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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions officials of his Department has had with colleagues in the US Administration on the recent ban on the human consumption of dog meat in that country.

It is already illegal to sell dog and cat meat for human consumption and the Government has seen no evidence that dog or cat meat is being sold or consumed in this country. We are aware that the USA has legislated to ban the slaughter of dogs for human consumption although we have not discussed the specific issues with the US Administration.