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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of potential sanitary and phytosanitary alignment with the EU on the UK's ability to (a) implement and (b) maintain a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter or fattening.

It is too soon to discuss the details of the SPS agreement, which is subject to negotiation. We have been clear with the EU about the importance of establishing arrangements which enable us to maintain high animal welfare standards.