Welfare of Domestic Animals

Debate between Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Lord de Clifford

Thursday 4th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

As I mentioned earlier, we are considering all the evidence around this. It is something that we want to consider how to bring forward. As the noble Lord and others have said, we supported the work that the previous Government did on this. I cannot give a date, but we are looking at the evidence now, and obviously we want to move forward.

[Lord de Clifford (CB)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her continued support on animal welfare in the UK. I declare my interest as someone who works in the veterinary industry. I hope the Minister has seen the recent report from the APPG on Animal Welfare regarding animal welfare enforcement. What are the Government doing to improve enforcement of animal welfare laws and to support local authorities and charities in protecting domestic pets from cruelty? Will she look in particular at reducing the time that local authorities have to hold seized pets?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

The noble Lord asks a really important question around enforcement. As I have said more than once in this House, what is the point of having laws if they are not enforced? Local authorities, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the police do have powers to investigate allegations of animal cruelty, including breaches of any disqualification orders. The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 also enables the courts to ban offenders from owning or keeping animals following a conviction. If anyone has any concerns, they should of course report them to the police. Clearly, any legislation where the enforcement is not working needs to be looked at, and I am more than happy to do so.

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Debate between Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Lord de Clifford

Committee stage
Thursday 14th March 2024 Grand Committee

[Lord de Clifford (CB)]

I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman of Ullock, for this amendment, which I would support. Concerns have been raised in the equine world that there is fear that horses will be exported under the guise of competition but will then immediately go to slaughter. Do port authorities currently track the movement of livestock for breeding or competition out of our ports?

I also support the point made by the noble Baroness about the veterinary situation. There is still a shortage of veterinary staff. It is getting better but it is still an area that we are concerned about—certainly, with veterinary staff at ports. Certainly, we would welcome European veterinary staff on the other side of the border, and an animal import area in the French ports would be welcomed, if we could pressurise the EU for that.

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I thank noble Lords who have spoken for their support. The purpose of putting down this amendment was to be able to be able to talk very broadly about standards right across the piece, to make sure that no movement of animals was permitted to be below really high standards. The wording came about after a number of attempts; this was the one that was considered to be in scope, so that I was able to debate these issues. I am aware that this is about export and not about movement in this country but, again, we need to keep this on the radar and the Government need to look at it, particularly as the EU has toughened up its rules.

The noble Lord, Lord de Clifford, just made a really good point—it was also made at Second Reading— about the potential misuse of the Bill when it is enacted: for example the illegal transport of animals under the guise of them being for breeding but them then being slaughtered. I know that some equine charities have raised concerns about the potential for that to happen. What will be put in place to ensure that it happens absolutely as minimally as possible?

Having said all that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.