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Threads / Farm Animal Health and Welfare Improvements / Timeline
Lifecycle stage Implementation
546 days in stage

Farm Animal Health and Welfare Improvements

DEFRA is leading a programme to improve farm animal health and welfare standards across multiple species and practices. The initiative encompasses recent legislation on dog/cat/ferret imports and livestock exports, alongside active consultations on stunning methods for pigs, castration and tail-docking for lambs, and cage bans for laying hens. Current work includes reviewing euthanasia procedures and enforcement mechanisms for animal welfare offences.

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2026

9 events
9 Mar 2026 | Consultation (closed) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Lamb Welfare: Consultation on proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods (Lles Ŵyn: Ymgynghoriad ar newidiadau arfaethedig i ddulliau ysbaddu a thocio cynffonnau) — consultation closed

Please respond to this consultation using the Citizen Space consultation hub: Please use the link underneath "give us your views" at the bottom of this page. This will take you to the first page of the consultation. Scroll to the …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
9 Mar 2026 | Consultation (closed) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Cage reform: proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages (Diwygio cewyll: gwaharddiad arfaethedig ar gadw ieir dodwy, cywennod ac ieir bridio mewn cewyll) — consultation closed

In 1999, conventional ‘battery’ cages for laying hens (for keepers with 350 or more birds) were banned throughout the European Union, including in the UK, but with a 12-year transition period to 1 January 2012 before the ban came into …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
21 Jan 2026 | Policy paper Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Government response to the Animal Sentience Committee report on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Response to the Animal Sentience Committee's view on the consideration of impacts on animal welfare in the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Private Members Bill.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK · ↓ Government response to the Animal Sentience Com…
+1 more
↓ Government response to the Animal Sentience Committee repor… (8pp)
12 Jan 2026 | Consultation (closed) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Cage reform: proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages (Diwygio cewyll: gwaharddiad arfaethedig ar gadw ieir dodwy, cywennod ac ieir bridio mewn cewyll) — consultation opened

In 1999, conventional ‘battery’ cages for laying hens (for keepers with 350 or more birds) were banned throughout the European Union, including in the UK, but with a 12-year transition period to 1 January 2012 before the ban came into …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
12 Jan 2026 | Consultation (closed) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Lamb Welfare: Consultation on proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods (Lles Ŵyn: Ymgynghoriad ar newidiadau arfaethedig i ddulliau ysbaddu a thocio cynffonnau) — consultation opened

Please respond to this consultation using the Citizen Space consultation hub: Please use the link underneath "give us your views" at the bottom of this page. This will take you to the first page of the consultation. Scroll to the …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK

2025

12 events
16 Jun 2025 | Policy paper Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Government response to the Animal Sentience Committee’s report on animal welfare legislation enforcement

Response to the Animal Sentience Committee’s report on whether the government has all due regard to the welfare of animals as sentient beings in relation to animal welfare legislation surveillance and enforcement.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK · ↓ Government response to Animal Sentience Committ…
+1 more
↓ Government response to Animal Sentience Committee: report o… (13pp)

2024

21 events
14 May 2024 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Third Reading Scottish and Welsh Legislative Consent granted . 15:17:00 Motion Moved by Lord Douglas-Miller: That the Bill do now pass. Baroness Hoey (Non-Afl): My Lords, I assure noble Lords that I will not hold business up for very long. …

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8 May 2024 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Report Scottish and Welsh Legislative Consent granted 15:49:00 Amendment 1 Moved by 1: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— “Regulations about extension to list of relevant livestock(1) An appropriate national authority may by regulations amend the list of …

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14 Mar 2024 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Committee 13:00:00 Clause 1 agreed. Amendment 1 Moved by 1: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— “Regulations about extension to list of relevant livestock(1) An appropriate national authority may by regulations extend the list of “relevant livestock” in …

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21 Feb 2024 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Second Reading Scottish and Welsh Legislative Consent sought . 15:52:00 Moved by Lord Douglas-Miller: That the Bill be now read a second time. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Douglas-Miller) (Con): My Lords, …

▤ View Bill · ↗ Parliament
15 Jan 2024 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill (Instruction)

Bill to be considered in Committee Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): Before the House resolves itself into Committee, I draw Members’ attention to the instruction motion on the Order Paper, in the name of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, to allow …

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15 Jan 2024 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Considered in Committee [Relevant documents: First Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of Session 2021-22, Moving animals across borders, HC 79 ; and the Government response , HC 986 .] [Mr Nigel Evans in the Chair ] …

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2023

11 events
18 Dec 2023 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill

Second Reading [Relevant documents: First report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of Session 2021-22, HC 79, and the Government response, HC 986 .] 18:08:00 The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Barclay): I …

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25 May 2023 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con): 9. What recent discussions she has had with the Leader of the House on the parliamentary timetable for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dr Thérèse …

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23 Feb 2023 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD): 9. What discussions she has had with the Leader of the House on the parliamentary timetable for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dr Thérèse …

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2022

30 events
5 Dec 2022 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

[Relevant documents: Second Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Session 2021-22, Moving animals across borders, HC 79, and the Government response, HC 986.] 16:30:00 Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con): I beg to move, That this House …

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8 Sep 2022 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

Mr Louie French (Old Bexley and Sidcup) (Con): 6. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the progress of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Ranil Jayawardena): …

▤ View Bill · ↗ Parliament
1 Apr 2022 | Bill stage linked

Animals (Penalty Notices) Bill

Third Reading 10:28:00 Motion Moved by The Earl of Shrewsbury: That the Bill do now pass. The Earl of Shrewsbury (Con): My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Randall of Uxbridge, I beg to move that this Bill …

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28 Mar 2022 | Bill stage linked

Animals (Penalty Notices) Bill

Order of Commitment 15:37:00 Moved by Lord Randall of Uxbridge: That the order of commitment be discharged. Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con): My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble …

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25 Mar 2022 | Bill stage linked

Game Birds (Cage Breeding) Bill [HL]

Second Reading 12:07:00 Moved by Lord Randall of Uxbridge: That the Bill be now read a second time. Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con): My Lords, this Bill is not about the rights and wrongs of game shooting per se, its …

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18 Mar 2022 | Bill stage linked

Animals (Penalty Notices) Bill

Second Reading 13:18:00 Moved by Lord Randall of Uxbridge: That the Bill be now read a second time. Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con): My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. I am …

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4 Feb 2022 | Bill stage linked

Animals (Penalty Notices) Bill

Bill, not amended in the Public Bill Committee, considered. Third Reading 09:49:00 Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con): I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I thank you, Mr Speaker, and all Members in the House …

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2021

25 events
29 Oct 2021 | Bill stage linked

Animals (Penalty Notices) Bill

Second Reading 12:46:00 Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con): I beg to move, That the Bill be read a Second time. As chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on zoos and aquariums, a former shadow Minister for animal welfare and a committed …

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25 Oct 2021 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

Second Reading 17:48:00 The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (George Eustice): I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. This Bill is the second that the Government are introducing concerning the …

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18 Aug 2021 | Consultation outcome Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Live animal exports: improvements to animal welfare in transport — outcome published

Seeking views on ending live animal exports for slaughter and fattening, starting in or transported through England or Wales, and on further improvements to animal welfare in transport.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK · ↓ Summary of responses and government response (31pp)
+1 more
↓ Summary of responses and government response (Welsh version) (32pp)
10 Jun 2021 | Bill stage linked

Game Birds (Cage Breeding) Bill [HL]

First Reading 13:18:00 A Bill to prohibit the use of raised laying or battery cages to keep certain game birds for the purpose of producing eggs; to set minimum space requirements for enclosures for such birds; and for connected purposes. …

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28 Apr 2021 | Bill stage linked

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

Third Reading 13:22:00 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Gardiner of Kimble) (Con): My Lords, before my noble friend Lord Randall of Uxbridge proceeds with the Bill, I will make a very brief …

▤ View Bill · ↗ Parliament
22 Apr 2021 | Bill stage linked

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

Order of Commitment Discharged 13:18:00 Moved by Lord Randall of Uxbridge: That the order of commitment be discharged. Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con): My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no …

▤ View Bill · ↗ Parliament
16 Apr 2021 | Bill stage linked

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

Second Reading 13:28:00 Moved by Lord Randall of Uxbridge: That the Bill be now read a second time. Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con) [V]: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. I …

▤ View Bill · ↗ Parliament
25 Feb 2021 | Consultation outcome Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Live animal exports: improvements to animal welfare in transport — consultation closed

Seeking views on ending live animal exports for slaughter and fattening, starting in or transported through England or Wales, and on further improvements to animal welfare in transport.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK · ↓ Summary of responses and government response (31pp)
+1 more
↓ Summary of responses and government response (Welsh version) (32pp)
25 Feb 2021 | Consultation (closed) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Improvements to animal welfare in transport — consultation closed

The current rules aimed at protecting animal welfare in transport are derived from directly applicable EU law, Council Regulation No 1/2005. The Regulation sets out the requirements that anyone transporting animals in connection with an economic activity must comply with. …

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2020

7 events
3 Dec 2020 | Consultation outcome Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Live animal exports: improvements to animal welfare in transport — consultation opened

Seeking views on ending live animal exports for slaughter and fattening, starting in or transported through England or Wales, and on further improvements to animal welfare in transport.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK · ↓ Summary of responses and government response (31pp)
+1 more
↓ Summary of responses and government response (Welsh version) (32pp)
23 Oct 2020 | Bill stage linked

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

[Relevant documents: Second Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of Session 2017-19, Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the d raft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017, HC 709, and the Government r esponse, HC 984.] Second …

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2019

11 events
31 Oct 2019 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

Sir Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire) (Con): 7. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the timeframe for the passage of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Theresa Villiers): …

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10 Jul 2019 | Bill stage Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill

[Relevant Documents: Second Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017, HC 709, and the Government Response, HC 984 .] Second Reading Madam Deputy Speaker …

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2018

3 events

2017

3 events

2015

1 event

2013

2 events