Firstly, my ministerial colleagues have made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns. This method of production has been banned in the UK for over 15 years following the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which brought forward a legal requirement to provide for an animal’s welfare needs, such as supplying a suitable diet and protecting the animal from injury and disease. Under this legislation, it is a criminal offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal. I would like to assure you that ministers are united in their commitment to upholding our world-leading standards in animal welfare.
Regarding the sale and import of foie gras, the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare sets out the Government’s vision to introduce a range of world-leading reforms to improve the welfare and conservation of animals at home and abroad. Through this Action Plan, my ministerial colleagues have committed to building a clear evidence base to inform decisions on the import or sale of foie gras.
In regards to your concerns about the fur trade, the farming of fur has been banned in the UK for 20 years. As well as this, there are already restrictions on some skin and fur products which may never be legally imported into the UK. The UK has established controls on fur from endangered species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and does not allow imports of fur from wild animals caught using methods which are non-compliant with international humane trapping standards.
I appreciate that there is considerable support for banning all imports of fur products. The Government has decided to seek views on animal welfare through a recent call for evidence. This will be published soon and will be used to inform any future decisions on the fur trade.
Please be assured that I will follow these developments closely. We are a nation of animal lovers, so it is only right that we have some of the highest welfare standards in the world.
