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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to make an assessment of the effect on animal welfare of banning the import of furs.

The Government shares the British public’s high regards for animal welfare and after we leave the EU the Government plans to retain the current regulations banning the import of a number of furs such as cat and dog fur, and seal skins and furs from commercial hunts.

The Government believes that the best way of phasing out cruel and inhumane fur farming and trapping practices in other parts of the world, which are banned here, is to press for higher animal welfare standards worldwide.