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 has made an assessment of (a) the sentience of decapod crustaceans and (b) their capability to feel pain; whether decapod crustaceans are included in the definition of animal in the draft sentience Bill; and when he plans to publish the Farm Animal Welfare Council investigation into decapod crustacean sentience.

The Government is aware of research in relation to the sentience of decapod crustaceans and their ability to feel pain. We are continuing to engage with stakeholders to further refine the Government’s proposals on animal sentience, including which animals are covered by those proposals. The Farm Animal Welfare Committee’s advice on the definition of sentience will be published soon.