To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to assist in the roll out of the T-cell-based approach vaccine to tackle Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to assist in the roll out of the T-cell-based approach vaccine to tackle Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to publish (a) the Elephant Welfare Group's report, (b) the Government's response to the Elephant Welfare Group's report; and what his Department's policy is on the future of elephants in UK zoos.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to publish (a) the Elephant Welfare Group's report, (b) the Government's response to the Elephant Welfare Group's report; and what his Department's policy is on the future of elephants in UK zoos.

I was pleased to play a small part in passing the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023, but the Government continue to delay its implementation, while 550,000 captive wild animals suffer in tourist entertainment around the world. One example is that of elephants in Thailand, many of which suffer complex post-traumatic stress disorder because of the psychological and physical abuse that they endure daily. UK companies may still advertise and sell tickets for activities that involve elephants that are forced to perform for tourists. Will the Minister assure me that the conversation will be launched as soon as possible and that the regulations will include a ban on the advertising and selling of elephant tourism?

I was pleased to play a small part in passing the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023, but the Government continue to delay its implementation, while 550,000 captive wild animals suffer in tourist entertainment around the world. One example is that of elephants in Thailand, many of which suffer complex post-traumatic stress disorder because of the psychological and physical abuse that they endure daily. UK companies may still advertise and sell tickets for activities that involve elephants that are forced to perform for tourists. Will the Minister assure me that the conversation will be launched as soon as possible and that the regulations will include a ban on the advertising and selling of elephant tourism?

Future decisions on which animal activities will fall into the scope of the legislation will need to be evidence-based and subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The Government continue to make animal welfare a priority. We are currently exploring a number of options to ensure that there is progress as soon as is practicable.

Future decisions on which animal activities will fall into the scope of the legislation will need to be evidence-based and subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The Government continue to make animal welfare a priority. We are currently exploring a number of options to ensure that there is progress as soon as is practicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many rangers received funding from his Department to help tackle the poaching of elephants in the latest period for which data is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many rangers received funding from his Department to help tackle the poaching of elephants in the latest period for which data is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps with (a) international counterparts, (b) charities and (c) rangers to help tackle the poaching of elephants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps with (a) international counterparts, (b) charities and (c) rangers to help tackle the poaching of elephants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in (a) the Ivory Coast, (b) Ghana, (c) Central African Republic, (d) Gabon, (e) Cameroon and (f) other countries in the region on taking further steps to help tackle...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in (a) the Ivory Coast, (b) Ghana, (c) Central African Republic, (d) Gabon, (e) Cameroon and (f) other countries in the region on taking further steps to help tackle...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Government grants statistics 2020 to 2021, published on 31 March 2022, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Elephant Collaring and veterinary fences grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Government grants statistics 2020 to 2021, published on 31 March 2022, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Elephant Collaring and veterinary fences grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in India on changes to domestic legislation effecting Asian elephants habitats and other biodiversity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in India on changes to domestic legislation effecting Asian elephants habitats and other biodiversity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take steps to ban the advertisement of low welfare elephant tourism venues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take steps to ban the advertisement of low welfare elephant tourism venues.

The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill is a Private Member’s Bill which has been put forward by Angela Richardson. and has Government support. Remaining stages of the Bill in the House of Commons will take place on 17 March 2023.

The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill is a Private Member’s Bill which has been put forward by Angela Richardson. and has Government support. Remaining stages of the Bill in the House of Commons will take place on 17 March 2023.

Clauses 1 to 7 agreed to. Schedule agreed to. Bill reported without amendment.

Clauses 1 to 7 agreed to. Schedule agreed to. Bill reported without amendment.

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

I am grateful to have secured this debate, which allows me to raise the important issue of animal welfare in overseas tourism.

I wish to put it on record that I am proud that the UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. In this House, two...

I am grateful to have secured this debate, which allows me to raise the important issue of animal welfare in overseas tourism.

I wish to put it on record that I am proud that the UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. In this House, two...

Supporters of hunting holidays will often cite conservation efforts as a benefit for communities and countries in which they are hunting, but as we know, the damage done to animal populations and biodiversity is enormous. Will the hon. Member share his thoughts on what Ministers can do to tackle misinformation...

Supporters of hunting holidays will often cite conservation efforts as a benefit for communities and countries in which they are hunting, but as we know, the damage done to animal populations and biodiversity is enormous. Will the hon. Member share his thoughts on what Ministers can do to tackle misinformation...

I am grateful for that intervention from the hon. Lady, who is a steady campaigner for animal welfare issues, and I always appreciate her support. I will come on to this later in my remarks, but she is absolutely right that animal tourism has nothing to do with conservation. It...

I am grateful for that intervention from the hon. Lady, who is a steady campaigner for animal welfare issues, and I always appreciate her support. I will come on to this later in my remarks, but she is absolutely right that animal tourism has nothing to do with conservation. It...

It is good that the hon. Gentleman has brought up such an important issue. I was in Chiang Mai in Thailand a few years ago and went to a restaurant called, I think, Tiger Time. He mentions tiger cubs, but they had full-sized adult tigers with people crawling all over...

It is good that the hon. Gentleman has brought up such an important issue. I was in Chiang Mai in Thailand a few years ago and went to a restaurant called, I think, Tiger Time. He mentions tiger cubs, but they had full-sized adult tigers with people crawling all over...

I am delighted to be intervened on by the hon. Lady, who also has a long record of standing up for animal welfare issues in this House. She gives an horrendous first-hand account of the sort of abuse that majestic wild animals—animals that should be in the wild—experience in countries...

I am delighted to be intervened on by the hon. Lady, who also has a long record of standing up for animal welfare issues in this House. She gives an horrendous first-hand account of the sort of abuse that majestic wild animals—animals that should be in the wild—experience in countries...

The hon. Gentleman is making a fantastic speech, and I am sure many people across the United Kingdom agree that we must address these important matters. Does he agree that this is a cross-party issue, unlike many that we may discuss, and that we can reach out across the political...

The hon. Gentleman is making a fantastic speech, and I am sure many people across the United Kingdom agree that we must address these important matters. Does he agree that this is a cross-party issue, unlike many that we may discuss, and that we can reach out across the political...

That is entirely right. I think that this House—with very few minority exceptions—is very much united on the need for increased animal welfare protections both here at home and abroad. It is right that Members reflect what people across the country tell us is important to them.

Great Britain is the...

That is entirely right. I think that this House—with very few minority exceptions—is very much united on the need for increased animal welfare protections both here at home and abroad. It is right that Members reflect what people across the country tell us is important to them.

Great Britain is the...