Animal welfare

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on animal welfare. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs. Additional material on animal experiments is available.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
23.07.2013Export of Live Animals within the European Union
This notes summarises the rules governing the export of live animals within EU countries.
01.07.2013Wild Animals In Circuses
This notes covers the calls from campaigners for the ban of all wild animals in circuses and the Government's proposed licensing scheme.
12.06.2013EU bibliographies: Food safety legislation: review package
This Note brings together documents relevant to the proposals to strengthen and simplify health and safety standards for the whole agri-food chain and their scrutiny in the UK and EU, published on 6 May 2013. It is not an attempt to define policy in this area. For information on policy developments contact Emma Downing on extn 6787.
04.06.2013Badger Culling
This note summarises the proposals for allowing farmers in England to cull badgers and the Governments decison to go ahead with a cull, starting with two pilot areas in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset. The cull was postponed until 2012, but licences were for it to go ahead from 1st June 2013
30.05.2013Dangerous Dogs
A summary of existing legislation and changes announced in February 2013

Research Papers

DateDescription
16.01.2006Animal Welfare Bill (Bill 58 of 2005-06).
13.12.2002Hunting Bill (Bill 10 of 2002/03)
Hunting Bill. (Bill 10 of 2002/03). House of Commons Library Research Paper 02/82.
08.11.2001Animal Health Bill (Bill 39 of 2001-02)
Animal Health Bill (Bill 39 of 2001/02). House of Commons Library Research Paper 01/89.
14.12.2000Hunting Bill (Bill 2 of 2000/01)
Hunting Bill. (Bill 2 of 2000/01). House of Commons Library Research Paper 00/96. (Revised edition 19.12.00)
02.02.2000Export of Farm Animals Bill (Bill 11 of 1999/2000)
Export of Farm Animals Bill (Bill 20 of 1999/2000). House of Commons Library Research Paper 00/11.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
19.07.2011Welfare of laying hens directive - implications for the egg industry.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
11.01.2012INSPECTION REPORTS ON CIRCUS ESTABLISHMENTS
That this House notes with concern the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) decision to withhold access to the inspection reports on circus establishments carried ...
10.01.2012INTERNATIONAL WHALING
That this House condemns the departure of the Japanese whaling fleet for Antarctica with the intention of killing almost 1,000 whales; believes that whaling is cruel and unnecessary ...
10.01.2012BAN ON WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES
That this House, recalling its support for the motion approved at the backbench debate held on 23 June 2011, directing the Government to use its powers under section 12 of the Animal ...
12.12.2011CLOSE SEASON FOR HARE SHOOTING
That this House deplores the shooting of hares throughout their breeding season as cruel and unnecessary; notes that in Scotland the brown hare and mountain hare now have close seasons ...
29.11.2011WILD ANIMALS IN TRAVELLING CIRCUSES
That this House believes that the use of wild animals in travelling circuses is fundamentally wrong because their welfare and well-being is continuously compromised by confinement in ...

POST Papers

DateDescription
12.04.2013Livestock Vaccines
This POSTnote examines the use of vaccines and outlines the pros and cons of using vaccination in livestock.
12.10.2011Improving livestock
This note describes current technologies used in livestock breeding, research into future technologies and how the improvement of livestock can contribute towards future food security.
12.10.2011Livestock disease
This POSTnote examines disease threats to UK livestock, outlines prevention and control measures, and looks at factors likely to contribute to future disease.
01.01.2010Pets, families and interagency working, January 2010
This POSTnote examines the evidence base for the assumption that organisations that work with animals should be included in the safeguarding children agenda, and the rationale for cross-reporting between different agencies.
01.02.2009Wild deer, February 2009
This POSTnote examines the current status of wild deer in the UK, their ecological, economic and social impacts and legislation on their management.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - papers compiled by the House of Lords Library on Bills and for debates in the Lords