Written question asked by Colin Breed (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 18 November 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 November 2009. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Monday, 23 November 2009 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

China: Fur

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Chinese authorities on the regulation of Chinese fur farms; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Given the very wide range of issues we pursue with China in our bilateral relationship, our ability to focus on animal welfare issues specifically with our Chinese counterparts is limited. However the UK has worked with our European partners to introduce an EU-wide ban on the trade in domestic cat and dog fur and products containing such fur, which came into force on 1 January 2009.We also welcome the work of organisations like the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Care for the Wild and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. These organisations work with the Chinese authorities to improve standards of animal welfare and to gradually build support for animal-welfare issues in China.We support work to raise standards of animal welfare at home and abroad and have played an active role in promoting good welfare standards internationally. However, we believe that it is for the authorities in each country to introduce and enforce the necessary legislation to promote good animal welfare in their countries.

Secondary information