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 plans to participate in the European Parliament's inquiry into the transportation of live animals; and if he will make a statement.

We welcome the European Parliament's inquiry and we have previously made the European Commission aware of our concerns that the current regulations on protecting animal welfare in transport need to be amended to afford animals better protection. It would be inappropriate for the Government to participate in this inquiry as we are no longer a member of the European Union.

We have a manifesto commitment to end excessively long journeys for live animals going for slaughter and fattening, which is an opportunity we have gained through leaving the EU. We intend to issue a consultation on how we deliver on that commitment in due course.