[{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"44230","proposer":"24735","edm":"98","session":"2012-13","title":"Rescue Of European Brown Bears","text":"That this House welcomes the recent rescue of three European brown bears, Carmen, Suzy and Peggy, from homelessness in Belgium and their relocation to Five Sisters Zoo in Polbeth, West Lothian; notes that the three bears were all born in captivity and spent more than 20 years living in cages barely bigger than themselves, while being transported around Europe as part of a circus troop; commends everyone involved in the fundraising appeal which allowed the bears to be relocated to their new home in West Lothian, which has a large built-in waterfall and stream with indoor and outdoor enclosures; believes that the terrible suffering of these bears underlines the significant welfare problems related to keeping wild animals in circuses; and calls on the Government to drop its plans for a licensing scheme and introduce an outright ban on wild animals in circuses instead, as unanimously agreed by the House on 23 June 2011.","date":"2012-05-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"44147","proposer":"10527","edm":"15","session":"2012-13","title":"Close Season For Hare Shooting","text":"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 to protect nursing mothers and their dependent young; and calls on the Government to confer similar protection on these icons of the British countryside.","date":"2012-05-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"44152","proposer":"10527","edm":"20","session":"2012-13","title":"Industrialisation Of Dairy Farming","text":"That this House notes that pressures are building for the increasing industrialisation of UK dairy farming and that a growing number of cows are being kept indoors for all or most of the year, many of which are pushed to extremely high milk yields; further notes the 2009 report by the European Food Safety Authority which concluded that breeding for high milk yield is the major factor causing poor health and welfare in cows; and believes that the factory farming of dairy cows must be brought to an end.","date":"2012-05-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"44008","proposer":"10203","edm":"2903","session":"2010-12","title":"Badger Vaccination","text":"That this House congratulates Welsh Government Minister John Griffiths for rejecting the call for badger slaughter; believes such a cull was irrational and based on bad science; and applauds his decision to proceed with a programme of vaccination that is likely to reduce tuberculosis in wildlife and farm animals.","date":"2012-03-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43954","proposer":"10176","edm":"2850","session":"2010-12","title":"Cruelty In A Concrete Jungle","text":"That this House congratulates the World Society for the Protection of Animals for its recent Cruelty in a Concrete Jungle exhibition in the Members' Dining Room; believes that the cruelty to endangered species and links to organised crime justifies the taxpayer funding a well-resourced, London-based, Wildlife Crime Unit; and calls on all candidates for the London Mayoral election to declare they will provide funding at a minimum level that equates to the same real-term value it received in 2003.","date":"2012-03-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43682","proposer":"24910","edm":"2586","session":"2010-12","title":"Inspection Reports On Circus Establishments","text":"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 out by DEFRA-appointed staff from the House and from Animal Defenders International; believes that these reports are being used by DEFRA to inform the new proposals on a licensing system on the use of wild animals in circuses; further notes with concern that the Government's refusal to allow access to this critical information prevents Parliamentary scrutiny and open public debate involving all stakeholders; and calls on the Government to release this information immediately.","date":"2012-01-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43658","proposer":"10147","edm":"2563","session":"2010-12","title":"Ban On Wild Animals In Circuses","text":"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 Welfare Act 2006 to introduce a regulation banning the use of all wild animals in circuses to take effect by 1 July 2012, recognises that despite unanimous support for the motion from hon. Members on a cross-party basis, the Government has been unclear in its willingness to listen to the will of the House; believes that a licensing system will not address the main welfare problems that circus animals endure and may inadvertently encourage a new era of wild animal imports for circus use; underlines that routine abuse against animals will continue to occur in circuses until there is an outright ban; and urges the Government to take immediate action to fulfil the will of the House by enacting a ban on wild animals in circuses.","date":"2012-01-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43660","proposer":"11494","edm":"2565","session":"2010-12","title":"International Whaling","text":"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 and that there is no humane way to kill a whale; opposes the accession of Iceland to the EU unless it ceases whaling; welcomes the record of successive UK governments in taking the lead in opposing whaling at the International Whaling Commission (IWC); andurges the Government to take diplomatic action at the highest level to urge Japan, Iceland and Norway to end their whaling for commercial purposes and to ensure that the IWC becomes a true conservation body for the protection of whales.","date":"2012-01-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43626","proposer":"10527","edm":"2531","session":"2010-12","title":"Close Season For Hare Shooting","text":"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 to protect nursing mothers and their dependent young; and calls on the Government to confer similar protection upon these icons of the British countryside.","date":"2011-12-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43583","proposer":"10428","edm":"2488","session":"2010-12","title":"Wild Animals In Travelling Circuses","text":"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 an environment that can never meet their complex needs; notes the results of the recent Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs'public consultation on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses which produced an outcome of 94 per cent. of participants stating their wish for the introduction of a complete ban on such practices; and therefore calls on the Government immediately to bring forward legislation to end the confinement of all wild animals in the inherently unsuitableand unacceptable environments of travelling circuses throughout the UK.","date":"2011-11-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43535","proposer":"10428","edm":"2443","session":"2010-12","title":"Eu Conventional Battery Cage Ban And Illegal Egg Imports","text":"That this House is alarmed by news that illegal eggs for general consumption could continue to be imported into the UK after 1 January2012 despite the EU conventional battery cage ban being brought into force on that date; notes that the European Commission has admitted that there will be a number of countries within the EU whose producers will not comply with the ban despite having been given 12 years to do so; and calls on the Government urgently to request the European Commission to support the introduction of an intra-community trade ban to stop such illegal eggs being traded outside their country of origin, take immediate action to introduce a rigorous checking mechanism for those products and work with other member states to prevent illegal eggs entering the UK market place.","date":"2011-11-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43514","proposer":"10203","edm":"2409A1","session":"2010-12","title":"Game To Eat Campaign","text":"leave out from `Campaign' to end and add `which will help to publicise Britain's worst animal cruelty secret; regrets the indifference to animal suffering that subjects 40 million birds annually to inhumane battery cages that breed enfeebled birds who cannot protect themselves from weather exposure or road traffic resulting in most of them dying before they face the guns; and believes that these foul practices can be challenged only if diners reject game and thus avoid cruelty on a plate.'.","date":"2011-11-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43499","proposer":"13864","edm":"2409","session":"2010-12","title":"Game To Eat Campaign","text":"That this House welcomes the Game to Eat Campaign initiated by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Countryside Alliance; and encourages the general public to eat more game recognising that it is nutritious and healthy food and can be a tasty part of a balanced healthydiet.","date":"2011-11-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43502","proposer":"11199","edm":"2412","session":"2010-12","title":"National Staffordshire Bull Terrier Weekend","text":"That this House commends the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club for promoting the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed and responsible dog ownership on the occasion of National Staffordshire Bull Terrier Weekend on 12 and 13 November 2011; notes that Staffordshire Bull Terriers are among the top 10 most popular breeds registered with the Kennel Club and are known to be one of the most friendly, affectionate and loyal family dogs; further notes with sadness that the breed is frequently misrepresented in the press as vicious and dangerous as well as being the most common breed that is abandoned in rescue centres around the country; and therefore calls on all Staffordshire Bull Terrier owners and dog lovers alike to continue to highlight what a wonderful family pet this great British breed of dog can be.","date":"2011-11-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43356","proposer":"24715","edm":"2273","session":"2010-12","title":"Cctv In UK Slaughterhouses","text":"That this House calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals for the mandatory installation of CCTV in UK slaughterhouses; expresses concern that eight of the nine slaughterhouses secretly filmed by Animal Aid have breached the law, a failure rate of 89 per cent.; is disappointed with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' decision not to prosecute when evidence of animal welfare abuses are secretly recorded; believes that the introduction of compulsory CCTV in UK slaughterhouses will increase animal protection and allow those caught on film breaking the law to be prosecuted; welcomes the support of the Food Standards Agency (FSA)for the use of CCTV in slaughterhouses as a useful monitoring tool; notes that plant operators who operate CCTV are keen to demonstrate to FSA officials the high standard to which their operatives work; and furtherbelieves other UK slaughterhouses should follow this best practice to maintain the UK's position as a world leader on animal welfare standards.","date":"2011-10-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43339","proposer":"11963","edm":"2256","session":"2010-12","title":"Rhino Poaching","text":"That this House expresses concern at the continuing global practice of rhino poaching by crime syndicates and at the almost daily killing of these animals; notes that this practice is particularly prevalent in South Africa and Zimbabwe; further notes that almost 200 of these highly endangered animals were killed in South Africa alone in the first half of 2011 and killings this year are expected to exceed the 2010 figure of 333; expresses deep concern at the suffering faced by the animals during hunts by poachers; further notes that this poaching is fuelled by demand for rhino horn in traditional medicine markets in Asia; and calls on the Government to work with Asian and African nations to tackle this crime and enforce a global ban on rhino horn use in medicines.","date":"2011-10-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43342","proposer":"11199","edm":"2259","session":"2010-12","title":"Retired Greyhounds","text":"That this House recognises and applauds the work of the Retired Greyhound Trust, its branches and volunteers to find loving homes for greyhounds once their racing days are over; supports its work to promote greyhounds as pets; notes that the charity has now found more that 50,000 homes for greyhounds since it was established in 1976 and is now consistently rehoming more than 4,000 greyhounds a year; and acknowledges the vitalfinancial contribution to its work made by a large number of supporters and donors including many bookmakers via the British Greyhound Racing Fund.","date":"2011-10-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43297","proposer":"11199","edm":"2217","session":"2010-12","title":"Golden Jubilee Of The Veterinary Nursing Profession","text":"That this House notes that the title veterinary nurse is not protected, despite all veterinary nurses who are listed with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) having undertaken at least two years of education and clinical veterinary nurse training to safeguard animal health and welfare; notes that only those who are on the non-statutory RCVS Register have formally committed to keeping their skills and knowledge up-to-date by way of continuing professional development, follow a code of conduct and agree to be accountable for their professional practice; further notes that there arethose who call themselves veterinary nurses who have no formal veterinary nurse education and training; and therefore calls onGovernment to support the work of the RCVS' Veterinary Nurses Council, which is supported by the representative bodies the British Veterinary Nursing Association and the British Veterinary Association, to introduce a statutory regime for the regulation of veterinary nurses that will serve the public interest and better protect animal health and welfare.","date":"2011-10-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43247","proposer":"24735","edm":"2169","session":"2010-12","title":"Chinese Fur Farms","text":"That this House notes the film evidence of extreme animal cruelty in Chinese fur farms gathered by undercover investigators and revealed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals through its China's Shocking Fur Trade campaign; believes that such barbaric treatment of animals should not be tolerated anywhere in the world; calls on the Government to urge the Chinese authorities to stop the cruelty in fur farms and take urgent action to improve standards of animal welfare; and urges the Government to push the EU to impose a country of origin label to ensure consumers are able to make fully informed choices about products made from fur.","date":"2011-09-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43196","proposer":"24779","edm":"2122","session":"2010-12","title":"World Veterinary Year 2011","text":"That this House notes that 2011 is World Veterinary Year, marking the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the world's first veterinary school; recognises the key role of veterinarians in a changing world where issues of public health, animal health and welfare and global food security are increasingly important; further recognises the important role of veterinary surgeons in communities across the UK; further notes the role of the British Veterinary Association as the voice of the veterinary profession and the role of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in setting veterinary standards in the UK; and calls on the Government to support the goals and principles of World Veterinary Year and to deliver policies which complement the existing work of practitioners and enable and inspire future generations of veterinary students.","date":"2011-08-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43144","proposer":"10428","edm":"2073","session":"2010-12","title":"Live Export Of Farm Animals From Ramsgate","text":"That this House is concerned that live export of farm animals to continental Europe has resumed,this timevia the Port of Ramsgate, despite widespread local opposition from residents and their elected representatives; is aware that currently over 30,000 UK nationals have signed a petition calling for transport times involving live animals to be reduced to a maximum of eight hours, the same petition having already attracted the attention of over 300,000 EU citizens; calls on the Government to ban the export of live animals to continental Europe; and urges the Secretaries of State for Transport and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to amend the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847 to allow ports authorities in the UK the right to refuse any ship involved in such activities the use of its port.","date":"2011-07-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43085","proposer":"10521","edm":"2014","session":"2010-12","title":"Buav Campaign To Airlines Not To Transport Primates","text":"That this House congratulates those passenger airlines that have dissociated themselves from the cruelty of the international trade in primates for research; welcomes the campaign by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection to highlight the key role airlines play in transporting thousands of primates around the world each year from such countries as Mauritius, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia and Barbados for laboratories in the UK, elsewhere in Europe, USA and Japan; notes that the primates are ripped from their family and social groups, packed into small wooden crates and travel as cargo, predominantly on passenger flights; can be subject to delays, poor ventilation, noise, and temperature fluctuations and may suffer illness and even death in transit; and urges the Government to call on other airlines to join British Airways, British Midland, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Northwest Airlines, Qantas, South African Airways, Delta Airlines, Eva Air, China Airlines and many others in refusing to conduct this trade.","date":"2011-06-30","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"43007","proposer":"10258","edm":"1938","session":"2010-12","title":"Use Of The Whip In Horseracing","text":"That this House notes that use of the whip in horseracing is increasingly controversial within the industry itself, not least after the winner of the 2011 Grand National was severely beaten in the last part of a race that left the horse so exhausted he needed oxygen; further notes that Towcester racecourse recently announced that it wants to ban the whip except for reasons of safety; is dismayed that the standard whip in use in both Flat and Jump racing caused the wealing of at least 17 horses in 2010; and therefore calls on the Government to take steps to ensure that jockeys are banned from using the whip for encouragement of horses, but areallowed to use a whip only where safety is genuinely an issue, and that any jockey who breaks this rule loses his winnings in addition to being suspended from racing for a period of time.","date":"2011-06-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42979","proposer":"10527","edm":"1911","session":"2010-12","title":"British Tourism And The Calgary Stampede","text":"That this House is deeply concerned by the Calgary Stampede, to be held between 8 and 17 July 2011; believes that any attention paid to the rodeo will gloss over the cruelty of the spectacle; notes that in Great Britain rodeo events have been illegal since 1934; and urges UK citizens not to attend the event.","date":"2011-06-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42927","proposer":"24847","edm":"1860","session":"2010-12","title":"Wild Animals In Circuses (No.2)","text":"That this House regrets the failure of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ban the use of wild animals in circuses; further regrets the Secretary of State's statement to the House with regard to an Austrian court case which does not exist; regrets that Ministers are using a potential court case in Austria not to implement a ban on wild animals in circuses in the UK; questions Ministers' use of the Human Rights Act when the Department's own impact assessment on a ban states that there are no concerns; holds that the Government's proposed licensing scheme will fail adequately to protect the welfare of wild animals; notes that 94.5 per cent. of respondents to the previous administration's public consultation support a ban, as well as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the British Veterinary Association, the Born Free Foundation and Animal Defenders International; welcomes The Independent newspaper's petition calling for a ban which has attracted over 22,000 signatures; and urges the Government to use its powers under section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to introduce a regulation banning the use of all wild animals in circuses without further delay.","date":"2011-05-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42907","proposer":"11109","edm":"1841","session":"2010-12","title":"Red Grouse And A UK National Bird","text":"That this House notes there has never been an officially recognised bird of the UK; recognises that states such as India and New Zealand have such officially recognised birds, namely the Indian Peacock and the Kiwi, respectively; further recognises that a national bird provides a unique focal point through which a nation can express its pride of and concern for its natural heritage; acknowledges that the native Red Grouse is the only bird on this planet which exclusively inhabits the heather moors of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; believes that a national bird will generate a wide range of self-sustaining benefits in the environmental, civic, commerical and tourist sectors; affirms that for the Red Grouse to be credibly, authoritatively and permanently appointed as the UK's national bird the Government needs officially to recognise it as such; and duly calls on the Government to endorse the UK National Bird Campaign.","date":"2011-05-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42908","proposer":"10428","edm":"1842","session":"2010-12","title":"Eu Directive 2010\/63 On Animal Testing","text":"That this House notes that more than three million animals are killed each year in British laboratories, including several thousand non-human primates; is concerned that EU Directive 2010\/63\/EU, dealing with the protection of animals involved in scientific testing, falls short of current UK animal welfare standards; regrets that this House has never been consulted on this new Directive, especially as the use of animals in such a way is a source of great concern to the British public; supports the National Anti-Vivisection Society's campaign aimed at replacing animal testing with cruelty-free alternatives; and urges the Government to hold a democratic debate on this issue and the said EU Directive at the earliest opportunity.","date":"2011-05-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42869","proposer":"24942","edm":"1806","session":"2010-12","title":"Tigertime Campaign","text":"That this House commends the work of the artist and conservationist David Shepherd on his 80th birthday and notes the launch of his worldwide movement to save the tiger in the wild, TigerTime; expresses its backing for the wider aims of TigerTime; supports the first major TigerTime initiative which is to call on the government of China to demonstrably increase its enforcement work to suppress the trade in illegal tiger parts, including greater use of covert surveillance and intelligence-led targeting and prosecution of key organised criminals, consistent with Wen Jiabao's statement at the International Tiger Forum; and calls for concerted international action to secure the world's tiger population for future generations.","date":"2011-05-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42712","proposer":"10521","edm":"1658","session":"2010-12","title":"Elephant Anne And Roberts' Super Circus","text":"That this House congratulates Animal Defenders International for its undercover work in filming appalling abuse and ill-treatment of 58-year-old elephant, Anne, belonging to circus owner Bobby Roberts; thanks The Daily Mail for publicising the ill-treatment of the elephant and other animals; calls on the Government and other agencies immediately to suspend licences issued to Roberts' Super Circus pending an investigation including the involvement of the police; and urges the Government to ban any species of wild animal in a travelling circus, a policywhich a consultation has shown would be backed by 95 per cent. of the population.","date":"2011-03-28","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42698","proposer":"11892","edm":"1647","session":"2010-12","title":"Dogs Bill","text":"That this House notes the passing of the Dogs (Amendment) Bill by the Northern Ireland Assembly and believes that clauses referring to compulsory microchipping and to dog licensing, the creation of an offence of setting of a dog on a person or other domesticated animal and increased fines should be incorporated into the Dog Control Bill when considered by this House.","date":"2011-03-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42582","proposer":"10707","edm":"1549","session":"2010-12","title":"British Pig Industry","text":"That this House notes that there is a growing crisis in the UK pig industry with soaring feed prices causing significant rises in production costs; further notes that UK producers are now losing a crippling average of 21 on every pig produced; further notes that UK producers observe some of the highest standards of animal welfare in the world as demonstrated by their commitment to the Red Tractor scheme; further notes that supermarkets and processors continue to report large profits while pig farmers are being forced out of business; recognises that if this is allowed to continue it will have devastating effects on jobs in rural communities; and calls on the supermarkets and processors to support high levels of animal welfare and pay UK farmers a fair price for their pigs.","date":"2011-03-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42453","proposer":"13814","edm":"1424","session":"2010-12","title":"Sale Of Puppies In Pet Shops","text":"That this House recognises that dogs are not a retail commodity and should be bought only from licensed breeders; notes that puppies sold in pet shops are almost exclusively bred on puppy farms; further notesthat the Pet Animals Act 1951 does not reflect current best practice nor cover the retail methods used in the 21st century; and therefore calls on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to introduce secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to prohibit the sale of puppies in pet shops and by third parties.","date":"2011-02-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42451","proposer":"11199","edm":"1422","session":"2010-12","title":"Plucking Of Feathers From Live Birds","text":"That this House notes that Council of Europe recommendations adopted under the European Convention for the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes state that feathers, including down, shall not be plucked from live birds; further notes that plucking feathers from live birds can cause pain, bleeding follicles, skin tears and bruising; further notesthat the process of catching, carrying and restraining birds for plucking causes fear and distress and may result in injuries, including dislocations and fractures and that some suffering from pain and injuries is unavoidable under current commercial conditions even if feathers are removed during moulting; supports the work of the Four Paws organisation in seeking a total ban on the deliberate removal of feathers from live birds; and calls on the Government to support such a ban in Europe.","date":"2011-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42340","proposer":"11923","edm":"1321","session":"2010-12","title":"UK Egg Producers And Directive On Welfare Of Laying Hens","text":"That this House notes that in compliance with Directive 1999\/74\/EC a ban on the use of conventional battery cages for commercial laying hens is due to come into force in the UK and across the EU on 1 January 2012; believes that the ban should be enforced uniformly across the EU without distinction; further notes that the UK egg industry will have spent some 400 million raising standards of laying hen welfare in compliance with the Directive; expresses concern that some producers in other EU member states will not be compliant with this Directive; further notes the concern of egg producers in the UK that, should eggs and egg products continue to be produced from hens housed in such cages after 1 January 2012 elsewhere in the EU, UK producers will be put at an unfair commercial disadvantage; and calls on the Government to ensure that should production of eggs and egg products from hens housed in such cages continue after 1 January 2012 elsewhere in the EU, such illegal eggs and egg products are not allowed into the UK.","date":"2011-01-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42298","proposer":"11494","edm":"1281","session":"2010-12","title":"Puppy Farms And Animal Welfare","text":"That this House notes public concern regarding puppy farms producing animals in excess of demand; is concerned that this leads to damage to the welfare and health of dogs; further notes an upward trend in abandoned dogs and in the number of dogs being advertised in the media; is concerned that this leads to serious repercussions for dog and animal welfare shelters that deal with unwanted animals; and urges the Government to improve regulations and advertising criteria at breeding establishments and to encourage local authorities to carry out more stringent inspections to tackle this issue at source.","date":"2011-01-17","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42214","proposer":"11199","edm":"1202","session":"2010-12","title":"Responsible Dog Ownership","text":"That this House believes that irresponsible dog ownership causes significant problems for the safety and welfare of both humans and animals; believes that to promote responsible dog ownership all dog owners should ensure their dogs are microchipped; notes that current legislation is proving inadequate to ensure sufficient protection for people and animals; believes there is a need to ensure there are sufficient resources at a local level potentially self-funded and a Bill that consolidates the legislation so that it has a genuine preventative effect, as well as tougher sanctions to address the problem; and calls on the Government to act forthwith and bring forward suitable proposals to achieve this.","date":"2010-12-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42180","proposer":"11707","edm":"1168","session":"2010-12","title":"Diplomatic Action And Commercial Whaling","text":"That this House condemns the departure of the Japanese whaling fleet for Antarctica; notes with dismay that Japan will seek to kill almost a thousand whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in defiance of global opposition and several international laws; believes that there is no science in Japan's scientific whaling programme but that it is simply commercial whaling by another name; understands that non-lethal research is providing all the data needed to learn about whales; believes that whaling is cruel and unnecessary and that there is no humane way to kill a whale; welcomes the record of successive UK governments in opposing whaling at the International Whaling Commission (IWC); notes with concern the continuing allegations of corruption and vote-buying at the IWC; urges the Government to seek to address issues of transparency and governance in the IWC ahead of the 2011 meeting of the IWC in Jersey; and further urges the Government to take diplomatic action at the highest level to urge Japan to end its whaling programme.","date":"2010-12-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42176","proposer":"11199","edm":"1164","session":"2010-12","title":"A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas Campaign","text":"That this House notes the Dogs Trust's famous slogan, A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas, which was created in 1978 by the charity's Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, at a time when thousands of people were buying puppies to give to family and friends as Christmas presents, resulting in puppies being abandoned in the New Year; recognises that, despite many years of campaigning by the Dogs Trust, there still exists a problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents; further recognises that the Dogs Trust has seen that the most popular time of year for pups to be abandoned is at the start of the Easter holidays, when pups who were given as Christmas presents have grown up to be big, boisterous dogs; further notes the problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents is still a major concern in a country where there were 121,693 stray and abandoned dogs taken in by local authorities last year, 6,404 of which were put to sleep; and wholeheartedly supports the Dogs Trust in its determination to ensure that one day all dogs are cared for by responsible owners, and have a home for life.","date":"2010-12-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42106","proposer":"10527","edm":"1102","session":"2010-12","title":"Farming Of Domestic Rabbits","text":"That this House notes with concern the lack of information and statistics concerning the farming of domestic rabbits in the UK; believes that farmed rabbits should not be kept in cages as this practice is not consistent with good welfare; supports the work of the Four Paws organisation and others interested in this area; and calls on the Government to make key statistics and information on the UK rabbit farming industry publicly-available and to introduce regulations to phase-out the keeping of farmed rabbits in cages and to make detailed provisions for their welfare.","date":"2010-11-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"42077","proposer":"10208","edm":"1086","session":"2010-12","title":"Urban Gulls","text":"That this House notes that urban gulls have significant populations in at least150 constituencies; further notes that urban gulls cause disruption by creating noise and mess, damaging roof structures and cars and behaving aggressively; is concerned that despite numerous efforts and considerable cost to councils, businesses and members of the public, urban gulls remain an issue in many areas; is further concerned that as the number of these birds continues to increase, their impact will increase in direct proportion; recognises the view of bodies such as the RSPCA and the RSPB, who believe that more research is necessary if a reliable solution to this issue is to be found; acknowledges the need for as humane a solution as possible; and calls on the Government to support research into the numbers, lifecycle and behaviour of urban gulls so that more effective management methods can be devised.","date":"2010-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41946","proposer":"24910","edm":"957","session":"2010-12","title":"Wild-Caught Primates And Research","text":"That this House calls on the Government to completely disassociate itself from the cruel trade in wild-caught primates for research; and further calls on the Government to introduce a complete ban on the import of the offspring of wild-caught primates (F1 and F2 generations) and those from facilities which still capture primates from the wild.","date":"2010-11-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41929","proposer":"24798","edm":"942","session":"2010-12","title":"Not In My Cuppa And Cows Belong In Fields Campaigns","text":"That this House welcomes the campaigns such as Not In My Cuppa and Cows Belong In Fields to oppose the establishment of intensive dairy units such as proposed by Nocton Dairies Ltd in Lincolnshire; congratulates the unprecedented collaboration of groups such as the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Compassion in World Farming, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth and the Soil Association to work together to oppose such proposals; believes such proposals threaten to take British dairy farming in the wrong direction; acknowledges the latest MORI poll which shows a majority of the British public do not want to drink factory milk from battery cows; and calls on the Government urgently to review their welfare code for cows to ensure such industrial-sized dairies are not approved in the absence of welfare regulations that take into account such an unprecedented change in theway cows are farmed in the UK.","date":"2010-11-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41880","proposer":"10141","edm":"897","session":"2010-12","title":"Exmoor Emperor Stag","text":"That this House condemns the shooting of the stag known as the Exmoor Emperor; believes that this beautiful animal, standing nearly nine feet tall should have been spared to live out his life as a magnificent example of the Giant Red Stag, the biggest wild land animal in the UK; and calls on the Government to protect special individual animals from this kind of senseless destruction.","date":"2010-10-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41882","proposer":"11199","edm":"899","session":"2010-12","title":"Snares","text":"That this House congratulates the League Against Cruel Sports for presenting a petition of over 20,000 signatures to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs calling for an end to the manufacture, sale and use of snares; notes that the current regulations are being ignored and are not working; and therefore calls on the Government to eliminate the manufacture, sale and use of all snares.","date":"2010-10-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41546","proposer":"10521","edm":"589","session":"2010-12","title":"Meerkats","text":"That this House registers its deep concern at reports that meerkats are being kept as domestic pets; notes that meerkats are highly sociable animals and that it is inappropriate to keep them in isolation or take them out of their natural environment, and that to do so has a severe detrimental impact on the welfare of these animals; calls for greater public awareness as to why meerkats are not suitableas pets; further notes that the majority of meerkats in the UK arrive from illegal sources and are kept in unsuitable conditions; deplores the trade of all exotic animals; and calls on the Government to introduce a ban on the importation of meerkats.","date":"2010-07-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41363","proposer":"10070","edm":"420","session":"2010-12","title":"Future Of Dairy Farming","text":"That this House notes with concern the increasing industrialisation of dairy farming in which cows are kept indoors for all or most of the year, are pushed to high milk yields and fed on unnatural cereal-rich diets that can lead to serious health problems; further notes the conclusion of the European Food Safety Authority that breeding for high milk yield is the major factor causing poor welfare in cows; believes that cows should be farmed in pasture-based systems as these enable them to express natural behaviours and are associated with lower levels of lameness; further believes that industrialisation threatens to undermine small dairy farmers; further notes that the use of lower yielding but healthier cows with better fertility and longevity can deliver higher net margins for farmers due to lower heifer replacement costs and higher sale prices for their calves and cull cows; and urges retailers and producers of dairy products not to source milk from industrial dairy units.","date":"2010-07-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41344","proposer":"10199","edm":"403","session":"2010-12","title":"Wild Animals In Circuses","text":"That this House notes that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs public consultation on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses shows that 94.5 per cent. of respondents support a ban as the best option to protect the welfare of circus animals; further notes that the new Government has been unclear on whether it will take action; believes that treating wild animals as circus tricks has no place in civilised society; underlines that violence against animals continues to occur routinely in circuses as revealed in an investigation into the Great British Circus in 2009; recognises that the only thing stopping this ban from coming into place is a decision by Ministers; and urges the Government to use its powers under section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act to make a regulation banning the use of all wild animals in circuses.","date":"2010-07-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41360","proposer":"10521","edm":"419","session":"2010-12","title":"Plight Of Dolphins In Turkish Holiday Centres","text":"That this House commends the Turkish holiday town of Fethiye for combating its stray animal problem, notably the neuter and return policy which has decreased the number of stray dogs and cats; recognises in contrast the plight of dolphins in captivity at the tourist centre of Kas where they are kept in a pool too small for their needs and where shows aimed specifically at tourists are held; and calls on the Government to urge the Turkish Department for the Environment to stop this cruelty.","date":"2010-07-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41296","proposer":"10527","edm":"356","session":"2010-12","title":"Appointment Of A Commissioner For Animal Welfare","text":"That this House celebrates the high standards of animal welfare in the UK; welcomes the contribution of many UK charities on this issue; believes however that animal welfare standards could benefit from a more focused, national strategic approach; and urges the Government to appoint a Commissioner for Animal Welfare with overall responsibility for animal welfare issues, to ensure that animal welfare standards are enforced nationally and comprehensively and that animal issues are given the priority they deserve.","date":"2010-06-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41297","proposer":"11199","edm":"357","session":"2010-12","title":"Compulsory Microchipping Of Dogs","text":"That this House recognises that the introduction of a compulsory microchipping scheme for dogs would have a significant and positive welfare impact, including the return of stray and stolen dogs to their owners and the improved traceability of puppy-farmed dogs; congratulates Dogs Trust, Cats Protection, Blue Cross, National Office of Animal Health and the British Veterinary Association on their efforts to raise public awareness of microchipping and their campaigning for a mandatory scheme; acknowledges that microchipping provides a lifetime of security for a one-off payment; agrees that a compulsory microchipping scheme is currently the preferred alternative to a dog licensing scheme which would potentially create unnecessary bureaucracy and expense for local authorities and which will not represent a barrier to dog ownership for vulnerable groups.","date":"2010-06-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41175","proposer":"10258","edm":"252","session":"2010-12","title":"Rodeo Events And Animal Welfare","text":"That this House commends the League Against Cruel Sports in bringing the enormous cruelty of rodeo to the attention of the British public; applauds the work of the Vancouver Humane Society in campaigning against rodeo; and calls on the Canadian government to take steps to end the immense cruelty to animals in events such as calf roping, which is practised at rodeos including the Calgary Stampede.","date":"2010-06-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41183","proposer":"10057","edm":"260","session":"2010-12","title":"Beak Trimming Of Laying Hens","text":"That this House notes that a ban on the beak trimming of laying hens is due to come into force on 1 January 2011; believes that if the ban is postponed a new commencement date must be set by the statutory instrument that postpones the ban; further notes that scientific research shows that the correct way to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism is not to beak-trim the hens but to keep them in good conditions and to select birds that are less prone to feather pecking; further notes that there is ample practical experience to draw on as Austrian farmers and certain UK farmers have successfully phased out beak trimming; and calls on the Government, if it postpones the ban on beak trimming, to set a new commencement date for the ban and to encourage the industry to develop and implement an action plan for bringing beak-trimming to an end.","date":"2010-06-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41148","proposer":"10527","edm":"224","session":"2010-12","title":"Ban On Battery Cages For Game Birds","text":"That this House notes that the new Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has withdrawn the new code of practice for game bird production made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and that the effect of this decision will be to overturn a ban on battery cages for breeding pheasants; further notes that the code was the product of years of evidence gathering and public consultation, and that the battery cage ban had the support of Britain's leading pro-shooting lobby group, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation; and therefore opposes any move that would legitimise battery or raised laying cages for game birds.","date":"2010-06-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41143","proposer":"10527","edm":"220","session":"2010-12","title":"Industrialisation Of Dairy Farming","text":"That this House notes that pressures are building for the increasing industrialisation of UK dairy farming, and that a growing number of cows are being kept indoors for all or most of the year and many are pushed to extremely high milk yields; further notes the 2009 report by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that breeding for high milk yield is the major factor causing poor health and welfare in cows; and believes that the factory farming of dairy cows must be brought to an end.","date":"2010-06-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41144","proposer":"10527","edm":"221","session":"2010-12","title":"Ban On Battery Cages","text":"That this House notes the EU ban on conventional battery cages for laying hens; and believes the UK needs to remain firm in opposing any postponement of the EU-wide ban on conventional battery cages for laying hens which is due to come into force on 1 January 2012.","date":"2010-06-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41145","proposer":"10527","edm":"222","session":"2010-12","title":"Public Procurement Of Eggs, Meat And Milk","text":"That this House notes it is encouraging that about 90 local authorities either no longer use eggs from caged hens, or are committed to ending their use in the near future; and therefore believes that the Government should now set high standards of animal welfare for the procurement of food and meals by the whole of the public sector, and that this should extend not just to eggs but also to fish, meat and milk.","date":"2010-06-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41146","proposer":"10527","edm":"223","session":"2010-12","title":"Beak-Trimming Ban","text":"That this House notes that the UK ban on the beak-trimming of laying hens is due to come into force on 1 January 2011; further notes that the previous Government planned to postpone the ban without setting any new date for it to come into force; and therefore believes that if the ban is postponed, a new specific commencement date must be set and that an indefinite postponement is completely unacceptable.","date":"2010-06-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41098","proposer":"10258","edm":"175","session":"2010-12","title":"Labelling Of Products Made From Animal Fur","text":"That this House notes that recent advances in the quality and look of fake fur make it difficult for many consumers to tell the difference between items made with fake fur and those made with real fur; further notes that there is now evidence that consumers are confused and some may be purchasing items made or trimmed with real fur believing the fur to be fake; further notes that some people are allergic to real fur; further notes that a law has been introduced in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Wisconsin requiring all real fur and fur-trimmed clothing to carry a label; and calls on the Government to introduce, as soon as possible and as a measure to protect consumers, legislative proposals for a labelling order requiring all real fur on sale to carry a label that clearly states that the item is made using real animal fur, whether or not it has been dyed, and the country of origin of the fur.","date":"2010-06-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41100","proposer":"10258","edm":"177","session":"2010-12","title":"Racehorse Fatalities In The United Kingdom","text":"That this House is alarmed by evidence suggesting that many healthy but unprofitable thoroughbreds are slaughtered in British abattoirs or shot in racing yards every year; notes that more than 170 horses die or are destroyed due to racecourse injuries annually; calls on the Government to take steps to ensure that a full audit of racehorse production, death and injury is produced and put into the public domain, and that this initiative should include the speedy online publication of the name of each horse killed and details of where and how the fatality occurred; and urges the Government to act decisively to remedy the problems of racehorse over-production.","date":"2010-06-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41063","proposer":"10428","edm":"144","session":"2010-12","title":"Levels Of Industrialisation In UK Dairy Herds","text":"That this House is aware of the pressures building within the agricultural and related industries in the UK towards greater levels of industrialisation in UK dairy farming, with the direct consequence of growing numbers of cows being kept indoors for most of their lives; and notes the 2009 Report of the European Food Safety Authority, which concluded that the factory farming of dairy cows should end, not least because such breeding and practices for higher milk yields are major factors causing poor health and welfare in dairy herds.","date":"2010-06-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41066","proposer":"10428","edm":"147","session":"2010-12","title":"Farm Animal Welfare","text":"That this House recognises the importance of farm animal welfare and opposes any postponement of the planned EU-wide ban on conventional battery cages for laying hens due to come into force in January 2012, the UK ban on beak trimming of laying hens due to come into force in January 2011; supports those local authorities which no longer use eggs gathered from such caged hens, or which have committed themselves to ending their use or purchase in the near future; and calls on the Government to help establish new higher standards of animal welfare for farm animals by the setting of coterminus criteria linked to food procurement policies in the public sector.","date":"2010-06-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"41032","proposer":"24830","edm":"116","session":"2010-12","title":"Hunting Act 2004","text":"That this House reaffirms its support for the Hunting Act 2004 and notes that there have been almost 140 convictions under the Act; recognises that the vast majority of the public support the Act across all regional, political, social and religious divides; and therefore believes that any attempt to repeal the Act would be a retrograde step and out of keeping with a civilised society.","date":"2010-05-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40969","proposer":"10521","edm":"55","session":"2010-12","title":"Survey Of Swifts By The Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds","text":"That this House congratulates the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on its survey of swifts, but is alarmed at the findings which show that swift numbers have fallen by 47 per cent. since 1994; is concerned that numbers of other migrant birds such as turtle doves, nightingales and wood warblers are also declining dramatically; notes that the survey of nesting sites at more than 3,400 locations concluded that swifts prefer to nest under the eaves of older housing stock; and calls on the Government to encourage developers, local council planning departments, builders, owners of older houses and churches to ensure that traditional nesting sites for swifts are not lost during renovations, and that efforts are made to provide new nesting sites for swifts.","date":"2010-05-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40972","proposer":"10521","edm":"58","session":"2010-12","title":"Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls on the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and further calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2010-05-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40903","proposer":"10465","edm":"1241","session":"2009-10","title":"Code Of Practice For The Welfare Of Gamebirds","text":"That this House notes the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes as laid before the House on 15 March 2010; believes that the guidelines in the Code are at variance with the three options which formed part of the consultation on the draft Code prior to its submission to the House; further believes that this incomprehensible and unilateral change to the Code invalidates the consultation process and significantly undermines the quality of the Code particularly in regard to guidelines on cages; and calls on the Government to withdraw the Code and to reformulate it in line with the feedback from experts and practitioners in the rearing of gamebirds.","date":"2010-04-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40894","proposer":"10295","edm":"1232","session":"2009-10","title":"European Trade In Horses For Slaughter","text":"That this House condemns the long distance transport of horses for slaughter at abattoirs in other EU countries; notes it is estimated that more than 100,000 horses are fattened at farms before being transported in appalling conditions with little food and water for days at a time to slaughterhouses in Italy, the capital of Europe's horsemeat trade; believes that such practice risks spreading diseases to animals in other EU countries and has implications for human health; calls on the Government to seek to strengthen the existing minimum values legislation which prevents the export of live horses from the UK for such purposes to ensure that it is not vulnerable to challenge; and urges UK members of the European Parliament to be vocal in their support for the EU to enforce a carcass-only trade.","date":"2010-04-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40885","proposer":"10472","edm":"1225","session":"2009-10","title":"Ban On Commercial Fur Trade In Israel","text":"That this House notes that the Knesset is currently considering a bill to ban the commercial fur trade; further notes that there would be an exclusion in this ban for fur used for religious purposes; further notes that a recent poll in Israel showed that 79 per cent. of people in that country support the ban; further notes that, while fur factory farming and the use of steel-jawed leghold traps are banned in the UK, furs produced using these cruel methods are still on sale here; and calls on the Government to take note of this proposed legislation and to bring in a ban on the fur trade in the UK as soon as possible.","date":"2010-03-30","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40824","proposer":"11589","edm":"1178","session":"2009-10","title":"Commercial Whaling Ban","text":"That this House deplores the prospect of the international moratorium on commercial whaling being nullified by so-called compromise proposals being drafted for the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Conference in Agadir, Morocco in June 2010; notes with alarm that under the guise of reductions in whale slaughter through quotas, observers and DNA databases, two IWC working groups are proposing to legitimise the commercial whaling activities of the three countries who have persisted in hunting whales in defiance of the existing ban established by the IWC in 1986, in Japan, Norway and Iceland, and to allow whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary; notes with anxiety that the proposed quotas are being negotiated towards a final revision of the draft proposals due in late April when Parliament may be dissolved; welcomes the concerns voiced by UK Government ministers about the worrying drafts now on the table which claim that `the moratorium shall remain in place'; stands by the environmental movement's landmark achievement of the whaling moratorium agreed in 1982 and introduced in 1986; and abhors the possible setback for wildlife protection at Agadir in June which could follow the failures on climate change in Copenhagen in December 2009.","date":"2010-03-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40799","proposer":"10190","edm":"1157","session":"2009-10","title":"Whaling","text":"That this House notes that the whaling moratorium was introduced in 1986 in order to combat the fact that many populations of the great whales had been drastically reduced by over-hunting, and that whaling itself, based on the firing of explosive harpoons into large and intelligent animals, was cruel; is concerned by the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) proposal to legitimise the commercial whaling activities of Japan, Norway and Iceland; understands that the proposal seeks to set official IWC quotas for whales that they may hunt, in all the places where they currently hunt them in defiance of the moratorium, including the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, for the first time in 25 years; believes that such a proposal represents a conservational disaster; further believes that the proposal represents no guarantee of a significant reduction in the number of whales killed in the short term; and calls on the Government to oppose any proposal that condones or endorses commercial whaling if the issue is raised and voted on at the IWC conference in Agadir, Morocco, in June.","date":"2010-03-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40734","proposer":"10521","edm":"1099","session":"2009-10","title":"Survey Of Swifts By The Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds","text":"That this House congratulates the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on its survey of swifts but is alarmed at the findings which show their numbers have fallen by 47 per cent. since 1994; is concerned that numbers of other migrant birds such as turtle doves, nightingales and wood warblers are also declining dramatically; notes that the survey of nesting sites at more than 3,400 locations concluded that swifts prefer to nest under the eaves of older housing stock; and calls on the Government to encourage developers, local council planning departments, builders, owners of older houses and churches to ensure that traditional nesting sites for swifts are not lost during renovations, and that efforts are made to provide new nesting sites for swifts.","date":"2010-03-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40589","proposer":"11324","edm":"969","session":"2009-10","title":"Drawing The Line Campaign","text":"That this House congratulates the British Horse Society's Drawing the Line campaign; notes that the campaign aims to tackle indiscriminate breeding in equids and reduce the number of animal welfare cases by increasing awareness through programmes of education; further notes that as of 2007 over 1,000 equids were in the care of charities; recognises that many rescue centres are at full capacity; acknowledges the valuable work that the 180 animal welfare officers of the British Horse Society do to reduce breaches of equine welfare; and calls on the Government to tackle this issue as a matter of urgency.","date":"2010-03-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40367","proposer":"11946","edm":"774","session":"2009-10","title":"Dog Eating In The Philippines","text":"That this House congratulates His Excellency Mr Antonio Lagdameo on his appointment as Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Court of St. James; notes the historic special relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of the Philippines and the never to be forgotten heroism shown by our Filipino allies during World War II; further notes the shared value of respect to the treatment of animals in both countries as evidenced by recent legislation in the Philippines providing severe penalties for those convicted of involvement in the dog meat trade; respectfully requests that Mr Lagdameo conveys to his government the hope of this House that a Special Filipino Task Force is created to enforce these laws thereby eliminating this cruel exploitation of animals once and for all; and calls on the Government to offer support and advice to ensure that the practice is finally stamped out.","date":"2010-02-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40317","proposer":"10004","edm":"727","session":"2009-10","title":"Legality Of Hunt Monitoring","text":"That this House notes with dismay attempts by the Countryside Alliance to subvert the rule of law by claiming that evidence of illegal hunting collated by monitors working on behalf of organisations such as the League Against Cruel Sports is illegal under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; welcomes the clear guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service that all such evidence is valid; and further notes and acknowledges the hard work undertaken by hunt monitors in upholding the Hunting Act 2004 as democratically passed by this House.","date":"2010-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40284","proposer":"11494","edm":"694","session":"2009-10","title":"Racehorse Breeding In The United Kingdom (No. 2)","text":"That this House accepts that in accordance with good animal welfare practices a small number of thoroughbred horses are humanely put down in Britain each year; notes that the latest research on the lives of thoroughbreds gives no indication that this constitutes a large-scale equine welfare problem; acknowledges that all those involved in horseracing care deeply about the welfare of their animals and that the sport's regulator, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), takes action on a daily basis to minimise injury and death to thoroughbreds; recognises that action taken by the sport has contributed to a rapid drop in the production of racehorses by 16 per cent. in 2009; and calls on the Government to continue to support the BHA as a responsible regulator as it works closely to monitor equine welfare in cooperation with breeders, veterinarians and animal welfare charities such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and World Horse Welfare.","date":"2010-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40141","proposer":"10006","edm":"562","session":"2009-10","title":"Pig Welfare","text":"That this House congratulates Tracy Worcester on her film, Pig Business, highlighting the adverse health, animal welfare, environmental and economic impact of industrial pig production; calls on retailers, food manufacturers and food service operators to support British pig farmers by not selling or using imported pigmeat produced to lower animal welfare standards than those that are required in the UK; further calls on the Government to take a lead in persuading the EU to adopt mandatory labelling of pigmeat as to farming method so that consumers can make informed choices; further calls on public sector bodies to procure only pigmeat that is free range or is produced to standards equivalent to those of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Freedom Food scheme; and further calls on the Government to ensure the proper enforcement of EU legislation on the welfare of pigs and to press other EU governments to do likewise.","date":"2010-01-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40080","proposer":"10526","edm":"507","session":"2009-10","title":"Banning Battery Cages For Gamebirds","text":"That this House notes with concern that several large game farms have introduced battery cage systems for game bird laying stock and that the available space in such cages is so limited that the welfare of the birds is seriously compromised and that the system does not conform, whether enriched or not, to the five freedoms which are the basis of the UK's animal welfare law; further notes that the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals have separately called for such cages to be banned; and calls on the Government to implement option 3 from its draft Code of Practice within the consultation on game birds, a ban on such cages by regulation, or in the forthcoming statutory Code of Practice on game farming.","date":"2009-12-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"40071","proposer":"11199","edm":"499","session":"2009-10","title":"Greyhound Welfare","text":"That this House welcomes the draft regulations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 that will introduce minimum welfare standards across all greyhound racing in England and notes that the regulations will supplement existing primary legislation already imposing a duty of care on all those responsible for a racing greyhound; further notes that the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) licenses and inspects all greyhound trainers and kennels within its jurisdiction; applauds the GBGB's ongoing work to become the first sports governing body to secure UK Accreditation Service accreditation; further notes that industry financial support for the re-homing of retired greyhounds has increased by 500 per cent. since the year 2000, with the result that approximately 8,000 greyhounds are now placed in loving homes on their retirement from racing; and encourages GBGB to continue to develop and promote such practices within the industry.","date":"2009-12-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39988","proposer":"11199","edm":"424","session":"2009-10","title":"A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas Campaign","text":"That this House notes the Dogs Trust's famous slogan, A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas, which was created in 1978 by the charity's Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, at a time when thousands of people were buying puppies to give to family and friends as Christmas presents, resulting in puppies being abandoned in the New Year; recognises that despite many years of campaigning by the Dogs Trust, there still exists a problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents; further recognises that the Dogs Trust has seen that the most popular time of year for pups to be abandoned is at the start of the Easter holidays, when pups who were given as Christmas presents have grown up to be big, boisterous dogs; further notes the problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents is still a major concern in a country where there were over 96,000 stray and abandoned dogs taken in by local authorities last year, over 5,000 of which were put to sleep; and wholeheartedly supports the Dogs Trust in its determination to ensure that one day all dogs are cared for by responsible owners, and have a home for life.","date":"2009-12-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39948","proposer":"10258","edm":"386","session":"2009-10","title":"Welfare Of Racing Greyhounds","text":"That this House calls on the Government to acknowledge that the draft regulations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 on the welfare of the 30,000 greyhounds used for racing are, following consultation, acceptable only to the gambling industry and have been conclusively rejected by over 10,000 concerned individuals and animal welfare organisations because of their inadequacies in regulation and extension to kennelling and retirement; and further calls on the Government to ensure that hon. Members are given adequate opportunity to consider the provisions of any regulation laid before the House before being asked to decide on them.","date":"2009-12-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39816","proposer":"10472","edm":"273","session":"2009-10","title":"Vote Cruelty Free Coalition","text":"That this House welcomes Vote Cruelty Free, a new coalition working to ensure the political process reflects concern for animal protection; notes that the coalition comprises the BUAV, Compassion in World Farming, International Fund for Animal Welfare, League Against Cruel Sports and Respect for Animals and covers a wide range of animal welfare issues; and calls on all prospective Parliamentary candidates to support this coalition.","date":"2009-11-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39664","proposer":"10295","edm":"127","session":"2009-10","title":"Canned Lion Hunting","text":"That this House condemns the practice of canned lion hunting in South Africa; notes that an estimated 1,000 lions annually are bred specifically to be killed in unethical canned hunts; denounces the barbaric treatment and conditions the lionesses and cubs are subjected to before they reach maturity; further notes with concern that canned hunting was banned in 2006 but successive legal appeals have allowed the breeders to continue making money whilst the ban is suspended; acknowledges the work of charities such as Born Free that have been fiercely campaigning for the matter to be addressed with urgency; and calls on the South African government to commit to enforcing the 2006 legislation.","date":"2009-11-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39677","proposer":"10451","edm":"140","session":"2009-10","title":"Public Procurement Of Non-Cage Eggs","text":"That this House welcomes the decision by many supermarkets, local authorities and manufacturers not to sell or use eggs from caged hens; notes with concern that the criteria for the pilot stage of the Government's Healthier Food Mark does not exclude the use of conventional battery eggs; further notes that the production of conventional battery eggs is banned in the EU from 1 January 2012 and that the public sector continues to purchase eggs from production systems with low standards of animal welfare; and calls on the Government to prohibit the public procurement of eggs from caged hens and to buy instead eggs that meet higher animal welfare standards, including barn, free range and organic eggs.","date":"2009-11-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39550","proposer":"10521","edm":"13","session":"2009-10","title":"Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls on the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and further calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39573","proposer":"11245","edm":"36","session":"2009-10","title":"Urban Fox Hunting","text":"That this House expresses deep concern at the growing number of incidents related to urban fox hunting; notes with shock the cruel manner in which these foxes are tortured and killed, often by dogs used in illegal fights; and congratulates those charities and organisations involved in rescuing and caring for abused and abandoned animals.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39578","proposer":"11245","edm":"41","session":"2009-10","title":"Animal Welfare And The Production Of Foie Gras","text":"That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and over-feeding them, causing their livers to swell to 10 times the normal size; further notes that the production, but not the sale, of foie gras is banned in the UK;calls on restaurants to use brands of faux gras which are supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Compassion in World Farming and are produced from free-range ducks and geese without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39594","proposer":"10527","edm":"57","session":"2009-10","title":"Chicken Farming And Maximum Permitted Stocking Density","text":"That this House notes with concern the proposed regulation to increase the maximum permitted stocking density for chickens from the recommended 15 to 17 to 17 to 19 chickens per square metre, with a further extension to 19 to 21 chickens if certain criteria are met; further notes that the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare records that when stocking rates exceed 30 kg per square metre welfare problems are likely to occur regardless of indoor climate control capacity; believes that higher stocking densities result in an increase in pathologies, reduce behavioural activities and severely affect walking ability; and calls on the Government to exclude the derogation in the EU Directive that allows member states to permit extreme stocking densities above 17 to 19 chickens per square metre from UK legislation and not to abandon its previous recommended stocking density of 15 to 17 chickens per square metre, thereby permitting chicken welfare standards to be reduced.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39595","proposer":"10527","edm":"58","session":"2009-10","title":"Welfare Of Farmed Rabbits","text":"That this House notes with concern the lack of detailed regulations concerning the welfare of domestic rabbits farmed in the UK; believes that farmed rabbits should not be kept in cages as this practice is not consistent with good welfare; notes that the welfare of farmed rabbits, including breeding does, is improved by housing in enriched group pens that provide greater environmental complexity, freedom of movement and opportunities for social interaction; further believes that rabbits should be provided with sufficient height and floor space to allow them to adopt normal postures such as rearing up on their hind legs and to carry out meaningful exercise such as hopping; supports a provision for solid flooring to reduce foot injuries in rabbits; further believes that all farmed rabbits should have access to environmental enrichment, including hay or straw and wooden sticks or blocks for gnawing, and improved housing design that allows for hiding and retreat; supports the work of the Four Paws organisation in this area; and calls on the Government to introduce regulations to phase-out the keeping of farmed rabbits in cages and to make detailed provisions for their welfare.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39610","proposer":"10066","edm":"73","session":"2009-10","title":"Code Of Practice On The Welfare Of Privately Kept Non-Human Primates","text":"That this House supports the Code of Practice on the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-Human Primates which sets the standards required for keepers of the estimated 5,000 privately kept primates in the United Kingdom; calls for the Code's adoption under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which would be a step towards the improved welfare of privately owned primates; notes the trade of primates as pets is largely unregulated; and calls for the United Kingdom to set an example to Europe; where the primate pet trade poses a serious threat to the conservation and survival of primates.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39616","proposer":"10256","edm":"79","session":"2009-10","title":"Animal Welfare","text":"That this House celebrates the Government's record on animal welfare; believes the Hunting Act 2004 banning fox hunting, hare coursing, hare hunting and stag hunting is in keeping with the current ideas on animal welfare; notes that over 75 per cent. of the public supports the ban; deplores the flouting of the law by some practitioners of fox hunting; and supports campaigns such as Keep Cruelty History that are strongly opposed to any attempt to repeal the Hunting Act.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39629","proposer":"10491","edm":"92","session":"2009-10","title":"Beak-Trimming Of Laying Hens","text":"That this House is opposed to any dilution or postponement of the ban on the beak-trimming of laying hens which was introduced in 2002 and is due to come into force on 1 January 2011; notes that a postponement of the ban is unnecessary as scientific research shows that the correct way to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism is not to beak-trim the hens but to keep them in good conditions and to select birds that are less prone to feather pecking and cannibalism; is opposed not just to traditional beak-trimming with a hot blade but also to the newly developed infra-red method, as research shows that infra-red trimming can result in acute pain and involves the loss of part of the beak, which is a key sensory organ for hens; and calls on the Government to adhere to the 2011 commencement date for the ban on beak-trimming.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39631","proposer":"10258","edm":"94","session":"2009-10","title":"Racehorse Breeding In The United Kingdom","text":"That this House is alarmed by evidence suggesting that many healthy but unprofitable thoroughbreds are slaughtered in British abattoirs or shot in racing yards every year; notes that the Chairman of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has acknowledged the problem of over-production of racehorses; believes that horse welfare problems flowing from racehorse over-production are likely to worsen as a result of the BHA's future fixtures list which will deny racing opportunities to hundreds of lower-rated horses; further notes that every year more than 160 horses die or are destroyed due to racecourse injuries; calls on the Government to undertake and put into the public domain a full audit of racehorse production, death and injury; and asks it to urge racing's regulators to act decisively to remedy the problems of racehorse over-production and the alarming level of equine death on British racecourses.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39632","proposer":"10258","edm":"95","session":"2009-10","title":"Food Labelling And Welfare Of Chickens","text":"That this House believes that all chicken meat, including imported chicken meat, should be labelled as to farming method and preferably stocking density; further believes the labelling regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to production method should be extended to chicken meat; congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Compassion in World Farming on their Chicken Out! campaign calling on supermarkets to introduce labelling as to farming method to allow consumers to make informed choices; notes that most UK chickens are still reared intensively in overcrowded conditions and have been bred to grow so quickly that many suffer from lameness and heart problems; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all chicken producers to meet the conditions of the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39634","proposer":"10258","edm":"97","session":"2009-10","title":"Animal Protection Policy","text":"That this House notes the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that many animals have complex mental and emotional lives; considers many animals to be conscious, feeling beings with an interest in living, avoiding suffering and experiencing pleasure; acknowledges that each such animal has inherent value and is worthy of serious moral consideration; further considers respect for animals to be indicative of the level of civilisation; is concerned that policy-making tends to be dominated by industries that inevitably compromise animals' welfare and interests, and that the most essential interests of animals and the public's concern for their protection are given insufficient consideration; further notes that there is no Government body whose primary purpose is to protect the interests of animals in policy-making; and calls upon the Government to establish an animal protection commission or similar body, answerable to Parliament via a Minister, with a remit which includes the ongoing examination of the ethical status and rights of animals and how they are affected by policy-making, the facilitation of genuine public participation throughout policy processes which affect animals, and the development of a cross-government agenda for animal protection.","date":"2009-11-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39429","proposer":"11946","edm":"2179","session":"2008-09","title":"Wild Animals In Circuses","text":"That this House notes with concern that current legislation fails to protect wild animals in circuses; is appalled that this had led to serious abuse such as the one revealed by Animal Defenders International's investigation in the Great British Circus, which shows violence against and the confinement of elephants; reminds the Government that it has repeatedly committed itself before this House to ban certain species of wild animals in circuses; further notes with disappointment that no substantial proposal has been yet made by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and once again urges the Government to maintain its commitment to ban the use of wild species in travelling circuses, and to restrict and limit the use of domesticated species under a strict, accountable and open licensing system.","date":"2009-10-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39335","proposer":"10066","edm":"2103","session":"2008-09","title":"Welfare Of Egg-Laying Hens","text":"That this House believes that all eggs produced by hens in enriched cage systems should be labelled to differentiate them from eggs produced by other production systems; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg-laying hens through EU Directive 99\/74\/EC banning the conventional battery cage from the EU by 2012; further welcomes the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs support for the introduction in EU marketing regulations of a code 4 for eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems; notes that a significant proportion of UK farmers have invested in improved enriched cage production systems; and calls on the UK Government to introduce a code 4 to distinguish eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems from those housed in conventional battery cages outside of the EU, to assist UK farmers.","date":"2009-10-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39350","proposer":"11199","edm":"2118","session":"2008-09","title":"Blue Cross Animal Welfare Charity","text":"That this House acknowledges the extraordinary and invaluable work undertaken by the Blue Cross, Britain's pet charity, carrying out over 55,000 consultations, 7,500 operations and 12,000 diagnostic procedures on sick and injured animals annually; recognises the tireless commitment made by their team of dedicated volunteers who complement the work of their paid staff, having given 114,046 hours of their time last year alone; promotes their outstanding reputation for re-homing unwanted and abandoned animals, educating the public in responsible pet ownership; and thoroughly commends their tremendous contribution to animal welfare throughout the United Kingdom.","date":"2009-10-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39252","proposer":"10295","edm":"2023","session":"2008-09","title":"Canned Lion Hunting","text":"That this House condemns the practice of canned lion hunting in South Africa; notes that an estimated 1,000 lions annually are bred specifically to be killed in unethical canned hunts; denounces the barbaric treatment and conditions the lionesses and cubs are subjected to before they reach maturity; notes with concern that canned hunting was banned in 2006 but that successive legal appeals have allowed breeders to continue making money whilst the ban is suspended; acknowledges the work of charities such as Born Free that have been fiercely campaigning for the matter to be addressed with urgency; and calls on the South African government to commit to enforcing the 2006 legislation.","date":"2009-10-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39254","proposer":"10295","edm":"2025","session":"2008-09","title":"Dolphin Slaughter In Japan","text":"That this House condemns the annual Japanese dolphin hunt that takes place between September and March; questions the Japanese government's claim that the slaughtering of dolphins is necessary pest control; finds no reason to slaughter on average thousands of dolphins in Japanese waters; is concerned that the majority of Japanese people are not aware of the practice and are buying chemically enhanced dolphin meat disguised as whale meat; notes the work of the British group Campaign Whale and its work in collaboration with the international Save Japan Dolphins coalition; and calls on the Government to support these groups in raising awareness of the issue.","date":"2009-10-13","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39205","proposer":"11245","edm":"1975","session":"2008-09","title":"Urban Fox Hunting","text":"That this House expresses deep concern at the growing number of incidents related to urban fox hunting; notes with shock the cruel manner in which these foxes are tortured and killed, often by dogs used in illegal fights; and congratulates those charities and organisations involved in rescuing and caring for abused and abandoned animals.","date":"2009-10-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39162","proposer":"11783","edm":"1936","session":"2008-09","title":"Sale Of Imported Dogs","text":"That this House recognises that the vile process of farming puppies for sale is illegal under the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999; notes that puppies from breeding farms can however be legally imported for sale, including from the Republic of Ireland, despite evidence that they experience high rates of genetic deformity and congenital illnesses; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to close the loophoole which permits the import and sale in pet shops of dogs from breeding farms.","date":"2009-07-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"39045","proposer":"10428","edm":"1833","session":"2008-09","title":"Use Of Glue Traps In The UK","text":"That this House is aware that pest controllers who are members of the British Pest Control Association are currently subject to a voluntary code on the use of rodent traps, which includes the direction that distributors should not supply glue boards to persons who are not trained or competent in pest control practices; notes that a wild mammal is protected by the provisions of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 but also that this law does not cover animals caught in inhumane glue traps which cause them much unnecessary suffering; and believes that the Government should follow the lead of many other parliaments worldwide and recognise the cruelty of such practices by introducing legislation to ban their use in the UK.","date":"2009-07-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38871","proposer":"10586","edm":"1684","session":"2008-09","title":"Game Bird Industry","text":"That this House notes that every year in Britain around 35 million pheasants and six million partridges are purpose-bred in cages, sheds and pens so that they can be released and shot for sport; is concerned about the suffering endured by these birds and by the large number of indigenous wild mammals and birds that are trapped, snared, poisoned and shot to protect this activity; is alarmed by the thousands of tons of leadshot and plastic casings discharged annually by live quarry shooters, and also by the disruption caused to native wildlife at the start of each shooting season when the millions of pheasants and partridges are released; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity to prohibit the production of birds for sport shooting, in line with the ban introduced in Holland in 2002.","date":"2009-06-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38765","proposer":"10527","edm":"1587","session":"2008-09","title":"Chicken Farming And Maximum Permitted Stocking Density","text":"That this House notes with concern the proposed regulation to increase the maximum permitted stocking density for chickens from the recommended 15 to 17 to 17 to 19 chickens per square metre, with a further extension to 19 to 21 chickens if certain criteria are met; further notes that The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare record that when stocking rates exceed 30 kg per square metre welfare problems are likely to occur regardless of indoor climate control capacity; further believes that higher stocking densities result in an increase in pathologies, reduce behavioural activities and severely affect walking ability; and calls on the Government to exclude the derogation in the EU Directive that allows member states to permit extreme stocking densities above 17 to 19 chickens per square metre from UK legislation and not to abandon its previous recommended stocking density of 15 to 17 chickens per square metre, thereby permitting chicken welfare standards to be reduced.","date":"2009-06-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38711","proposer":"11245","edm":"1540","session":"2008-09","title":"Pedigree Dog Breeds And The Kennel Club","text":"That this House is concerned about health problems faced by some pedigree dog breeds; is pleased that the objective of the Kennel Club is to improve the welfare, health and general well-being of all dogs and to encourage responsible dog ownership and breeding; welcomes the actions taken by the Kennel Club to improve dog health; and urges the Government to apply the basic principles of the Kennel Club's Accredited Breeder Scheme to the breeding of all dogs in the UK.","date":"2009-05-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38685","proposer":"10527","edm":"1515","session":"2008-09","title":"Welfare Of Farmed Rabbits","text":"That this House notes with concern the lack of detailed regulations concerning the welfare of domestic rabbits farmed in the UK; believes that farmed rabbits should not be kept in cages as this practice is not consistent with good welfare; notes that the welfare of farmed rabbits, including breeding does, is improved by housing in enriched group pens that provide greater environmental complexity, freedom of movement and opportunities for social interaction; further believes that rabbits should be provided with sufficient height and floor space to allow them to adopt normal postures such as rearing up on their hind legs and to carry out meaningful exercise such as hopping; supports a provision for solid flooring to reduce foot injuries in rabbits; further believes that all farmed rabbits should have access to environmental enrichment, including hay or straw and wooden sticks or blocks for gnawing, and improved housing design that allows for hiding and retreat; supports the work of the Four Paws organisation in this area; and calls on the Government to introduce regulations to phase-out the keeping of farmed rabbits in cages and to make detailed provisions for their welfare.","date":"2009-05-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38641","proposer":"10421","edm":"1473","session":"2008-09","title":"Ban On Snares","text":"That this House congratulates the League Against Cruel Sports for producing the report War on Wildlife highlighting the indiscriminate suffering caused by snares; notes a recent poll conducted by the League Against Cruel Sports in conjunction with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons which found that 90 per cent. of respondents were strongly behind a ban on snares; and therefore calls on the Government to outlaw the manufacture, sale and use of all snares.","date":"2009-05-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38622","proposer":"11626","edm":"135A1","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Protection Policy","text":"leave out from `civilisation' to end and add `notes that there is no Government body whose primary purpose is to protect the interests of animals in policy-making; and is concerned that policy-making may be led by industries that inevitably compromise the welfare and interests of animals, and that the most essential interests of animals, and the public's concern for their protection, are given insufficient consideration.'","date":"2009-05-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38558","proposer":"10444","edm":"1397","session":"2008-09","title":"Vote On Seal Products In Europe","text":"That this House applauds the members of the European Parliament Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection for their decision to vote in favour of a complete ban on the commercial trade and importation into the EU of seal products; recognises the Canadian seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on earth; believes that the nature of the hunt is inherently inhumane; deplores the 1.7 million harp seal pups killed since 2003; further notes that public opinion polls consistently show that over 70 per cent. of British and European citizens are opposed to commercial seal hunting; recognises the UK Government's efforts in urging both the European Commission and European Member states to carry forward the wishes of British and European citizens; and calls on all members of the European Parliament to vote for a ban on seal products in Europe.","date":"2009-04-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38461","proposer":"10598","edm":"581A1","session":"2008-09","title":"Food Labelling And The Welfare Of Chickens","text":"after `Government', insert `to work with the European Union to'.","date":"2009-04-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38266","proposer":"11245","edm":"1148","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Welfare And The Production Of Foie Gras","text":"That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and over-feeding them, causing their livers to swell to 10 times the normal size; further notes that the production, but not the sale, of foie gras is banned in the UK; applauds the work of banfoiegras.org.uk; calls on restaurants to use brands of faux gras which are supported by the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming and are produced from free-range ducks and geese without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK.","date":"2009-03-23","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38257","proposer":"10383","edm":"1142","session":"2008-09","title":"Puppy Farms","text":"That this House notes the continuing reports of allegations of cruelty and animal suffering associated with puppy farms; and calls upon the Government to review the effectiveness of the current procedures and legislation relating to animal safety in puppy farms.","date":"2009-03-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38057","proposer":"11607","edm":"973","session":"2008-09","title":"Monkey World","text":"That this House applauds the work of Monkey World, the ape rescue centre in Wareham, Dorset; notes with distress that non-human primates are still used as a source of entertainment in both the UK and the US; is further distressed about reports of photographs of the abuse of non-human primates being on sale in China; urges the Government to take action with its international counterparts to comply with worldwide conventions on animal welfare; and congratulates the residents of Halifax constituency who have adopted an ape at Monkey World.","date":"2009-03-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38060","proposer":"11946","edm":"976","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Welfare In Circuses (No. 2)","text":"That this House notes with concern the continuing use of non-domesticated animals in circuses and more recently the re-introduction of elephants by the Great British Circus; is increasingly concerned by the delay of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in reporting on increasing amounts of evidence surrounding poor animal welfare standards in circuses; believes that the report of the Chair of the Circus Working Group fails to provide reliable information on this subject; supports the work of the Captive Animals Protection Society and others in achieving an end to animal use in circuses; and urges the Government to maintain its commitment to ban the use of non-domesticated animals in travelling circuses and to limit the use of domesticated species under a strict, accountable and open licensing system.","date":"2009-03-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"38030","proposer":"10021","edm":"948","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Welfare In Circuses","text":"That this House shares the RSPCA's deep concern at the recent introduction of elephants into a circus in Nottinghamshire; hopes that the public will boycott the circus in protest; believes that the Government should intervene in this case and state categorically that it opposes the use of wild species in circuses; and urges the Government to bring forward proposals to ban the use of wild animals in circuses without further delay.","date":"2009-03-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37750","proposer":"14137","edm":"697","session":"2008-09","title":"Scottish Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals And Royal Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals","text":"That this House commends the work of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA); notes with concern that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), while only active in England and Wales, continues to advertise in UK-wide media without explaining its geographical remit, and continues to receive donations from Scottish residents who are wanting their gifts to assist animals in Scotland; and calls on the RSPCA to state clearly in all its fund raising that it only operates within England and Wales.","date":"2009-02-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37693","proposer":"11494","edm":"643","session":"2008-09","title":"Seal Imports From Commercial Hunts","text":"That this House notes with grave concern the cruelty of Canada's commercial seal hunt and is saddened by the damage the slaughter is doing to Canada's international reputation; further notes evidence in the scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority released in December 2007 on the Animal Welfare Aspects of Killing and Skinning Seals that, in practice, effective killing does not always occur, that during Canada's commercial seal hunt, animals suffer, pain and distress and that sealers often do not comply with regulations; further notes that over 1.7 million harp seal pups have been killed since 2003; further notes with grave concern that, given that regulations to curb the suffering of these creatures are inadequate and unenforceable, the proposed EU ban on seal imports would be unwise to exempt seal products obtained from hunts which meet certain criteria for killing seals; and calls on the Government to campaign for an amendment to the proposed EU regulation to ban seal imports totally and to ban the trade in seal products from commercial hunts.","date":"2009-02-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37615","proposer":"10258","edm":"581","session":"2008-09","title":"Food Labelling And The Welfare Of Chickens","text":"That this House believes that all chicken meat, including imported chicken meat, should be labelled as to farming method and preferably stocking density; further believes the labelling regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to production method should be extended to chicken meat; congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Compassion in World Farming on their Chicken Out! campaign calling on supermarkets to introduce labelling as to farming method to allow consumers to make informed choices; notes that most UK chickens are still reared intensively in overcrowded conditions and have been bred to grow so quickly that many suffer from lameness and heart problems; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all chicken producers to meet the conditions of the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme.","date":"2009-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37535","proposer":"10586","edm":"510","session":"2008-09","title":"Pre-Stunning Of Animals For Slaughter","text":"That this House recalls the Farm Animal Welfare Council's recommendation in 2003 which called for the repeal of the exemption from stunning prior to slaughter for animals killed by Moslem Halal and Jewish Shechita methods; notes that these exemptions remain; further recalls the Council's scientific evidence showing that sheep become insensible within five to seven seconds of the incision whilst adult cattle may take between 22 and 40 seconds, and calves may take up to two minutes to become insensible; abhors all forms of racism and religious intolerance; proposes that the stunning of an animal post-cut addresses animal welfare concerns whilst remaining compliant with the theological tenets upon which halal and kosher are based; supports the existing use of pre-stunning in the slaugher of over 90 per cent. of animals killed in the UK for halal meat; observes that bans on slaughter without pre-stunning in Norway, Sweden and New Zealand have been in place for over five years without harming religious freedom or community relations in those countries; and calls on the Government to work actively and constructively in co-operation with the Muslim and Jewish communities in the UK to address the animal welfare implications of all religious slaughter and to amend the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 accordingly.","date":"2009-01-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37502","proposer":"10258","edm":"478","session":"2008-09","title":"Proposal To Ban Seal Imports","text":"That this House recognises that an historic opportunity to introduce an EU-wide ban on the import of and the trade in all seal products is currently within reach, as the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers examine draft EU legislation to that effect in the coming months; notes that the Government's position is to support a complete EU-wide ban with no loopholes; further notes that 84 per cent. of the public wants to see an end to the trade in all seal products; and calls on the Government to do all in its power, and in particular encourage our 78 MEPs to support this approach, to ensure that a complete EU ban comes into force as soon as possible.","date":"2009-01-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37505","proposer":"10177","edm":"481","session":"2008-09","title":"Public Support For The Hunting Act 2004","text":"That this House reaffirms its support for the Hunting Act 2004; notes the Ipsos MORI poll in September 2008 highlighting that three out of every four people in Britain do not want fox-hunting to be made legal again, and that 71 per cent. of the rural community backs the ban on fox-hunting; notes that the rule of law applies to all individuals; and calls upon the Government to ensure the Act is enforced consistently.","date":"2009-01-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37463","proposer":"10177","edm":"440","session":"2008-09","title":"Electric Shock Training Devices","text":"That this House condemns the sale, manufacture, hire, loan, importation or use of electric shock training devices to train and control dogs, with the exception of electric fences, which operate on a different principle; considers the use of such devices to be cruel and unnecessary; understands that alternative positive training methods produce dogs which are trained more quickly and reliably with no potential for abuse or cruelty; recognises that because dogs are highly reactive to learning experiences and have a strong bond with humans their natural instincts can be utilised to train them easily; and calls on the Government to introduce a complete ban on the sale, manufacture, hire, loan, importation or use of electric shock training devices.","date":"2009-01-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37313","proposer":"11245","edm":"304","session":"2008-09","title":"Cruelty Against Animals","text":"That this House notes that the video, posted on the internet by Animal Saviours, graphically shows the skinning alive of dogs for the fur trade and depicts some of the most outrageous, horrific and utterly disgusting acts of cruelty that can ever have been perpetrated; suggests that hon. Members would be well advised not to look at the video as it is likely to cause serious trauma; and calls on the Government to make diplomatic representations to China on this practice and to bring forward legislative proposals to ban products manufactured using such practices.","date":"2008-12-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37280","proposer":"11245","edm":"279","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Testing For Household Products","text":"That this House notes the Government prohibited the use of animals to test cosmetic products and their ingredients, because it caused unjustified suffering given the nature of the products; supports the campaign of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection to end the suffering of animals in tests for household products and their ingredients; and calls on the Government to implement a policy of prohibition on issuing licences to test household products and their ingredients on animals without delay.","date":"2008-12-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37286","proposer":"10258","edm":"285","session":"2008-09","title":"Racehorse Breeding In The United Kingdom","text":"That this House is alarmed by evidence suggesting that many healthy but unprofitable thoroughbreds are slaughtered in British abattoirs or shot in racing yards every year; notes that the Chairman of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has acknowledged the problem of over-production of racehorses; believes that horse welfare problems flowing from racehorse over-production are likely to worsen as a result of the BHA's future fixtures list which will deny racing opportunities to hundreds of lower-rated horses; further notes that every year more than 160 horses die or are destroyed due to racecourse injuries; calls on the Government to undertake and put into the public domain a full audit of racehorse production, death and injury; and asks it to urge racing's regulators to act decisively to remedy the problems of racehorse over-production and the alarming level of equine death on British racecourses.","date":"2008-12-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37295","proposer":"11199","edm":"295","session":"2008-09","title":"Donkey Sanctuary","text":"That this House notes the tremendous achievements of the Donkey Sanctuary as the largest organisation of its kind in the world, providing year-round rescue and rehabilitation for donkeys and mules worldwide since its inception in 1973; acknowledges the invaluable work undertaken in helping to improve the lives of working donkeys, including medical research, the provision of free clinical treatment and free professional advice on donkey care; congratulates the founder, Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE, for her tireless work and dedication to furthering the cause of animal welfare through donation-funded activities and work with other charities and local authorities; and further acknowledges the valuable work undertaken by its sister charity, the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust, in providing free facilities and visits for special needs children and the elderly, bringing delight, pleasure and learning to both old and young.","date":"2008-12-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37301","proposer":"10616","edm":"86A1","session":"2008-09","title":"Orang-Utans And Palm Oil","text":"after `Borneo', insert ` and Sumatra'.","date":"2008-12-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37302","proposer":"10616","edm":"86A2","session":"2008-09","title":"Orang-Utans And Palm Oil","text":"leave out from `welcomes' to end and add `deplores the failure of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to act against members who continue to convert forest lands and peatlands to oil palm plantations; further notes the value of tropical peatlands in protecting rare megafauna such as the orang-utan, and the carbon dioxide emissions when such land is drained to support plantations of any kind; and urges the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia to rescind all licences for new plantations on peatland and implement a moratorium on further forest conversions to monoculture plantations.'.","date":"2008-12-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37239","proposer":"11199","edm":"241","session":"2008-09","title":"DOGS TRUST'S CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN","text":"That this House notes the Dogs Trust's famous slogan, A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas, which was created in 1978 by the charity's Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, at a time when thousands of people were buying puppies to give to family and friends as Christmas presents, resulting in puppies being abandoned in the New Year; recognises that despite many years of campaigning by the Dogs Trust, there still exists a problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents; further recognises that the Dogs Trust has seen that the most popular time of year for pups to be abandoned is at the start of the Easter holidays, when pups who were given as Christmas presents have grown up to be big, boisterous dogs; further notes the problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents is still a major concern, in a country where there were over 96,000 stray and abandoned dogs taken in by local authorities last year, over 6,000 of which were put to sleep; and wholeheartedly supports the Dogs Trust in its determination to ensure that one day all dogs are cared for by responsible owners and have a home for life.","date":"2008-12-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37240","proposer":"11199","edm":"242","session":"2008-09","title":"Bears In China","text":"That this House welcomes the progress that is being made by the Animals Asia Foundation towards bringing an end to the abhorrent abuse of over 7,000 bears on farms in China; recognises that bear farmers and stakeholders in the industry continue to maintain that conditions on the farms are humane, whilst some evidence points to the contrary; notes that bears are kept for up to 22 years in cramped, rusting cages, with little room to stand up or turn around; further notes that bears continue to suffer in the most deplorable conditions, with metal catheters implanted deep into their gall bladders and infected fistula holes in their abdomens, enabling farmers to milk the bears for their bile twice daily; congratulates the Chinese government's work in partnership with the Animals Asia Foundation in rescuing 247 bears from bear farms to date; and calls on the British Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice.","date":"2008-12-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37114","proposer":"10383","edm":"122","session":"2008-09","title":"Hunting With Dogs","text":"That this House notes that prior to Parliament's decision to outlaw the hunting of wild animals with dogs, a reported 50,000 hunt members and supporters signed a declaration that they would disobey such a law; further notes that there is mounting evidence that hunts are avoiding the law and by various devices are continuing the barbaric practice of hunting foxes down to a bloody kill and claiming that such kills are accidental; and therefore calls on the Government to act to prevent this abuse of the spirit of the anti-hunting legislation by means of an amendment to the Hunting Act to include a reckless behaviour clause.","date":"2008-12-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37118","proposer":"10258","edm":"126","session":"2008-09","title":"Local Authorities And Micro-Chipped Animals","text":"That this House calls for local authorities to introduce routine scanning of domestic animals including cats and dogs killed on roads; recognises the upset caused to families, particularly those with children when a pet goes missing; and seeks to ensure that micro-chipped pets are reported to their owners.","date":"2008-12-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37126","proposer":"10258","edm":"135","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Protection Policy","text":"That this House notes the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that animals have complex mental and emotional lives; considers animals to be conscious, feeling beings with an interest in living, avoiding suffering and experiencing pleasure; acknowledges that each animal has inherent value and is worthy of serious moral consideration; further considers respect for animals to be indicative of the level of civilisation; is concerned that policy making is led by industries that inevitably compromise animals' welfare and interests, and that the most essential interests of animals and the public's concern for their protection are given insufficient consideration; endorses the Prime Minister's call for constitutional reform that entrusts more power to Parliament and the British people; further notes that there is no Government body whose primary purpose is to protect the interests of animals in policy-making; and calls upon the Government to establish an animal protection commission or similar body, answerable to Parliament via a Minister, with a remit which includes the ongoing examination of the ethical status and rights of animals and how they are affected by policy-making, the facilitation of genuine public participation throughout policy processes which affect animals, and the development of a cross-Government agenda for animal protection.","date":"2008-12-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37128","proposer":"10258","edm":"137","session":"2008-09","title":"Animal Testing Of Cosmetics","text":"That this House believes, in common with the majority of the British public, that it is morally unacceptable that animals should suffer merely because companies choose to develop new cosmetic products; applauds Uncaged's Boycott Procter and Gamble campaign as a vital means of relaying public concern to companies who perform toxicity tests on animals for cosmetics products; supports the transparent and thorough implementation of the animal testing and marketing bans in the Council Directive 76\/768 relating to cosmetic products; calls on the Minister of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to ensure the disclosure of relevant non-confidential data in product information relating to animal testing of cosmetics products so that consumers can make informed choices; and urges the Government to resist attempts by cosmetics companies and non-EU states to prevent or postpone implementation of the ban on the sale of animal tested cosmetics products or ingredients.","date":"2008-12-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37130","proposer":"10258","edm":"139","session":"2008-09","title":"Pandas From China","text":"That this House expresses its concern at the proposal to bring giant pandas from China to London, Edinburgh and Colchester zoos; considers that there are serious animal welfare problems attached to the keeping of giant pandas in zoos; notes that captive breeding of giant pandas has resulted in no successful reintroduction to the wild; believes that the best way to conserve the giant panda population is to support in situ projects such as panda reserves and habitat conservation; and requests the Scottish and UK governments not to become involved in using animals in the course of diplomatic exchange.","date":"2008-12-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36998","proposer":"10521","edm":"6","session":"2008-09","title":"Inhumane Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls upon the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37078","proposer":"11318","edm":"86","session":"2008-09","title":"Orang-Utans And Palm Oil","text":"That this House expresses concern about the growth of oil palm plantations in Borneo; notes that many oil palm plantations have replaced the rainforest, which is the habitat for the orang-utan; is further concerned that increasing habitat destruction could lead to the extinction of the orang-utan within five years; welcomes the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil; and urges the palm oil industry to take responsible action to protect orang-utan habitats and become sustainable.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37079","proposer":"11318","edm":"87","session":"2008-09","title":"Eu Animal Welfare","text":"That this House calls on the European Commission to work for the improvement of animal welfare throughout the Community; and calls on the Commission to ensure that all EU member states apply the animal welfare standards to which they are committed, thus allowing British farmers to compete on a level playing field.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37085","proposer":"10006","edm":"95","session":"2008-09","title":"Whaling","text":"That this House recognises the important role played by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in protecting whales and in marine conservation; further recognises the importance of continuing with that protection and maintaining the international moratorium on commercial whaling; urges members of the IWC to resist the sustained efforts of pro-whaling countries to undermine the international moratorium; fears that continuing to hold the IWC's Small Working Group meetings behind closed doors could lead to a compromise decision which would undermine the moratorium and legitimise some form of commercial whaling; calls upon the Government to campaign for the negotiations and discussions within the IWC to be fully transparent; and further calls on Government departments to work together and pro-actively lobby more countries to join the IWC to support the international moratorium.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"37086","proposer":"10470","edm":"96","session":"2008-09","title":"Illegal Meat Imports","text":"That this House notes with concern that an estimated average of 12,000 tonnes of meat products enter the country illegally each year from countries outside the EU; recognises that illegal meat imports present serious risks to both animal and human health, and threaten the survival of many species in the wild; regrets that only one in every 25,000 seizures of illegal meat results in a prosecution; and calls on the Government to improve border security via the introduction of a UK border police force and end the leniency shown to smugglers who are endangering human and animal health.","date":"2008-12-03","status":"o"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36902","proposer":"10444","edm":"2495","session":"2007-08","title":"Wild Tigers","text":"That this House notes with grave concern the illegal trade in Asian big cat parts and derivatives and the diminishing population of big cats; further notes that tiger farming in China represents a significant threat to the remaining wild populations by stimulating demand; welcomes the measures taken by the Indian government in recognising the importance of intelligence-led law enforcement in tackling wildlife crime through the foundation of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau; calls for the Government to convey its gravest concerns to the Chinese government about its role as the major consumer of tiger parts and to urge China to complement efforts in India by closing its tiger farms and consolidating and destroying all stockpiles of tiger parts and to maintain and enforce its 1993 State Council Order banning the use of tiger products; recognises the negative impact of industrial encroachment on tiger forests; and urges the Government to develop enhanced regulations for UK-based companies and their subsidiaries operating in tiger range states to ensure their actions do not harm tigers or their habitat.","date":"2008-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36873","proposer":"10465","edm":"1215A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Household Products","text":"leave out from `product;' to end and insert `further notes that a number of household goods companies are actively looking for suitable alternatives to animal testing; recognises the ongoing use of animals in medical research; and calls on the Government to enter negotiations with those companies employing animal testing to develop strategies to seek creative alternatives which balance the joint considerations of animal welfare and human safety.'.","date":"2008-11-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36838","proposer":"10383","edm":"2438","session":"2007-08","title":"Hunting With Dogs","text":"That this House notes that prior to Parliament's decision to outlaw the hunting of wild animals with dogs, a reported 50,000 hunt members and supporters signed a declaration that they would disobey such a law; further notes that there is mounting evidence that hunts are avoiding the law and by various devices are continuing the barbaric practice of hunting foxes down to a bloody kill and claiming that such kills are accidental; and therefore calls on the Government to act to prevent this abuse of the spirit of the anti-hunting legislation by means of an amendment to the Hunting Act to include a reckless behaviour clause.","date":"2008-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36818","proposer":"11245","edm":"2424","session":"2007-08","title":"Promoting The Welfare Of Pets","text":"That this House congratulates the creators of a new and free internet site ThePet.net; and particularly veterinary surgeon Marc Abraham and online media expert Andrew Seel; notes that the site allows pet owners to find pet-friendly hotels, pubs, pet-shops and other services, to rate and comment on these services so pet owners generally can make informed choices, and to book these services online where possible; believes that this will increase public understanding of pets, promote more and better pet-friendly services and enable people to obtain more enjoyment from their pets and to care for them better, improving animal welfare and showcasing pet-friendly businesses; and calls on the Government to promote more such entirely free and philanthropic websites.","date":"2008-11-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36819","proposer":"11245","edm":"2425","session":"2007-08","title":"Responsibilities Of Pet Owners Under The Animal Welfare Act","text":"That this House understands the importance of pets in improving people's quality of life; congratulates the Government on producing new codes of practice which outline the responsibilities of pet owners under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and give practical advice on how to fulfil them; notes that the needs of cats and dogs in particular are reviewed, that emotional as well as diet and physical needs are covered; further notes that it is the duty of each pet owner to be familiar with the Code of Practice so that the welfare needs of their pets are fully understood; and calls on the Government to monitor the success of the Act in improving the welfare of pets.","date":"2008-11-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36600","proposer":"11132","edm":"2250","session":"2007-08","title":"Dog Health And Kennel Club","text":"That this House welcomes the initiatives being put into place by the Kennel Club to improve the health of pedigree dogs, including regular health surveys, changes that have been made to breed standards and judging criteria, the Fit for Function Fit for Life education campaign and the Accredited Breeder Scheme, which requires breeders to carry out breed specific health testing on pedigree dogs to ensure future generations are healthy; and calls on the Government to encourage breeders to become accredited.","date":"2008-10-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36492","proposer":"10394","edm":"1917A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Tesco Supermarkets And Chicken Welfare","text":"after `marque', insert `, and not to purchase from anywhere else in the world meat produced to lesser welfare standards.'.","date":"2008-07-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36454","proposer":"11817","edm":"2107","session":"2007-08","title":"Highways Agency And Ragwort Near Shrewsbury","text":"That this House notes the duty of the Highways Agency to effectively remove ragwort from the side of roads under its care; further notes that ragwort is poisonous to horses and spreads quickly if not checked; further notes that around Shrewsbury the Highways Agency is not fulfilling its responsibility to remove ragwort, leading to a huge spread of this dangerous weed; and urges the Highways Agency to urgently sort out this problem during August.","date":"2008-07-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36467","proposer":"10295","edm":"2120","session":"2007-08","title":"CHINA'S DOG MEAT POLICY","text":"That this House congratulates the Chinese government on its decision to ban the sale and consumption of dog meat during the Olympic Games this summer; applauds China's willingness to listen to the wishes of the international community; calls on the Chinese government to extend its temporary policy to become a permanent change to the country's approach to animal welfare; and asks the Chinese government to acknowledge the British attitude to dog ownership by recognising that a dog is for life, not just for the Olympics.","date":"2008-07-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36394","proposer":"11245","edm":"2052","session":"2007-08","title":"Welfare Of Farmed Puppies","text":"That this House is concerned by reports of the harm caused by puppy trafficking; congratulates The Kennel Club on its exposure of this problem and its enforcement of strict rules on breeders in the UK; welcomes the caring approach to puppy farming by responsible UK breeders and notes the excellent work undertaken on this issue by the RSPCA, particularly in respect of puppies imported, often from Eire, in a poor state of health and misdescribed in advertisements; and calls on the Government to review policy in this area in order to improve the welfare of farmed puppies and to protect the interests of future puppy owners.","date":"2008-07-16","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36413","proposer":"10295","edm":"2072","session":"2007-08","title":"Eu And Fur Trade","text":"That this House congratulates the European Parliament proposition to ban cat and dog fur imports; believes that the wider consequences of the ban would be positive, including the impact on the Chinese fur business and the prevention of thousands of animals suffering; and approves the wider message to fur exporting countries that the European Union is united in action to improve international animal welfare.","date":"2008-07-16","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36414","proposer":"10295","edm":"2073","session":"2007-08","title":"China And Ivory Licences","text":"That this House notes with urgent concern the Government's decision to approve China's application to legalise purchasing of ivory stockpiles from Africa; is concerned that the licence will provide myriad opportunities for illicit ivory to be laundered into legal stock and will increase the already tragic number of 20,000 elephants being illegally killed across the African continent; and condemns the decision to bow to political pressure regarding relations with China rather than using Great Britain's position as European representative on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) committee to make a stand for positive international wildlife protection.","date":"2008-07-16","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36356","proposer":"10295","edm":"2019","session":"2007-08","title":"Japanese Whaling","text":"That this House condemns the whale-meat embezzlement ring shown by Greenpeace to be at the heart of the Japanese government's so-called scientific whaling programme; calls upon the Japanese authorities to carry out an immediate public investigation into this practice which has further undermined Japan's international obligations; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to demonstrate to the Japanese government that their detaining of Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki without charge only brings their alleged corruption to the attention of the international community.","date":"2008-07-10","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36239","proposer":"10521","edm":"1917","session":"2007-08","title":"Tesco Supermarkets And Chicken Welfare","text":"That this House deplores the action of institutional shareholders of Tesco plc in voting against a resolution to ensure that chicken rearing standards are improved; congratulates TV cook Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for his campaign which sought to persuade Britain's largest food retailer to upgrade its minimum conditions to the RSPCA's `Freedom Food' marque; urges all other food retailers to adopt these minimum conditions and inform customers that they have done so; urges people in the meantime to boycott the purchase of chickens at Tesco stores; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all those involved in chicken rearing to meet the RSPCA's minimum conditions.","date":"2008-06-30","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36221","proposer":"10597","edm":"1900","session":"2007-08","title":"Animals Act 1971 (Amendment) Bill","text":"That this House recognises the support both within and without Parliament for the Animals Act (Amendment) Bill brought forward by the hon. Member for Preseli, Pembrokeshire; notes the unfairness resulting from the House of Lords' decision in the case of Mirvahedy versus Henley (2003) under which the keepers of animals can be held liable for incidents they could not have anticipated; supports the Bill's purpose to ensure the Animals Act 1971 adequately reflects Parliament's original intention; and calls on the Government to extend the scope of the draft Marine Bill to include the provisions of the Animals Act 1971 (Amendment) Bill.","date":"2008-06-25","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36200","proposer":"10521","edm":"1882","session":"2007-08","title":"Inhumane Treatment Of Dogs In China","text":"That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls upon the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards.","date":"2008-06-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36169","proposer":"10295","edm":"1859","session":"2007-08","title":"Japanese Whaling Policy","text":"That this House condemns the controversial Japanese policy of hunting whales under the bogus banner of scientific research; supports the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and Greenpeace objectives to expose the practice as commercial whaling under the guise of science; calls on the Government to give full backing to the IWC in its objective to forbid Japan from using a scientific research programme to kill an increasing annual quota of whales; and fully supports the IWC's proposal to assign a region of the Atlantic Ocean for a permanent whale sanctuary where all hunting will be banned.","date":"2008-06-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"36146","proposer":"10295","edm":"1837","session":"2007-08","title":"Greenland Whaling","text":"That this House notes with concern the report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals which has found that a quarter of Greenland's whale catch during last year was traded for profit through a private food company; recognises that under current rules whaling is permitted under the banner of subsistence hunting; recognises that this has to be monitored very closely and cannot be allowed for commercial purposes; and calls on the International Whaling Commission, which meets next week in Santiago, to ensure that a stop is put on moves towards commercial whaling by Greenland.","date":"2008-06-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35983","proposer":"10177","edm":"1699","session":"2007-08","title":"Dog Rental","text":"That this House expresses concern about the operation of the dog rental company, FlexPetz, which has opened in London with the intention to expand to various cities across the United Kingdom; acknowledges that the UK dog rental business is currently very small but recognises the potential for its growth due to the increase in fashion accessory dogs; disapproves of causing distress to dogs as a result of them being rented out to numerous people; believes that this encourages irresponsible attitudes to dog ownership; further believes that dog renting is, or should be, a breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in that it is highly likely to inhibit dogs from having the ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns; further disapproves of renting dogs for profit; calls on the Government to take action to ensure compliance with the Animal Welfare Act; and thanks the Kennel Club for drawing attention to this issue.","date":"2008-06-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35911","proposer":"11494","edm":"1630","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Welfare In China","text":"That this House is appalled by the treatment of animals in China, which includes live feeding and performance animals at zoos, organised horse fighting and the mass slaughter of companion animals; notes with deep concern that there are no animal welfare laws in place for the purpose of protecting China's domestic, farmed and captive animals; recognises the unique diplomatic opportunity presented by China's hosting of the Olympic Games in August which will include a meeting between His Excellency Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, and the Prime Minister; and urges the Prime Minister, in his discussions with the Chinese President, to raise the issue of animal welfare standards.","date":"2008-05-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35865","proposer":"10258","edm":"1588","session":"2007-08","title":"Pandas From China","text":"That this House expresses its concern at the proposal by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) to lease two giant pandas from a research centre in China for exhibition and captive breeding at Edinburgh Zoo; considers that there are serious animal welfare problems attached to the keeping of giant pandas in zoos; notes that captive breeding of giant pandas has resulted in no successful reintroduction to the wild; believes that the best way to conserve the giant panda population is to support in situ projects such as panda reserves and habitat conservation; urges the RZSS to reconsider this plan; and requests the Scottish and UK Governments not to become involved in using live animals as currency in the course of diplomatic exchange.","date":"2008-05-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35732","proposer":"10421","edm":"1467","session":"2007-08","title":"Universal Declaration On Animal Welfare","text":"That this House supports the development of the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare, an effort led by a number of world governments, supported by the World Organisation for Animal Health, and underpinned by the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Compassion in World Farming in the UK, and by hundreds more animal welfare organisations worldwide; and calls upon the Government to give its full and publicly-stated support for this initiative, including active support within the European Union and the United Nations.","date":"2008-04-30","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35708","proposer":"11245","edm":"1401A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Ivory Trade","text":"leave out from `poaching;' to `any' in line 13 and insert `and calls upon the Government to use all possible means to oppose.'.","date":"2008-04-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35671","proposer":"10001","edm":"1420","session":"2007-08","title":"Icelandic Commercial Whaling","text":"That this House is concerned about reports in the Icelandic media that whaling may be resumed in the country; notes that commercial whaling in Iceland was halted in 2007 after a decision by the Icelandic government that there was not enough demand for whale meat; further notes that in a recent Gallup poll 66 per cent. of Icelanders agreed that if the market was poor, whaling should not be resumed; recognises that Iceland now has a profitable whale-watching industry worth \u00c2\u00a310 million a year in 2007; is further concerned that a resumption of whaling will damage Iceland's international reputation and could affect tourism and whale-watching in Iceland; and calls on the Prime Minister to encourage Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde and the Icelandic government not to issue new whaling quotas.","date":"2008-04-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35672","proposer":"10177","edm":"1421","session":"2007-08","title":"Anniversary Of The Animal Welfare Act 2006","text":"That this House celebrates the anniversary of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which came into force in England on 6th April 2007 and in Wales on 28th March 2007; congratulates the RSPCA and other animal welfare organisations on the successful campaign for the Act; commends the Government and all the main political parties for their support for the legislation; but notes with disappointment the slow progress made in drawing up Regulations and Codes under the Act; and calls on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to dedicate the resources and attention needed to ensure that the Animal Welfare Act is properly implemented, fully protecting animals from harm.","date":"2008-04-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35651","proposer":"10097","edm":"1401","session":"2007-08","title":"Ivory Trade","text":"That this House is dismayed that 20,000 elephants a year are still being slaughtered to supply the illegal ivory trade; notes with concern that China remains the major destination for illicit ivory; further notes that Chinese citizens have been convicted of illegally trading ivory in 22 of the 37 African elephant range states; is aware that China may request to buy ivory stockpiles at the forthcoming Standing Committee meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in July; recognises the commendable progress China has made in recent years to improve illegal wildlife trade enforcement; is concerned, however, that ivory market controls in China remain insufficient to prevent continued illegal trade in ivory; is further concerned that any sale of stockpiled ivory to China may provide a smokescreen for further illegal ivory to be laundered into the system creating an incentive for more elephant poaching; welcomes the Government's role as a European Union representative on the CITES Standing Committee; and calls upon the Government to use that position to bring together EU partners in opposition to any attempt by China to buy ivory stockpiles.","date":"2008-04-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35645","proposer":"11245","edm":"1342A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Long Distance Transport Of Animals For Slaughter","text":"leave out from second `the' to `a' in line 3 and insert `Government will impose a policy to enforce'.","date":"2008-04-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35646","proposer":"11245","edm":"1342A2","session":"2007-08","title":"Long Distance Transport Of Animals For Slaughter","text":"leave out from `vehicle' to end.","date":"2008-04-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35586","proposer":"10491","edm":"1342","session":"2007-08","title":"Long Distance Transport Of Animals For Slaughter","text":"That this House supports the goal of the global campaign to end the long distance transport of animals for slaughter; expresses the hope that the European Commission will expedite its review of the European Union rules on transport, proposes a short finite limit on journey times for slaughter and improved standards covering vehicles, journey plans and areas where animals can rest off the transport vehicle; and calls upon the Government actively to support further measures in these areas within the European Union.","date":"2008-04-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35537","proposer":"10285","edm":"1301","session":"2007-08","title":"Canadian Seal Hunt","text":"That this House condemns the cruelty of the Canadian seal hunt; notes that over 1.5 million seal pups have been bludgeoned or shot to death since 2003; notes with concern that the hunt is subsidised and protected by the Canadian government; further notes that regulations to curb the suffering of these creatures are unenforceable; embraces the UK and EU ban on imports of harp and hooded seal products; and urges the Government to take a stand against senseless violence against seal pups.","date":"2008-04-01","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35514","proposer":"10258","edm":"1279","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Testing Of Cosmetics","text":"That this House believes, in common with the majority of the British public, that it is morally unacceptable that animals should suffer merely because companies choose to develop new cosmetic products; applauds Uncaged's Boycott Procter and Gamble campaign as a vital means of relaying public concern to companies who perform toxicity tests on animals for cosmetics products; supports the transparent and thorough implementation of the animal testing and marketing bans in the Council Directive 76\/768 relating to cosmetic products; calls on the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to ensure the disclosure of relevant non confidential data in product information relating to animal testing of cosmetics products so that consumers can make informed choices; and urges the Government to resist attempts by cosmetics companies and non-EU states to prevent or postpone implementation of the ban on the sale of animal tested cosmetics products or ingredients.","date":"2008-03-31","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35526","proposer":"10373","edm":"965A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Welfare In Circuses","text":"at end add `but only if the Government maintains its further promise to base any such ban or restriction strictly on scientific evidence, and further notes that the evidence that currently exists provides no support for such action.'.","date":"2008-03-31","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35493","proposer":"11923","edm":"1259","session":"2007-08","title":"Supermarkets And British Meat","text":"That this House notes and is encouraged by Morrisons' decision to source all its beef, poultry, pork and lamb from the UK; recognises that this will have the effect of helping the British farming industry, reducing food miles and improving animal welfare; and calls on other supermarkets to follow suit.","date":"2008-03-26","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35478","proposer":"10226","edm":"1244","session":"2007-08","title":"Bearskin Caps","text":"That this House recognises that the bearskin caps worn by British military personnel have no military significance and involve unnecessary cruelty; and invites the Government to end their use and to substitute hats made from fake fur.","date":"2008-03-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35456","proposer":"10462","edm":"1229","session":"2007-08","title":"Hunting In Public Parks In Knowsley","text":"That this House reaffirms its abhorrence of the practice of hunting live animals with dogs; condemns attempts to circumvent the legislation which it has passed on this matter, and in particular the practice of hunting wild animals clandestinely in urban parks such as Stadt Moers Park in Knowsley; and expresses its full support for Merseyside Police and Knowsley Council in their determination to enforce the law rigorously against those who do this.","date":"2008-03-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35460","proposer":"10646","edm":"1233","session":"2007-08","title":"Poisons Information Service","text":"That this House expresses its concern about the threat to the future of the Guy's and St Thomas' Poisons Unit (GTPU) which provides a 24-hour poisons advice and support service to clinical staff in both human and animal healthcare; notes that it has operated continuously for 44 years and has answered over 2.8 million telephone enquiries; further expresses its concern that the Health Protection Agency has decided not to offer the Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust a contract to provide a poisons information service of which the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is a part; recognises that the loss of the VPIS would have serious implications for animal welfare; and calls on the Department of Health to take urgent action to secure the long-term future of the VPIS regardless of the outcome of the current discussions between the Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust and the Health Protection Agency.","date":"2008-03-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35441","proposer":"10177","edm":"1215","session":"2007-08","title":"Household Products","text":"That this House notes the Government's 1997 policy prohibition on the use of animals to test the safety of cosmetic products and their ingredients, which was said to have been introduced on the basis that the suffering caused was not justified given the nature of the product; notes with regret that the Government has not implemented a similar prohibition on the use of animals to test household products, such as washing-up liquid or floor cleaners, and their ingredients; supports the campaign of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection to end the suffering of animals in tests for household products and their ingredients; and calls on the Government to implement a policy prohibition on issuing licences to test household products and their ingredients on animals as a matter of urgency.","date":"2008-03-18","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35278","proposer":"11817","edm":"1077","session":"2007-08","title":"Office Of Fair Trading Investigation Into The Dairy Sector And Parliament","text":"That this House notes with concern the lack of interaction between the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Parliament thoughout the OFT's investigation into the dairy sector; believes that the level of communication on behalf of the OFT has been insufficient in order to form a reasoned conclusion on the investigation and that such an investigation requires valuable input from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Dairy Farming; regrets the decision of the OFT to exclude the group from the disclosure of the non-confidential version of the statement of objections; considers that the All Party Parliamentary Group sufficiently meets the criteria for such disclosure, as it is materially affected by and can materially assist in the investigation; and calls for increased transparency and the immediate disclosure of the non-confidential version of the statement of objections to the group.","date":"2008-02-28","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35259","proposer":"10203","edm":"1060","session":"2007-08","title":"Enforcement Of The Hunting Act 2004","text":"That this House insists that appropriate action should be taken by Dyfed Powys police following the invasion of Llwyncelyn Road, Glanaman in January by a pack of 30 dogs in pursuit of a fox in a clear breach of the law; notes a comment of a resident that `The law is an ass if you ask me and these huntsmen are getting away with murder'; is concerned by reports of flagrant breaches of the Hunting Act 2004; and calls on the police throughout the UK to do their duty.","date":"2008-02-27","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35147","proposer":"10616","edm":"954","session":"2007-08","title":"Chicken Welfare","text":"That this House welcomes Jamie Oliver's expos\u00c3\u00a9 on Channel 4 of the gassing of unwanted male chicks with carbon dioxide, which induces gasping for breath; understands that this practice is common across battery, barn and free range egg systems; seeks the abolition of this practice as a matter of humanity; further deplores Tesco's decision to offer \u00c2\u00a31.99 chickens, coming soon after Sainsbury's and the Co-op have promised to raise their minimum chicken welfare standards; and congratulates Marks and Spencer on its market-leading standards for farm animal welfare, recognised by Compassion in World Farming.","date":"2008-02-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35158","proposer":"11946","edm":"965","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Welfare In Circuses","text":"That this House notes with concern that the Circus Working Group disregarded substantial amounts of evidence on the welfare of animals in circuses as a result of the methodology imposed by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; believes that the report of the Chair of the Circus Working Group fails to provide reliable information on this subject; and urges the Government to maintain its commitment to ban the use of wild species in travelling circuses and to restrict and limit the use of domesticated species under a strict, accountable and open licensing system.","date":"2008-02-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35108","proposer":"10444","edm":"927","session":"2007-08","title":"Clear Labelling For Real Fur Products","text":"That this House notes that recent advances in the quality and look of fake fur make it difficult for many consumers to tell the difference between items made with fake fur and those made with real fur; further notes that there is now evidence that consumers are confused and some may be purchasing items made or trimmed with real fur believing the fur to be fake; further notes that the Trade Descriptions (Sealskin Goods) (Information) Order 1980 requires that all products made from or containing sealskins carry a label; further notes that a new law came into force in November 2007 in New York State requiring all real fur and fur-trimmed clothing to carry a label saying real fur; and calls upon the Government to introduce, as soon as possible and as a measure to protect consumers, a labelling order requiring all other real fur on sale to carry a label that clearly states that the item is made using real animal fur.","date":"2008-02-18","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"35018","proposer":"10169","edm":"823A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Endangered Falcons","text":"leave out `Greek Cypriot government' and insert `Republic of Cyprus government and the Turkish-Cypriot administration in the north of Cyprus.'.","date":"2008-01-31","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34989","proposer":"10295","edm":"823","session":"2007-08","title":"Endangered Falcons","text":"That this House notes with concern the massacre of nearly 50 falcons illegally by hunters in Cyprus; further notes that red-footed falcons have recently been reclassified from vulnerable to globally-threatened; recognises that Cyprus is in the middle of one of the main migration routes for birds heading for the African warmth during the winter; calls on the European Commission to exert its authority; and further calls on the Greek-Cypriot government to ensure that a ban on shooting endangered species is enforced rigorously.","date":"2008-01-30","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34947","proposer":"10444","edm":"783","session":"2007-08","title":"Commercial Seal Hunting And The Importation Of Seal Products Into The UK","text":"That this House congratulates Belgium and the Netherlands for banning the trade in seal products; welcomes these bans as a step towards an EU-wide ban; is disappointed at the decision of the Canadian government to pursue consultations at the World Trade Organisation against these bans; believes these bans are wholly justified due to the public outrage caused by the cruel killing methods in seal hunts; notes evidence in the scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority released in December 2007 on the Animal Welfare Aspects of Killing and Skinning Seals that, in practice, effective killing does not always occur, that during Canada's commercial seal hunt, animals suffer pain and distress and that sealers often do not comply with regulations; and urges the Government to follow the example of Belgium and the Netherlands and ban the trade in seal products in the UK.","date":"2008-01-24","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34932","proposer":"10785","edm":"769","session":"2007-08","title":"Scottish Sheep Industry And Electronic Tagging","text":"That this House notes the concerns raised by the National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS) over the European Commission's proposed introduction of an electronic identification system for sheep tagging (Council Regulation (EC) No. 21\/2004 and No. 1560\/2007); believes that this threatens to damage the livelihoods of sheep farmers across Scotland; recognises the NFUS's concerns that the new system would be particularly difficult to operate in a Scottish context where the sheep industry is highly structured and relies on the recording of batch movements; further notes that the UK has the largest sheep flock in the EU that is uniquely stratified resulting in significantly more sheep movements in Scotland than the rest of the EU; is concerned that the proposed electronic identification system would require the recording of individual animal identities at each movement creating extra costs, complexities and work for Scottish farmers; and urges the UK Government to press the European Commission to amend the proposed EU regulation.","date":"2008-01-23","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34895","proposer":"10716","edm":"733","session":"2007-08","title":"Welfare Of Broiler Chickens","text":"That this House calls on the Government and the farming industry to improve welfare standards in the rearing of broiler chickens; congratulates the campaign by the RSPCA and chefs Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver to highlight the poor conditions in which many chickens are reared; notes that the industry spacing regulations for chickens raised for meat allow for 38kg of body weight per square metre, which is no more floor space per bird than a piece of A4 paper; further notes that limited space, lack of stimulation, and poor lighting conditions can lead to blindness, injuries and poor health; and further calls on the Government to work with the industry to move towards the RSPCA's guideline of 30kg of weight per square metre, and improve birds' lives by using slower-growing animals, improving lighting routines and providing environmental stimulation.","date":"2008-01-21","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34880","proposer":"10451","edm":"723","session":"2007-08","title":"Farm Animal Welfare And Public Procurement","text":"That this House believes that public sector bodies should, when procuring food and meals, help deliver good standards of farm animal welfare; congratulates Wirral Council on its decision to use only free range eggs; regrets that the Government's Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative has achieved very little as regards farm animal welfare; believes that most poultry meat, eggs and pig meat procured by the public sector is derived from animals that have been reared industrially; urges public sector bodies to procure only chicken meat that has come from birds that have been reared free range or to high indoor standards; believes that it is not appropriate for public sector bodies to purchase battery eggs as this system will be illegal throughout the European Union from 2012; accordingly urges public sector bodies to join the many supermarkets and food service operators that no longer sell or use battery eggs; and calls on the Government to adopt public procurement policies that promote good standards of farm animal welfare.","date":"2008-01-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34860","proposer":"11199","edm":"704","session":"2007-08","title":"Dogs In China","text":"That this House welcomes the positive work for companion animals carried out by the Animals Asia Foundation in China; recognises that their programmes aim to work in partnership with the Chinese government to end the confiscation of dogs within Beijing and the slaughter of thousands of dogs across many Chinese provinces; notes that high volume killing campaigns have proven to be an ineffective measure to control populations of stray dogs and prevent rabies; congratulates the Animals Asia Foundation on its work with the Nanjing authorities to adopt compassionate and long-term solutions through placing stray dogs into the custody of a local animal shelter; encourages the Chinese government to adopt cost-effective animal birth control programmes, which have been proven to reduce the number of stray animals and the incidences of rabies, and thanks the Beijing authorities for their meeting with the Animals Asia Foundation; further encourages the continuation of their positive public education programmes; and requests that confiscated dogs in Beijing are returned to their owners and the offer of free humane muzzles for large dogs by the Animals Asia Foundation is accepted without delay, whilst more constructive and compassionate dog management regulations are discussed and implemented for the benefit of both people and dogs in the community.","date":"2008-01-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34835","proposer":"10459","edm":"680","session":"2007-08","title":"Free Range Chickens","text":"That this House notes the recent three part series shown on Channel 4, Hugh's Chicken Run, and congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on an entertaining and informative programme; recognises the importance of raising awareness of animal welfare issues, health and healthy eating; applauds the role of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in this and the launching of the Chicken Out campaign for a free range future; and calls on the Government to engage in consultations with the relevant parties with the aim of moving towards more free range chicken production and ensuring the House's restaurants set an example.","date":"2008-01-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34841","proposer":"10295","edm":"686","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Rights In China","text":"That this House condemns the Chinese government for the poor animal rights standards in China; notes in particular the brutal treatment of bears in bear farms where bile is removed either through permanent catheters, or during operations, and is used for traditional Chinese medicines despite herbal and synthetic alternatives being available; regards the 250 bear farms across China, housing an estimated total of 7,000 bears, as evidence of extensive cruelty; and calls on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal rights.","date":"2008-01-14","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34746","proposer":"11199","edm":"595","session":"2007-08","title":"Bears In China","text":"That this House welcomes the progress that is being made by the Animals Asia Foundation towards bringing an end to the abhorent abuse of over 7,000 bears on farms in China; recognises that bear farmers and stakeholders in the industry continue to maintain that conditions on the farms are humane, whilst some evidence points to the contrary; notes that bears are kept for up to 22 years in cramped, rusting cages, with little room to stand up or turn around; further notes that bears continue to suffer in the most deplorable conditions, with metal catheters implanted deep into their gallbladders and infected fistula holes in their abdomens, enabling farmers to milk the bears for their bile twice daily; congratulates the Chinese government's work in partnership with Animals Asia Foundation in rescuing 218 bears from bear farms to date; and calls upon the British Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice and to meet Chinese government officials in order to raise serious concerns at a national level.","date":"2007-12-17","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34719","proposer":"10491","edm":"574","session":"2007-08","title":"Export Of Live Calves","text":"That this House is firmly opposed to the export of live calves to be reared for veal; notes that young calves suffer greatly during long journeys and that scientific research shows that morbidity and mortality following transport can be high; deplores the fact that shipping calves from Dover in severe weather has caused deaths and injuries; further notes that once they reach the Continent, calves are often kept on concrete or slatted floors without any straw or other bedding and that such barren systems are illegal in the United Kingdom; believes that it is ethically unacceptable for calves to be exported for rearing abroad in systems that are prohibited in the United Kingdom on welfare grounds; urges dairy farmers to end the export of calves; and calls on the dairy and beef sectors and the Government to work together to develop humane and economically viable uses for male dairy calves in the United Kingdom.","date":"2007-12-13","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34721","proposer":"10220","edm":"576","session":"2007-08","title":"Putting To Death Of Gangotri At Bhaktivedanta Hindu Temple","text":"That this House condemns the action of the RSPCA and Hertfordshire police in killing Gangotri - a cow in the sacred herd of the Hindu temple at Bhaktivedanta Manor; notes that the cow suffered from no contagious disease that rendered her any danger to other animals or humans and indeed had received superb nursing care from the temple's herdsman for the muscle failure and bedsores she was stricken with; and expresses its anger that despite promises from the police the previous day that no precipitate action would be taken and assurances that the community would have the opportunity to seek due legal process, the police and RSPCA arrived unannounced the following morning, went to the Goshala and physically removed three devotees before killing Gangotri by lethal injection whilst the rest of the community were at prayer in the temple.","date":"2007-12-13","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34700","proposer":"10001","edm":"557","session":"2007-08","title":"Penguins At Risk","text":"That this House is concerned at the plight of penguins living in the Antarctic Peninsula; notes that melting ice due to the effects of climate change is devastating the nesting site for penguins; recognises that over-fishing is leading to a lack of food available for penguins; further notes that four species of penguin - the emperor, the gentoo, the chinstrap and the Adelie - are among the most at risk creatures in the area; supports the World Wildlife Fund report which states that some of the emperor penguins' colonies have reduced by half in the past century due to warmer temperatures; and calls on the Government to push for comprehensive and fair emissions cuts at the Bali summit.","date":"2007-12-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34717","proposer":"10193","edm":"469A1","session":"2007-08","title":"Foie Gras","text":"at end add `and congratulates Waitrose on being the first grocer to introduce faux gras for sale into the United Kingdom and for their achievements as a leading promoter of compassionate farming.'.","date":"2007-12-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34683","proposer":"10428","edm":"542","session":"2007-08","title":"Hunting Of Whales","text":"That this House is extremely concerned about Japan's decision to allow the killing of endangered whales in an internationally recognised sanctuary, under the guise of science; believes that the Government must continue to build upon recent successes in whale conservation, especially given its awareness that many whale species have not yet recovered from previous onslaughts; and calls upon the Government to remain highly active against such wanton and dangerous practices in the interests of the world.","date":"2007-12-11","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34613","proposer":"10258","edm":"480","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Protection Policy","text":"That this House notes the growing body of scientific evidence showing animals to have complex mental and emotional lives; considers all vertebrates and possibly some invertebrates to be conscious, feeling beings with an interest in living, avoiding suffering and experiencing pleasure; acknowledges that each animal has inherent value and is worthy of serious moral consideration; considers respect for animals to be indicative of the level of civilisation; is concerned that policy-making is led by industries that inevitably compromise animals' welfare and interests, and thus the most essential interests of animals and the public's concern for their protection are given insufficient consideration; endorses the Prime Minister's call for constitutional reform that `entrusts more power to Parliament and the British people'; notes that there is no Government body whose primary purpose is to protect the interests of animals in policy-making; and calls upon the Government to establish an Animal Protection Commission or similar body, answerable to Parliament via a Minister, with a remit which includes the ongoing examination of the ethical status and rights of animals and how they are affected by policy-making, the facilitation of genuine public participation throughout policy processes which affect animals, and the development of a cross-Government agenda for animal protection.","date":"2007-12-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34599","proposer":"11199","edm":"466","session":"2007-08","title":"Independent Review Of The Greyhound Industry","text":"That this House notes and welcomes an Independent Review of the Greyhound Industry in Great Britain by Lord Donoughue of Ashton; further notes the review was commissioned in the wake of reports of greyhound welfare issues and is wide-ranging; recognises it is underpinned by an improved welfare policy; and calls on the Government and the sport to work together to embrace and implement the report as soon as possible to improve greyhound welfare both while racing and into retirement as pets.","date":"2007-12-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34602","proposer":"11437","edm":"469","session":"2007-08","title":"Foie Gras","text":"That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by over-feeding ducks and geese by forcing metal pipes down their throats until their livers have swollen to around 10 times the normal size; recognises that the production (but not the sale) of foie gras is banned in the UK; and calls upon the restaurant trade to consider moving to new brands of faux gras which has the support of the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming, are produced from free-range ducks and geese and do not involve any force-feeding.","date":"2007-12-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34605","proposer":"11026","edm":"472","session":"2007-08","title":"Dolphin Slaughter","text":"That this House expresses concern at the annual slaughter of dolphins and other small cetaceans by Japanese fishermen; calls upon the Japanese government to end this barbaric practice; urges both the British Government and the European Union to make strong representations to the Japanese authorities about this brutal ritual which has no place in any civilised society; and calls on the European Union to consider the imposition of sanctions if Japan takes no action to stop this slaughter.","date":"2007-12-04","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34432","proposer":"10177","edm":"314","session":"2007-08","title":"Snares","text":"That this House notes with concern that badgers, otters, domestic pets, livestock and other animals continue to be severely injured and killed by snares; expresses particular concern that self-locking snares, made illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, are still being used in the UK; notes that free-running snares are legal for the control of foxes and rabbits but are by their nature indiscriminate and therefore cause considerable pain and suffering not only to the target species, but to many non-targeted animals; further notes that the Independent Working Group on Snares agreed that snares were indiscriminate when it reported that it would be difficult to reduce the proportion of non-targeted animals caught below 40 per cent.; believes that the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in relation to snares are difficult to enforce and have failed adequately to protect wildlife from unnecessary suffering and death; welcomes the Scottish Executive's 2007 decision to consult on a ban on snares; further notes that responses to the Scottish consultation were 70 per cent. in favour of a ban; and calls on the Government to consult on the abolition of the manufacture, sale and use of all snares.","date":"2007-11-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34399","proposer":"10177","edm":"288","session":"2007-08","title":"Electric Shock Training Devices","text":"That this House condemns the sale, manufacture, hire, loan, importation, or use of electric shock training devices to train and control dogs, with the exception of electric fences, which operate on a different principle; considers the use of such devices to be cruel and unnecessary; understands that alternative positive training methods produce dogs which are trained more quickly and reliably with no potential for abuse or cruelty; recognises that because dogs are highly reactive to learning experiences and have a strong bond with humans their natural instincts can be utilised to train them easily; and calls upon the Government to introduce a complete ban on the sale, manufacture, hire, loan, importation or use of electric shock training devices.","date":"2007-11-15","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34330","proposer":"10203","edm":"228","session":"2007-08","title":"Hunt Monitors","text":"That this House applauds the hunt monitors who courageously challenge the extreme violence and intimidation of hunt extremists to ensure that the law is obeyed and to gather evidence to present to the authorities; thanks and congratulates the Protect Our Wild Animals group for providing video proof that the law is being flouted; and calls on the police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that the Hunting Act 2004 is properly enforced.","date":"2007-11-13","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34305","proposer":"10295","edm":"203","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Circuses In China","text":"That this House notes with concern the appalling way in which animals are being treated in order to perform in circuses across China; highlights the latest example featured in the Daily Express, where tigers are forced to stand on their hind legs and raise their paws on the instruction of the circus master, while another act involves a goat walking on a tightrope with a monkey on its back and no safety net below; deplores such acts of cruelty; and calls on the Government to work with animal welfare charities in order to place pressure on the Chinese authorities to improve their animal protection laws.","date":"2007-11-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34260","proposer":"10444","edm":"164","session":"2007-08","title":"JAPAN'S HUMPBACK WHALE HUNT","text":"That this House condemns the imminent slaughter under the guise of science of 50 endangered humpback whales, as well as 935 minke whales and 50 endangered fin whales, by Japanese whalers in the internationally designated Southern Ocean whale sanctuary; expresses deep concern that the humpbacks to be targeted by Japan form part of an endangered population of whales that is vitally important for whale watching industries in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, countries which treasure these whales alive, both culturally and economically; notes that a Resolution was adopted at this year's International Whaling Commission meeting in Anchorage which strongly criticised Japan's scientific whaling, exposing it as a sham designed to disguise commercial whaling; further notes that whaling in any form is inherently cruel and that there is no humane way to kill whales; further notes that these whales can be studied using non-lethal research methods; and calls on the Government to unequivocally condemn Japan's cruel, unnecessary and unlawful whaling activities and engage in increased diplomatic action at the highest levels to bring an end to commercial and scientific whaling.","date":"2007-11-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34120","proposer":"11318","edm":"30","session":"2007-08","title":"Eu Animal Welfare","text":"That this House calls on the European Commission to work for the improvement of animal welfare throughout the Community; and, to this end, calls on the Commission to ensure that all EU member states apply the animal welfare standards to which they are committed, thus allowing British farmers to compete on a level playing field.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34121","proposer":"11318","edm":"31","session":"2007-08","title":"Animal Welfare","text":"That this House recognises that much of the important detail of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 will follow in the form of regulations and codes of practice; notes that in 2006 the Government only laid before the House regulations relating to farm welfare and tail docking; is concerned that the implementation of regulations and codes of practice is proceeding at a slow pace; and calls upon the Government to bring forward the proposed draft regulations and codes of practice and ensure that Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise them prior to their commencement.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34122","proposer":"11318","edm":"32","session":"2007-08","title":"Greyhounds","text":"That this House calls on the Government to address animal welfare concerns within greyhound racing; notes that 10,000 greyhounds retire from racing each year, but just 3,500 are re-homed through the largely industry-funded Retired Greyhound Trust and 1,500 through animal welfare charities; is concerned about the numbers of greyhounds unaccounted for; and calls upon the Government to introduce appropriate codes of practice under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at the earliest opportunity.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34140","proposer":"10527","edm":"50","session":"2007-08","title":"Sourcing Of Sea Bass Supply From Hand-Line Fishermen","text":"That this House notes the continuing slaughter of dolphins and other cetaceans as a consequence of industrial pair trawling for sea bass; believes that all buyers should follow the example of restaurants in the South Hams, Teignbridge and Torbay and source their supply from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers; and calls on the Government to encourage all outlets across all departments under its influence to do likewise.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34153","proposer":"10258","edm":"63","session":"2007-08","title":"Keeping Of Cetaceans In Captivity","text":"That this House welcomes the fact that no whales, dolphins and porpoises have been kept in captivity in the United Kingdom since 1993 but is concerned that there is no legislation to prevent these animals being housed in captive facilities within the United Kingdom in the future; notes that cetaceans are intelligent, social animals with complex needs which cannot be met in captivity and that there is evidence to suggest that captivity causes serious physical and behavioural welfare problems, and that many cetaceans are still taken from the wild to supply captive facilities; furthermore, notes with concern the involvement of companies in the United Kingdom with overseas establishments which keep cetaceans in captivity; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation specifically prohibiting the keeping of cetaceans in captivity other than in cases which involve short-term rehabilitation with a view to a release back to the wild in the cases of injured cetaceans.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34158","proposer":"10258","edm":"68","session":"2007-08","title":"Import Of Dog And Cat Fur","text":"That this House welcomes the United States' ban on the import of products made with dog and cat fur; expresses concern that this ban means that more of these products may now be imported into the EU and the United Kingdom; is further concerned that consumers may not be aware that products that they are buying may be made from dog and cat fur; and urges the Government to bring in a ban on the import, export and domestic trade in dog and cat fur and of products made with dog and cat fur, as soon as possible.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Animal welfare","id":"34164","proposer":"10258","edm":"74","session":"2007-08","title":"Ombudsman And Suffering In Animal Experiments","text":"That this House notes the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's (PHSO) investigation report PA-2823, which rejects Uncaged's complaint against the Home Office's regulation of Imutran's pig-to-primate organ transplant research, laid before Parliament in December 2006; further notes that Uncaged won a legal battle having asserted Home Office maladministration in this case; further notes that at least 17 primates used in Imutran procedures categorised as of only moderate severity were found dead or in a collapsed state, rather than being euthanased before they suffered a significant departure from their health as required by the moderate severity limit according to published policy; is deeply concerned at the PHSO's erroneous reasoning at paragraph 13, which confuses the degree of harm caused by death in itself with the level of harm involved in this case where the experiments were allowed to continue until the animal is found dead as a direct result of the experiment; notes that the PHSO has repeatedly refused to respond substantively to Uncaged's expert submissions regarding this unsound reasoning; and asks the Government to establish an independent inquiry into the numerous significant outstanding concerns regarding the regulation of this research programme in the light of PHSO's flawed investigation.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"}]