Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill Response

Thank you to the many constituents who have contacted me regarding the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill.

I have long supported calls to enshrine the principle of animal sentience in UK law to prevent practices that expose both wild and domestic animals to cruel and degrading treatment.

There is a wealth of scientific evidence proving animals can feel and experience pain and we must adopt that recognition in UK law to move forward on animal welfare.

This is something that has been a priority of Labour and its devolved government in Wales, so it is encouraging to see the UK Government introduce this bill.

I welcome this Bill and believe the formal and legal recognition of animal sentience sends a clear message that we are committed as a country to protecting the welfare of animals.

I also welcome the inclusion of decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs to the list of sentient animals in the Bill.

I am pleased the legislation will apply across Government and that it includes wild animals, but I am concerned it has taken a long time to be introduced and that it is vague in many respects.

Additionally, any commitment on paper must be followed up in practice for it to be meaningful.

For example, I believe the Government should take this opportunity to legislate for measures to ensure domestic animal welfare is not undercut by international trade deals with countries of lower animal welfare standards.

High animal welfare standards are something that the UK prides itself on and I hope it is upheld by government.

To truly improve animal welfare, there needs to be prospective – not just retrospective – consideration of Government policies.

I believe the Government should proactively set up a cross-departmental animal sentience strategy.

There must also be clarity about who will sit on the Animal Sentience Committee, how it will be funded and how we can be sure Ministers abide by reports that come from it.

Whilst the bill may now have passed, I will continue to join Labour colleagues in scrutinising ministers on the points laid out above, ensuring their words are followed up with firm actions.