The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill would prohibit the sale, offering for sale, or advertisement in England and Northern Ireland of low-welfare animal activities which take place abroad. The activity types covered would be set out in regulations, but would include those where animals are subject to unnecessary suffering or are kept in confinement.
Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill: HL Bill 122 of 2022–23 (217 KB , PDF)
On 14 July 2023, the second reading of the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill is scheduled to take place in the House of Lords. It is a private member’s bill from the House of Commons, which was originally introduced by Angela Richardson (Conservative MP for Guildford). Its sponsor in the Lords is Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative). It completed its House of Commons stages on 17 March 2023 and is supported by the government. The bill has received cross-party support.
The bill would prohibit the sale, offering for sale, or advertisement in England and Northern Ireland of low-welfare animal activities which take place abroad. The activity types covered would be set out in regulations, but would include those where animals are subject to unnecessary suffering or are kept in confinement, for example their use in tourist entertainment. This would be based on the UK’s welfare standards.
Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill: HL Bill 122 of 2022–23 (217 KB , PDF)
Extreme rainfall and flooding in 2023 and 2024 impacted farmers and affected the supply of some domestically grown food. It is predicted that future climatic changes could impact agriculture and domestic food production, presenting both risks and opportunities. This briefing examines how the government is supporting farmers and growers to adapt to climate change.
Tax measures announced in the autumn 2024 budget included reforms to agricultural property relief for inheritance tax, changes to employer national insurance contributions and the extension of VAT to private school fees. This briefing provides some context to assess the potential economic impact of these measures on the nations and regions of the UK.
Nature and climate change are considered to be inextricably linked. Climate change is one of the drivers of biodiversity loss, along with factors including unsustainable food production and the overuse of natural resources. Nature is considered a key tool in combating rising global temperatures, for example forests and peatlands can play an important role in absorbing carbon emissions. This briefing summarises biodiversity loss, nature-based solutions to climate change and UK climate and nature policy.
