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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of legislation protecting livestock in the UK as compared to other OECD nations.

The UK is widely recognised as one of the global leaders in animal health and welfare. We are a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health, and we have a broad legislative base, associated strategies and contingency plans enabling us to protect livestock from animal disease threats. Defra is committed to maintaining and improving the UK's high standards of animal health and welfare.

The Prime Minister has announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy by the end of the year.