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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to improve animal welfare standards for live exports.

The Government’s manifesto made it clear that we would take early steps to control the export of live farm animals for slaughter once we leave the EU.

Last year we launched a call for evidence on controlling live exports for slaughter and improving the welfare of all animals during transport. We passed this evidence to the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC), who recently submitted their advice to the Government and the devolved administrations. We are considering FAWC’s report and aim to publish it, along with a Government response, in the summer.