Rishi SunakKey government has lifted a proposed ban on the import of fur and Foie grasenvironment secretary therese coffee She has made the suggestion because she claims she wants to be “the voice of the countryside”.
The cabinet minister has said that while animal welfare Importantly, the government must “think through priorities” with limited time to move through legislation.
While fur farming and the production of foie gras – a pate made from the liver of force-fed ducks or geese – are currently illegal in the UK, campaigners say both continue to enter the country in large quantities each year.
Banning the import of fur and foie gras was introduced under the Animals Abroad Bill. boris johnson, However, ministers abandoned the bill after deeming it “non-conservative”.
talking to Sunday TelegraphMs Coffey said: “Animal welfare is very important. All I would say right now is that we need to think through the priorities. We stand by the welfare action plan, but there is only [much] It’s time we get to the law and things like that.
A government source did not deny that the import ban would be lifted, adding that the government “had to prioritise certain things” with the limited amount of parliamentary time.
Despite the apparent reversal on the promised ban, Ms Coffey reiterated the government’s ambition to ban trophy hunting and live animal substances.
However, except in exceptional circumstances, England will not follow Scotland’s lead in outlawing fox hunting with more than two dogs.
Referring to the name of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ms Coffey said: “Of course, we have the name Rural Affairs, and we are the voice of rural areas across government.”
A government source did not deny that the import ban would be lifted, adding that the government “had to prioritise certain things” with the limited amount of parliamentary time.
Earlier this week, her department announced that wood-burning stoves would face tougher restrictions in a bid to improve air quality in high-pollution areas, although Ms. Coffey confirmed that she was fully aware of them. There are no plans to ban.
She said: “I am not considering banning [them] Because I don’t think we should. My priority is to be very educational. We don’t build all these things just to generate money – far from it – it’s to try and change some behaviours.”
Proposed changes include limits on how much smoke new stoves can emit each hour and pressure on councils to stop illegal burning in smoke control areas and burning wet wood outside.