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Written Question
Animal Welfare
Tuesday 26th April 2022

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve animal welfare.

Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General

This Government published the Action Plan for Animal Welfare on 12 May 2021, setting out over 40 commitments on animal welfare and conservation. Since its publication, a programme of primary and secondary legislation has started to take forward many measures, alongside some non-legislative reforms.

We delivered our Manifesto commitment to increase the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty from six months to five years through the Animal Sentencing Act. This came into force in June 2021.

The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill has successfully completed its Parliamentary passage and is awaiting Royal Assent. It establishes an Animal Sentience Committee to consider how individual central government policy decisions take account of animal welfare. It also recognises that decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs are sentient.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill has completed its Commons Committee Stage and, following the passing of a carryover motion by the House, will continue its passage in the next Session. The Bill delivers manifesto commitments relating to banning live exports, banning primates as pets, and tackling puppy smuggling. It also includes the new pet abduction offence in response to a recommendation from the cross-government Pet Theft Taskforce.

We are supporting two Private Members Bills. The Animal (Penalty Notices) Bill is awaiting Royal Assent and the Glue Trap (Offences) Bill is awaiting its Third Reading in the House of Lords.

Alongside these legislative reforms, Defra has launched Calls for Evidence on welfare labelling and the fur trade and launched consultations on puppy smuggling and zoo licensing standards. Defra has also published government responses to consultations on implementing and enforcing the Ivory Act, banning the shark fin trade, introducing welfare in transport reforms, mandating cat microchipping and banning trophy hunting.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their commitment in the Queen’s Speech to end trophy hunting imports will apply to all hunting trophies; and if not, whether there will be exceptions for certain (1) animals, and (2) countries.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The Government takes the conservation of endangered species very seriously, which is why we are banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species, as set out in the Government's manifesto. Our approach will be robust and effective and will deliver the change we promised to help protect thousands of species worldwide.

This year we have already introduced our Animal Sentience and Kept Animals Bills to Parliament and we intend to legislate further to protect animals abroad as soon as parliamentary time allows. We will be setting out our detailed plans shortly, including by publishing the Government's response to the consultation on trophy hunting imports which will set out in more detail the scope of our intended ban.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the consultation that closed in February 2020 on trophy hunting imports; and what plans they have to introduce the Animals Abroad Bill.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The Government takes the conservation of endangered species very seriously, which is why we are banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species, as set out in the Government's manifesto. Our approach will be robust and effective and will deliver the change we promised to help protect thousands of species worldwide.

This year we have already introduced our Animal Sentience and Kept Animals Bills to Parliament and we intend to legislate further to protect animals abroad as soon as parliamentary time allows. We will be setting out our detailed plans shortly, including by publishing the Government's response to the consultation on trophy hunting imports which will set out in more detail the scope of our intended ban.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Friday 10th September 2021

Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on jail terms for offenders of (a) trophy hunting and (b) importers of trophy hunting.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In the UK we have robust legislation, such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, in place to protect our wildlife. Controls on imports from trophy hunting are currently enforced by the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations 2018 and the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

As set out in the Government’s manifesto, we are banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. We will be setting out our plans soon, including on sanctions, and my department remains in communication with the Ministry of Justice regarding such matters.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Friday 10th September 2021

Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) prevent and (b) prosecute trophy hunting.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government takes the conservation of endangered species very seriously, which is why we are banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species, as set out in the Government’s manifesto.

Our approach will be robust and effective and will deliver the change we promised to help protect thousands of species worldwide. We will be setting out our plans soon.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Friday 27th August 2021

Asked by: Baroness Fookes (Conservative - Life peer)

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to ban the import of animals killed by trophy hunters, and (2) to introduce related penalties for offenders.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The Government takes the conservation of endangered species very seriously, which is why we are banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species, as set out in the Government’s manifesto.

Our approach will be comprehensive, robust and effective and will deliver the change we promised to help protect thousands of species worldwide. We will be setting out our plans soon.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Tuesday 6th July 2021

Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of the 2016 CITES resolution that well managed and sustainable trophy hunting is consistent with and contributes to species conservation; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government takes the conservation of endangered species very seriously, which is why we will be banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. Our approach will be comprehensive, robust and effective and will deliver the change we promised to help protect thousands of species worldwide. We held a consultation on this issue between 2 November 2019 and 25 February 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the publication of the Government response. We will be setting out our plans soon.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Wednesday 9th June 2021

Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ban the imports of trophy hunting memorabilia; and what his planned timescale is for such a ban.

Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General

This Government takes the conservation of endangered species very seriously, which is why we will be banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. Our approach will be comprehensive, robust and effective and will deliver the change we promised to help protect thousands of species worldwide. We will be setting out plans soon.


Written Question
South Africa: Hunting
Wednesday 26th May 2021

Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of South Africa about the banning of hunting of (1) lions, and (2) other so-called "trophy” animals.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

This Government takes the conservation of endangered species in the UK and internationally very seriously, which is why we will be banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. Officials have engaged with a range of stakeholders to inform our approach on this matter, including officials from the Government of South Africa. Our approach will be comprehensive, robust and effective, and we will deliver the change we promised to deliver to help protect thousands of species worldwide. We will be setting out our detailed plans soon.


Written Question
Animal Products: Imports
Tuesday 16th June 2020

Asked by: Lord Selkirk of Douglas (Conservative - Life peer)

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, under current regulations, trophy hunters were able to bring body parts from threatened and vulnerable species such as elephants, hippopotamuses, lions and cheetahs into the UK over the last 10 years.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The Government takes the conservation of endangered species seriously and committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered species in our manifesto. A consultation on controls on the import and export of hunting trophies to and from the UK was undertaken between 2 November 2019 and 25 February 2020. The outcome of the consultation, and the accompanying call for evidence will inform our next steps. We are continuing to work on this important area and will publish the Government response as soon as it is practical to do so.

The UK is Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates international trade in endangered species and aims to ensure it does not threaten their survival. Under these internationally agreed rules, imports of hunting trophies into the UK from species listed under CITES, including elephants, hippopotamuses, lions and cheetahs are subject to strict controls.

Hunting trophies are currently allowed to be imported into the UK where they meet current criteria and demonstrate the import will have no detrimental impact on the conservation status or survival of these species, that the specimens have been obtained from a legal and sustainable hunting operation and in accordance with the legislation on the protection of the species concerned. There are however import suspensions relating to certain species coming from particular countries where the hunting of those species is not considered sustainable. These are kept under review.