of avian flu in Europe.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

While fur cannot be farmed in this country, and some fur from particular species is prohibited from import and sale, it is still possible to import and sell other types of fur from abroad. It is also possible to re-export fur and fur products that have been imported.

We have committed to explore potential action in relation to animal fur, as set out in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare, and have since conducted a Call for Evidence on the fur sector. We are continuing to build our evidence base on the fur sector, which will be used to inform any future action on the fur trade. However, currently we are not seeking to restrict fur imports based on avian influenza.


Written Question
Food: Labelling
Monday 5th June 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce mandatory animal welfare labelling on supermarket products.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In 2021, Defra ran a call for evidence to gather data on the potential impacts of different types of labelling reform for animal welfare. We received over 1,600 responses and a summary of these responses is available on GOV.UK.

Based on the evidence provided, Defra is continuing to explore options for improving and expanding mandatory animal welfare labelling, covering both domestic and imported products.


Written Question
Poultry: Animal Housing
Thursday 20th April 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the (a) proportion of egg production that will be cage-free by 2025 and (b) cost to the poultry sector of a ban on the use of cages for laying hens.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to around 25% at the end of Q4 2022. No recent estimate of the proportion of egg production that will be cage-free by 2025 or the costs to industry of any ban on their use has been made.


Written Question
Dogs: Animal Breeding
Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a code of practice to the regulate the breeding of dogs.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

All dog breeders are obliged under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) to protect their animals from suffering and provide for their welfare needs in line with best practice. A breach of these provisions may lead to imprisonment, a fine, or both. The 2006 Act is backed up by a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs: Code of practice for the welfare of dogs (publishing.service.gov.uk).

This code of practice provides owners with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their dogs, as required by the 2006 Act. The code of practice recommends owners seek the advice of a veterinary professional on the risks of inherited and exaggerated features, that could affect the welfare of the puppies, before allowing their dog to breed.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, commercial dog breeders in England are prohibited from breeding from a dog where it can be reasonably expected that its genotype, phenotype, or state of health could have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or the health or welfare of its offspring.

More detailed advice for those wishing to breed from their dogs can be found in the Canine & Feline Sector Group’s Code of Practice for Dog Breeding which is available here: Code of Practice for Dog Breeding 2020.indd (cfsg.org.uk)


Written Question
Dogs: Animal Breeding
Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for preventing dog breeding which results in puppies with extreme conformation.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

All dog breeders are obliged under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) to protect their animals from suffering and provide for their welfare needs in line with best practice. A breach of these provisions may lead to imprisonment, a fine, or both. The 2006 Act is backed up by a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs: Code of practice for the welfare of dogs (publishing.service.gov.uk).

This code of practice provides owners with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their dogs, as required by the 2006 Act. The code of practice recommends owners seek the advice of a veterinary professional on the risks of inherited and exaggerated features, that could affect the welfare of the puppies, before allowing their dog to breed.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, commercial dog breeders in England are prohibited from breeding from a dog where it can be reasonably expected that its genotype, phenotype, or state of health could have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or the health or welfare of its offspring.

More detailed advice for those wishing to breed from their dogs can be found in the Canine & Feline Sector Group’s Code of Practice for Dog Breeding which is available here: Code of Practice for Dog Breeding 2020.indd (cfsg.org.uk)


Written Question
Dogs: Animal Welfare
Monday 20th February 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Code of Practice for the Welfare for Dogs will be reviewed.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs provides dog owners and keepers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their animals, as required under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The code of practice is kept under review and updated when required, and in line with legislative developments and changes in animal welfare practice.


Written Question
Cats and Dogs: Tagging
Wednesday 25th January 2023

Asked by: Giles Watling (Conservative - Clacton)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to set up a national database for microchip companies to input data received for dogs and cats.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are not proposing to create a single cat and dog microchip database. Database operators are commercial enterprises which offer a range of services and provide choice for pet owners.


A consultation seeking views on changes to the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 closed on 20th May 2022 and we are analysing the responses. The consultation sought views on creating a single point of access facility for approved users to quickly search compliant databases for a microchip record. We intend for this to also apply to cat microchip records.


This is a devolved matter and these developments relate to the situation applying in England.