Local MP John Lamont has welcomed plans by the UK Government to strengthen animal welfare laws.
Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate today, the MP said that leaving the EU gives the UK an opportunity to further strengthen animal welfare laws.
The intervention comes as the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove MP published new legislation which would mean a recognition of animal sentience is reflected in domestic law. The draft bill sets out that the UK government “must have regard to the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings in formulating and implementing government policy”.
The new Bill will also ensure animal abuses can be jailed for up to 5 years in England and Wales. Currently in Scotland the maximum jail term is 12 months for animal cruelty offences.
Local MP John Lamont has said the plans deliver on the Government’s commitment to raise animal welfare standards, building on policies such as the banning or microbeads, the banning of ivory and plans to introduce CCTV in slaughterhouses in England.
He has also called on the Scottish Government to follow suit and to increase the penalties for animal cruelty north of the Border. A report by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home this year concluded that “Scotland has one of the lowest sentences for animal cruelty in Europe.”
John Lamont MP said: “I very much welcome these plans, as I’m sure will the many constituents who have contacted me about animal welfare over the past few weeks.
“Despite some misleading headlines, the UK Government’s track record on animal welfare is very strong. Ministers have answered calls to ban microbeads and ivory and these proposals will further build on the already excellent animal welfare standards we have in Scotland and in the United Kingdom. Today, I am calling on the Scottish Government to follow suit and to increase the penalties for animal cruelty north of the Border.
“Leaving the EU actually presents us with the opportunity to enhance our animal welfare laws and better protect local produce.
“As part of the EU we cannot ban products which breach our animal welfare standards or effectively tackle the exploitative trade of pets. Brexit will mean that we can do more to stop animals raised in poor practices coming in to the UK and it will also mean we can better promote British products which have some of the best welfare standards.”
RSPCA Head of Public Affairs David Bowles said: “This is potentially great news for animals post-Brexit.
“To include the recognition of animal sentience as well as increasing animal cruelty sentencing to 5 years into the new 2018 Animal Welfare Bill is a very bold and welcome move by the Government.
“Even better, the legislation explicitly rejects the kind of exemptions for activities that the European Union deemed acceptable - such as bull-fighting and producing foie gras - which will offer even stronger protection than Article 13 of the EU Treaty could ever do.
“We warmly welcome measures to evaluate government policy against animal sentience and we await further detail.”
For more information about the UK Government’s draft Bill, see:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-secretary-publishes-bill-to-strengthen-animal-welfare
In 100 jurisdictions measured by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in a 2017 survey, over half had maximum sentences for animal cruelty of 3 years or more:
http://notfunny.battersea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sentences_cruelty_report_Scotland.pdf