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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands; and what discussions they have had with the governments of the Faroe Islands and Demark about banning their slaughter.

UK ministers and officials regularly raise concerns about the welfare and sustainability implications of cetacean hunts directly with Faroese counterparts. The free trade agreement with the Faroe Islands allows us to raise crucial issues like animal welfare.

UK Ministers and officials highlight our strong opposition to the practice at every appropriate opportunity, including at the last meeting of the UK-Faroe Islands Joint Committee in June 2026, and through our diplomatic channels with the Faroese Representation in London.

UK officials also raised the UK's opposition to cetacean hunting in June 2025 as part of the UK-Faroe Islands fisheries intersessional, and again at head of delegation level during formal UK-Faroe Islands bilateral fisheries negotiations in November 2025. By having strong diplomatic and economic relationships, Defra are able to have frank discussions on this issue.