Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has plans to ban the (a) importation and (b) sale of foie gras produced from the force-feeding of ducks and geese following the UK's departure from the EU; and if she will make a statement.

The Government has made clear that force feeding for the production of foie gras from ducks or geese raises serious welfare concerns.

Production is banned in the UK as it is incompatible with domestic legislation, including the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it a criminal offence not to provide for an animal's welfare needs and to allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily.

The Government is committed to upholding our high standards. Now our relationship with the European Union has been established, the Government is considering further steps it could take in relation to foie gras.