Due to other diary commitments, I was unable to attend the Fur Free Britain reception in Parliament on 25 January.
However, I would like to assure you that the UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and it is right that we continue to raise the bar.
My ministerial colleagues and I are committed to upholding high standards in animal welfare. The Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare sets out Ministers' vision to introduce a range of world-leading reforms to improve the welfare and conservation of animals at home and abroad.
The Government appreciates that there is considerable support for banning all imports of fur products. Fur farming has been banned in the UK for 20 years but while we were members of the EU, we were obliged to allow it to be imported. I am aware that the Government sought views on animal welfare through a call for evidence and 30,000 responses were received from businesses, representative bodies, and individuals, demonstrating the strong public interest in this area.
Ministers have been reviewing the evidence gathered both from the call for evidence and wider engagement with the industry. I understand that the Government will be publishing a summary of responses in due course.
