Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Shailesh Vara and Henry Smith

Wednesday 21st March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

11. What steps she is taking to prevent the unnecessary suffering of live animals exported from Northern Ireland.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Shailesh Vara)]

The Government are committed to improving the welfare of all animals. We expect animals across the UK to be transported in conditions that comply fully with welfare requirements, and would prefer animals across the UK to be slaughtered close to the point of production. Animal welfare is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland; it would be for a future Northern Ireland Executive to determine their own policy.

[Henry Smith]

May I seek assurances that, as we leave the European Union, in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the United Kingdom we will use the opportunity to enhance animal welfare standards?

[Mr Vara]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. The Government share the public’s high regard for animal welfare, and we are proud to have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. He will appreciate, however, that animal welfare is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and it would be for a future Northern Ireland Executive to determine their own policy. We have been clear that when we leave the EU, we will not only maintain the existing rules on animal welfare but, where possible, look to strengthen those requirements.