Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to help support UK (a) farmers and (b) fishers where (i) animal welfare standards and (ii) climate and nature policies contribute to higher farming costs, in the context of the cost of imported produce.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has been clear that it will protect farmers in trade deals. The Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. It will create new export opportunities for our high-quality British produce.
Supporting British farmers and boosting the nation’s food security are key priorities for the Government. The Government allocated £11.8 billion this Parliament to sustainable farming and food production, targeting public money where it delivers most value.
In terms of wider support to the fishing industry, the Government is committed to the industry’s long-term prosperity and sustainability, which is why we launched the £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the written answer 100620 of 6 Jan 2025 on Slaughterhouses, whether the Food Standards Agency plans to begin routinely recording the method of slaughter used at the time an animal welfare breach is identified.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Approved slaughterhouses may use any legally compliant slaughter method. They are not required to notify the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in advance of the method to be used. Many establishments alternate between stunned and non‑stunned slaughter to meet differing market and trade requirements.
Breaches most commonly arise before slaughter commences. They are typically recorded for enforcement before a decision by the slaughterhouse operator on the slaughter method to be used. Examples include the handling of animals during unloading, or failures to provide adequate feed, water, or bedding.
As a result, in most cases the FSA is unable to attribute animal welfare breaches to a specific slaughter method because they occur prior to slaughter.
Similarly, requirements relating to CCTV, such as ensuring camera lenses are clean and recordings are securely retained, apply regardless of the slaughter method used. These do not necessitate different enforcement approaches based on the slaughter method. Attributing these types of failure to a particular slaughter method would be misleading.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the written answer 100620 of 6 Jan 2025 on Slaughterhouses, how many slaughterhouses were subject to more than one enforcement action for animal welfare breaches in each of the last five years.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Approved slaughterhouses may use any legally compliant slaughter method. They are not required to notify the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in advance of the method to be used. Many establishments alternate between stunned and non‑stunned slaughter to meet differing market and trade requirements.
Breaches most commonly arise before slaughter commences. They are typically recorded for enforcement before a decision by the slaughterhouse operator on the slaughter method to be used. Examples include the handling of animals during unloading, or failures to provide adequate feed, water, or bedding.
As a result, in most cases the FSA is unable to attribute animal welfare breaches to a specific slaughter method because they occur prior to slaughter.
Similarly, requirements relating to CCTV, such as ensuring camera lenses are clean and recordings are securely retained, apply regardless of the slaughter method used. These do not necessitate different enforcement approaches based on the slaughter method. Attributing these types of failure to a particular slaughter method would be misleading.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to introduce fair food labelling to provide clear information on sourcing and production.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.
Food origin information is mandatory for some, but not all foods. In all cases where origin is provided, it must not be misleading. We continue to review origin labelling using comprehensive evidence to ensure clear and transparent labelling for consumers.
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will work with stakeholders to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Department's policy paper entitled Animal Welfare Strategy for England, published on 22 December 2025, whether her Department plans to publish a timetable for the introduction of dog licences for dog breeders.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority.
The Government is committed to ending puppy farming and the low welfare breeding of dogs. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government has committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. Next steps will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she made of the potential impact of electric shock collars on the welfare of dogs.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is concerned about the possible welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars.
As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, Defra will consult on whether to ban the use of electric shock collars later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on developing the proposals in the 2024 Fairer Food Labelling consultation.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the animal welfare strategy, the Government is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the department will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. Defra will set out next steps in due course.
The Government will continue to review origin labelling and aim to use the outcomes of the Fairer Food Labelling consultation as supporting evidence for future labelling policy.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will convene an expert group of industry representatives, animal welfare organisations and other stakeholders to advise on developing a method of production labelling scheme.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, the department is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, Defra will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect hare populations in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The department has supported Surrey County Council to prepare their Local Nature Recovery Strategy, with publication expected shortly. It will set nature recovery priorities and map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species such as hares.
Nationally, protection of the brown hare population is provided through hare coursing legislation which was brought in under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Together with improved police tactics, intelligence and information sharing, they are reducing levels of hare coursing which will play a part in the recovery of the species.
In addition, the Government’s recently published Animal Welfare Strategy contains a commitment to consider the introduction of a close season on shooting brown hares.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the report by World Animal Protection, Bred to Entertain, published on 12 January, in particular the case for the full implementation of the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
World Animal Protection has shared its report “Bred to Entertain” with the Government. Defra will consider the information set out in the report carefully as we continue to build the evidence base on which activities would be most suitable for inclusion in any future regulations.
As set out in the animal welfare strategy, published in December 2025, the Government is continuing to engage with stakeholders, including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups, to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising and offering for sale of low-welfare animal activities abroad and will set out next steps in due course.