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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that animal welfare laws are more strictly enforced on farms.

All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation, and potential breaches of the law are taken very seriously. Any allegations of poor animal welfare are investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) who conduct an immediate veterinary risk assessment (triage). APHA will take appropriate action and where necessary, inspect the farm and the livestock present within 24hrs. The local authority, as an appropriate enforcement agency, may initiate prosecution action for animal welfare offences where there is sufficient evidence.