Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill  

Tim Loughton Excerpts

Monday 15th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, and I am also grateful to all my colleagues who have supported the legislation during its passage through the House.

[Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)]

rose—

[Ashley Dalton]

Will the Minister give way?

[Mark Spencer]

I will give way to my hon. Friend, but I will come back to the hon. Lady.

[Tim Loughton]

I am grateful to the Minister—

[Ashley Dalton]

With respect—

[Tim Loughton]

Hold on!

[Hon. Members]

Sit down!

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)]

Tim Loughton.

[Tim Loughton]

Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Given the hugely impressive list that the Minister has just read out, putting the United Kingdom in the vanguard of animal welfare matters—and this is yet another piece of trailblazing legislation to add to that—is there any indication that our former European Union partners are intending to follow suit and up their game in this regard when it comes to the transport of live animals?

[Mark Spencer]

As my hon. Friend will know, I am not responsible for EU legislation. During conversations with friends in the EU, I have been told that they are currently looking at the issue of live animal transport, but that is, of course, a matter for them.