Animals

This reading list brings together briefings on Brexit by the Parliamentary libraries and the Devolved Assembly research services with reports by Parliamentary and Devolved Assembly committees following the result of the EU Referendum on 23 June 2016.

This paper provides an overview of the general licence system for controlling wild birds in England, following media attention given to the revocation of three licences in April 2019.

Second Reading of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill 2019-2020 is due to take place on 29 October 2019. The Bill, which was reintroduced by the Government following the Queen's Speech, would increase the maximum sentence for certain animal cruelty offences from six months to five years in England and Wales.

A debate will be held in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 23 October 2019 at 9.30 am on Government policy on TB in cattle and badgers. The debate will be opened by Ruth George MP.

Boris Johnson's Government have negotiated a new 'deal' with the European Union. It is formed of a Political Declaration and a Withdrawal Agreement. This paper focuses on the Withdrawal Agreement and how it compares to the one negotiated by Theresa May's Government in November 2018. The main differences are in the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland or the 'backstop' as it is commonly known. It contains very different arrangements, the UK will no longer be in a single customs territory or union with the EU. The UK will no longer be legally bound to continue with level playing field commitments at the end of the transition period. Northern Ireland will still be in the UK's customs territory and VAT area, however, the region will align with the EU's rules in these areas. Northern Ireland will remain mostly aligned to the EU's regulations for goods. Four years after the end of the transition period Northern Ireland's democratic institutions will vote on whether they wish to continue the arrangements in the Protocol.

The No-deal Brexit: A guide to Commons Library research is an annotated bibliography of sources published by the House of Commons Library on a potential no-deal Brexit. It will be updated regularly. Links to the papers included in the resource are available on this page, the downloadable version includes additional comment on some of the selected papers.

There is ongoing debate about trophy hunting, its contribution to wildlife conservation and links to wildlife trafficking. Those opposed to trophy hunting are calling for a ban on imports of hunting trophies into the UK.

The rules for pet travel will change once the UK leaves the EU. In the case of a no deal Brexit there will be more stringent requirements for pet owners travelling to and from the EU.

Live animals are exported to EU countries from the UK for breeding, fattening, and slaughter. EU rules to protect the welfare of live animals during transport and related operations were agreed in 2004, and implemented in the UK in 2007. However, there are a number of ongoing campaigns calling for a ban on live exports for slaughter, on welfare grounds. Brexit has prompted renewed calls for such a ban. There are also concerns amongst farmers about the impact of Brexit on their ability to export live animals, including between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

There has been a long running campaign to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. The Wild Animals in Circuses (No2) Bill will introduce a ban in England. A ban already exists in Scotland and there are proposals for a ban in Wales.

This briefing looks in detail at the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated between the EU and UK and finalised on 14 November 2018. It was endorsed by EU Member State leaders at a special European Council summit on 25 November and the UK Prime Minister promoted it in the UK Parliament and around the country. The Agreement was debated at length in Parliament on several occasions and has been voted on three times. But the House of Commons has not endorsed it. A second extension of Article 50 took exit day to 31 October 2019, but once again the UK is faced with the possibility of leaving the EU without an agreement if this agreement or another one is not ratified by the UK and the EU.

The Government is reviewing the recognition of animal sentience and the need for UK legislation after Brexit. It has also announced it will legislate to increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty offences.

MPs will debate the potential extinction of the red squirrel on Wednesday 3 July at 9.30am in Westminster Hall. This House of Commons Library debate pack contains background information and press and parliamentary coverage.