Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Select Committee Announcement
DEBATE ON ANIMAL WELFARE TO BE HELD IN CHAMBER OF HOUSE
OF COMMONS
Neil Parish MP, Chair of the Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs Committee, is pleased to announce that he has been granted a
debate on animal welfare in the House of Commons Chamber. The debate will start
at approx. 11.30am on Thursday 30 March.
You can contact your own member of parliament to find out whether they will be attending and supporting the debate.
MP contacts can be found online here -
www.writetothem.comYou can contact your own member of parliament to find out whether they will be attending and supporting the debate.
Neil Parish MP says “Our
inquiry into animal welfare highlighted the scale of the puppy trade in the UK.
The quality of life of the puppies vary considerably and I believe that banning
the third party sale of dogs is essential to improving the condition of dogs sold
in the UK. Since the publication of our report, many welfare organisations,
such as the RSPCA, have changed their minds on third party sales and agree that
there should be a ban. I will be urging the Government to look again at this
issue.
During our inquiry, we
found that incidences of inhumane treatment of animals are all too common.
Sentencing powers under the Animal Welfare Act are some of the weakest within
the international community. The Animal Welfare Act was a landmark piece of
legislation in 2006, but it is now time for the Government to legislate to
increase the maximum custodial sentence for animal cruelty. I believe that the
maximum penalty should be increased to five years.”
- The Committee published its report on Animal welfare in England: domestic pets on 16 November 2016 and the Government response to the Committee's report was published on 7 February 2017.
