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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to uphold welfare standards for imported livestock.

When animals are transported into Great Britain, their transportation must comply fully with legal requirements aimed at protecting their welfare. The rules relating to the commercial transportation of animals are set out in assimilated Regulation (EC) 1/2005 and The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, with equivalent domestic regulations in Wales and Scotland.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) acts as a national regulator for the welfare of animals in transport rules and is able to take regulatory action following non-compliance. This can include suspension or revocation of transporter authorisations. APHA works closely with its local authority enforcement partners to support enforcement action and prosecution of those involved in breaches of the welfare in transport legislation.