Steve Yemm

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for securing this important debate. The UK is often said to be a nation of animal lovers. Judging by my constituency inbox, Mansfield is very much a constituency of animal lovers. Since becoming the Member for Mansfield, I have received hundreds of emails on a wide range of animal welfare issues, including ending the import of foie gras products, the fur trade and, of course, ending the use of cages and crates for farmed animals. My constituent Lynne from Ladybrook recently wrote to say that she was worried that caged farm animals were “unable to express their natural behaviours and experiencing an unimaginable amount of suffering.” Angela, another constituent from Mansfield, who asked me to speak today, said in an email in the lead-up to this debate that she was concerned that some farmed animals were “kept in cramped, often dirty cages, barely leaving them room to move, to spread their wings and stretch their legs.” Philip, another Mansfield constituent, said in his correspondence that according to a recent survey undertaken by the RSPCA, “84% of the British public oppose the use of cages for laying hens and 78% of people oppose the use of farrowing crates.” Clearly, many of my constituents want to ensure that we have the highest welfare standards in our farms, and I know that farmers often share that view and do not want their livestock to suffer. We all want to know that the food we are eating has not been produced on the back of pain and suffering. Last summer, I stood on a manifesto that promised that we would improve animal welfare, ban trail hunting and the import of hunting trophies, end puppy smuggling and farming, end the use of snare traps, and work with scientists and industry to reduce the use of animal testing. I am proud that I did so, and I know other Labour Members and the Minister feel the same way. I very much hope that the Government’s update to the animal welfare strategy, which I understand is due to be published later this year, will make progress towards delivering our manifesto promises, and that Ministers include the issues that we are debating today within it. Legislation to improve the lives of animals has formed a vital part of the legacy of past Labour Governments, and I hope this Labour Government will be no different.