Concerns raised again over animal welfare standards
CONCERNS have been expressed in Wales about inconsistent messages from the UK Government about whether current animal welfare standards will be maintained in the future.
A letter leaked to yesterday’s Observer newspaper suggested that the door might be left open for imports of chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef – banned under EU law.
The letter, from the Prime Minister’s office, instructed ministers to have “no specific policy” on animal welfare in US trade talks, and stated that the ministerial mandate for the US negotiations was “being updated to reflect” the fact that the UK was to have no policy position on animal welfare.
The note, sent at the start of last month, gave approval for the US trade talks to go ahead and set out the conditions of engagement. It reveals serious cabinet unrest over the shape of a US deal and appears to suggest UK regulations could be changed to accommodate an agreement. It also makes clear that talks were to be used to “maximise leverage” in trade negotiations with the EU.
The memo reveals how contentious the US trade talks are regarded as being within the Cabinet. Issues were raised by 11 cabinet ministers, including England Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Environment Secretary George Eustice and Mark Spencer, the Chief Whip.
Campaigners want legal guarantees on those standards to be enshrined in an agriculture bill currently being debated in Parliament. The issue has already prompted a Tory rebellion in the Commons.
However, in a letter signed by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Environment Secretary George Eustice, the UK Government insisted it was committed to upholding standards.
The two ministers wrote: “Our manifesto is clear that in all of our trade negotiations we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. We maintain firmly committed to maintaining our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare outside the EU and the EU (Withdrawal) Act will transfer all existing food safety provisions including existing import requirements on to the UK’s statute book.
“These import standards include a ban on using artificial growth hormones in domestic and imported products and set out that no products other than potable [drinkable] water are approved to decontaminate poultry carcases. Any changes to existing food safety legislation would require new legislation to be brought before this Parliament.”
Plaid Cymru’s Brexit spokesman Dr Dai Lloyd said: “It should surprise no one that this complete shambles of a Government has three different policies when it comes to importing disgusting food from America.
“They say they won’t allow it, they vote in favour of it and they tell the Americans they have no official policy – these are the actions of a Government that is both deceitful and disorderly.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We have been clear with the UK Government that new free trade agreements should not undermine our domestic legislation or the high product and production standards we have in Wales.
“We are currently engaging with the UK Government, through both the Department of International Trade and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to ensure the views of the Welsh Government and of Welsh businesses and producers are represented and that any deal made by the UK Government works in the interest of the UK as a whole.”