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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has for the legal protection of the welfare of animals after the UK has left the EU.

The Government has been very clear that leaving the EU will not lead to a lowering of our high animal welfare standards. Our regulatory system will offer the same level of assurance of animal welfare following our departure from the EU as it does now. The EU Withdrawal Act will ensure that existing EU standards are maintained once we leave the EU. For instance, existing bans on chlorinated chicken and hormone beef have been transferred into UK law and will remain in place after we leave.