An e-petition calling on the Government to ban the export of live farm animals to the EU is to be debated by MPs in the House of Commons after a petition achieved over 89,000 signatures.  The debate will start at 4:30pm today (view using link below) and will be opened by Steve Double MP, a Member of the Petitions Committee.

• TV: End the export of live farm animals after Brexit

• Read: petition and Government Response

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In reply to the petition, the Government noted they had a Manifesto commitment to take early steps to control the export of live farm animals for slaughter and said they were “considering options in this context”.

Speaking ahead of the debate Steve Double MP said:

“For too long the regulations on exporting live animals from the UK have been dictated by our membership of the EU and have not reflected the views of the majority of British people.”

Once we leave the EU, we will have the opportunity to change our laws and among many other things, be able to bring greater restrictions and regulations to exporting live animals.

The debate on Monday provides the opportunity for us to explore this emotive issue and consider what we may want to see put in place post Brexit.”

There have been a number of campaigns against live animal exports for slaughter on welfare grounds; and concern about cases such as that of 40 sheep that were euthanised in 2012 at the Port of Ramsgate following transport problems. In the case that followed the High Court ruled that the Port could not ban live animal exports, on the grounds of freedom of movement within the EU and existing UK legislation.

There has been speculation that once the UK leaves the EU, it could ban live exports. In November 2016, the then Minister said that the Government had not reached a position on the nature of future arrangements concerning live animal exports after Brexit. Some, including the RSPCA , have questioned whether it will be legally possible to ban such trade under World Trade Organisation rules.

The 2017 Conservative Manifesto stated the UK could take early steps to control the export of live farm animals for slaughter once it left the EU. Since then, Defra has stated that a ban is one of the options being considered. Concerns have been raised on the impact of a ban on the export of live animals from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.

There is a Private Members Bill in the current session, aimed at a live export ban with exemption for the Northern Ireland border as soon as the UK leaves the EU. The Labour Party has also proposed a ban, with a similar exemption for the Northern Ireland border.

Photo courtesy Compassion in World Farming