For many years Theresa Villiers has been concerned about live export and live transport of animals for slaughter. She has written the following article setting out some of the key issues and calling for a ban on live exports overseas.
“Around 15 years ago, when I represented London in the European Parliament, I became involved in a number of campaigns to improve animal welfare standards. I was particularly worried about the plight of farm animals when they are transported.
Each year, millions of live farm animals around the world are transported thousands of miles for slaughter, or to places where they will be fattened for slaughter. Long distance transport can cause great suffering. There are many cases of animals being crammed into vehicles, where they can be injured or trampled to death. They can be in transit for days, suffering extremes of temperature and often without sufficient food, water or rest.
There are extensive EU rules which seek to minimise the suffering animals experience while being transported. During my time in the European Parliament, I campaigned successfully for these to be strengthened with greater restrictions placed on this cruel trade. But enforcement of the rules is patchy and when animals are exported out of the EU, they lose protection altogether which means they can face terrible abuse.
I believe we should work towards a situation where animals are fattened and slaughtered as close as possible to their place of birth with long distance live transport of animals for slaughter replaced by a trade in meat.
I have always been very impressed by the work done on this issue by the campaign group, Compassion in World Farming. They are fighting to reduce maximum journey time across the EU, end exports from the EU to non-EU countries, and ensure international legislation and guidelines on the welfare of animals in transport and slaughter are enforced.
They also want live exports from the UK to be banned. I too would like to see live exports banned (except for exports to Ireland across the land border because these are often essentially local arrangements not involving long distance transport).
The Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847 states that all ports must allow the free trade of ‘goods’, including farm animals. So, by law British public ports must allow lorries full of animals to pass through, even if the port authority does not agree with the trade. EU law currently prevents us from implementing a ban on live exports despite public support for such a change.
Now that we are leaving the EU, we can make our own choices on whether to ban live exports. My Conservative colleague, Craig MacKinlay MP, has proposed a Private Member’s Bill to amend the 1847 Act to allow ports and local authorities to ban live exports. I was in Parliament to support the Bill’s Second Reading earlier this month but unfortunately it did not take place because the previous Bill took up all the available time.
I will continue to campaign for an end to live exports overseas and will be pressing the Government to implement one as soon as possible."
For more information on the campaign to ban live exports, click on this link to visit the Compassion in World Farming website.