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New legislation will put an end to the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain.
The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill – which has been introduced in Parliament today (4 December 2023) – delivers on a key manifesto commitment to ban the export of live animals including cattle, sheep, and pigs.
This legislation is only possible now we have left the European Union and will stop animals enduring unnecessary stress, exhaustion and injury on long journeys.
As the highest ranked G7 nation according to World Animal Protection’s Index, the Government is committed to high animal welfare standards and ensuring all animals are treated kindly at all stages of life. We have been clear that animals should only be transported when necessary, and if possible should not travel long distances to be slaughtered.
The Bill will ensure that animals are slaughtered domestically in high welfare UK slaughterhouses, reinforcing our position as a world leader on animal welfare, boosting the value of British meat and helping to grow the economy.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:
We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world.
This Bill makes use of post-Brexit freedoms to strengthen these standards by preventing the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening, which we know causes animals unnecessary stress and injury.
The legislation follows a 2020 consultation on ending live animal exports in which 87% of respondents agreed that livestock should not be exported for slaughter and fattening. This Bill also follows a manifesto commitment and Action Plan for Animal Welfare pledge to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening.
Kerry Postlewhite, assistant director of campaigns and prevention at the RSPCA, said:
After fifty years of campaigning to end live exports, it is so important, and welcome, that the UK Government is acting to ban the live export of animals - outlawing the long, crowded journeys, mental exhaustion, physical injury, dehydration and stress that are a reality for farm animals on these unnecessary journeys.
It is great that the new Defra Secretary of State has shown such strong and enthusiastic support previously for a ban on live exports - and we look forward to this policy becoming a reality.
Philip Lymbery, Compassion in World Farming’s Global CEO, said:
We greatly welcome the publication of legislation to ban live exports. This is an historic moment which we hope will finally see an end to the unnecessary export trade in cattle and sheep for slaughter or fattening from Great Britain. We urge a speedy passage for this long-awaited measure, to ensure that the export of unweaned calves on journeys often lasting 60 hours or more will finally be banned. And that a line will be drawn under the practice of sending sheep on journeys that can last many days, simply to be slaughtered on arrival.
Read more here.