Animal welfare

All Standard Notes
18 Documents
DateDescription
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
05.02.2013Horse Meat Controls and Regulations
This note covers the controls in place to ensure any horse meat entering the food chain is fit for human consumption, including details of horse passports
12.12.2012Export of Live Animals within the European Union
This notes summarises the rules governing the export of live animals within EU countries.
24.10.2012Badger Culling: Policy to 2008
This note covers the badger culling trials carried out by the previous Government and policy to 2008.
23.10.2012TB Vaccination of Badgers
This note outlines policy in England and Wales on TB vaccination of badgers
17.07.2012Wild 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.
26.06.2012Animal Experiments: Stray and Feral Animals
This notes covers the transposition on the EU Directive on animal experiments and the concerns raised about stray animals.
22.06.2012Sheep
this note covers issues of importance to sheep farming, including welfare, electronic tagging and diseases
11.06.2012Pigs
This note covers problems faced by pig farmers, partly because of stricter welfare legislation in the UK than elsewhere in the European Union
11.06.2012Religious slaughter
This note deals with the concession allowing religious slaughter of animals without pre-stunning
05.03.2012Battery hens
Battery cages are widely used to keep hens that lay eggs. This note covers law, welfare issues and the EU ban on this practice from 2012.
22.02.2011Animal cloning
A number of commentators have raised concerns about the implications of animal cloning for food safety, food supply and animal welfare. Others stress that animal cloning has the potential to improve animal welfare and farming productivity. It may even be used in the conservation of endangered species. This note sets out background information on the different arguments and the regulatory controls on the use of this technology in food production.
08.02.2011Cosmetics Testing on Animals: EU Ban
This note covers a proposed EU ban on the use in cosmetics of any ingredients tested on animals. Currently ingredients tested on animals outside the EU are allowed but are due to be phased out by 2013.
01.07.2010Marine litter: 'continents' of rubbish
A large amount of plastic is accumulating in large areas of the sea. These areas have been dubbed 'great garbage patches' or 'plastic continents'. The long term environmental impacts of marine plastic pollution are unknown. There are concerns that it may lead to chemical contaminants entering the food chain, although more research is required.
12.11.2004The Hunting Bill 2003/4 and the Parliament Act
The Hunting Bill 2003/4 and the Parliament Act. By Elena Ares and Richard Kelly. SN/SC/3181.
22.09.2004Commons Divisions on Hunting: Members' voting records
Commons Divisions on Hunting: Members' voting records. By Ross Young and Edmund Tetteh. SN/SG/3188.
All Research Papers
7 Documents
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.
14.01.2000Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill (Bill 6 of 1999/2000)
Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill (Bill 6 of 1999/2000). House of Commons Library Research Paper 00/4.
15.01.1998Animal Welfare
Animal welfare. House of Commons Library Research Paper 98/12.