Today, in the House of Commons, Shadow DEFRA Minister Dr Neil Hudson forced the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to explain why it has failed to publish its long-awaited Animal Welfare Strategy while MPs are actually in Parliament to be able to scrutinise it in the House, as a result of an Urgent Question Dr Hudson was granted by the Speaker.
The Labour Government, including the Prime Minister, promised repeatedly that its Animal Welfare Strategy would be publicly available by the end of the year, but as of today it is still not publicly available. As a result, MPs will not be able to use the means available to them in the House of Commons to scrutinise the strategy and ask the Government to explain themselves until 2026, should it be published before the end of 2025.
Dr Hudson reminded the Government there are a range of animal welfare issues that need to be urgently addressed, such as the financial pressures on the nation’s hard-working farmers due to the Family Farm Tax and general economic mismanagement, animal disease outbreaks in the UK and across the continent such as Foot and Mouth Disease or African Swine Fever, veterinary shortages (risking being made worse from the recent recommendation Cambridge’s Veterinary School be closed), and the need for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act.
He likewise reminded the Government of the great strides made by the previous Conservative Government on which they have to build, such as the ban on live animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs and horses for fattening or slaughter, increasing maximum sentences for animal cruelty from six months to five years, and requiring any new legislation to pay due regard to animal welfare by enshrining animal sentience into UK law and establishing the Animal Sentience Committee.
Dr Hudson continues to hold the Government to account and make the necessary improvements in animal health and welfare.
Following the Urgent Question, Dr Hudson commented:
“It was incredibly disappointing that the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had to be forced to come before Parliament to explain why its Animal Welfare Strategy is not available for MPs to be able to scrutinise before Christmas recess.
Even the answer the Secretary of State provided leaves the public none the wiser about what the strategy actually will tackle, the Secretary of State seemingly spending more time explaining what won’t be in it.
It is extremely disrespectful to MPs and the public if the Government slips it out over recess when MPs can’t ask questions or scrutinise the strategy in the House.
This Government talks a good game but it is high time they started playing on the pitch and started actually doing something. The previous Conservative Government achieved many wins for animal welfare- Labour need to get on with building on that progress.”
