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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the working group on fur, announced in the Animal Welfare Strategy, will include virologists and environmental scientists with expertise in the public health and environmental impacts of fur farming.

As set out in the animal welfare strategy, Defra will bring together a working group on fur, with involvement from both industry experts and those who support restrictions on the trade in fur to explore concerns and the different ways in which they could be addressed.

The primary focus of the group will be to explore animal welfare concerns relating to the fur trade. Defra is currently developing arrangements for the working group including its membership. Defra will seek appropriate input from relevant experts as needed as part of this.