Bill to ban live animal exports heads for the Lords
© Tim Scrivener A ban on the live export of farm animals for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain has moved a step closer.
The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill passed all its committee stages in the House of Commons on Monday 15 January and now moves on to the House of Lords.
The landmark bill aims to prohibit the export of cattle, sheep, pigs and horse for slaughter and fattening from Britain.
See also: New legislation seeks to ban live exports from Britain
The Conservative government says once the bill becomes law, it will deliver on its manifesto commitment to end live animal exports.
Defra says the ban is necessary to stop animals “enduring unnecessary stress, exhaustion and injury on long journeys”.
Shadow Defra minister Ruth Jones (Labour MP Newport West) tabled an opposition amendment to extend the ban to deer, llamas and alpacas.
But Defra farming minister Mark Spencer said he was not aware these species were exported for slaughter or fattening.
Former Defra secretary Therese Coffey said she “strongly supports” the bill, adding that “it could get through by the end of March and be done by Easter, without question”.
NI excluded from bill
However, as things stand, any export ban will not extend to Northern Ireland with the UK government saying NI farmers must continue to have unfettered access to UK and Republic of Ireland markets.
Democratic Unionist Party MP Sammy Wilson told the Commons that excluding Northern Ireland from the bill risks creating a “loophole”.
“This means animals can be taken from Northern Ireland, exported through the Irish Republic, taken on a 23-hour boat journey to the European mainland, and then carried down to the south of Spain, France or indeed further abroad,” he said.