Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill
Status: Closed
Opened: 27 May 2021
Closed: 20 Jul 2022
Inquiry scope
“Animal sentience” is the capability of an animal to perceive or feel things. Animal sentience is enshrined in European law but this was not retained in domestic law before the Transition Period ended on 1 January 2021, following the UK’s departure from the European Union. On 13 May, the Government’s Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill received its First Reading in the House of Lords. If passed, the Bill will apply to vertebrate animals (except humans) and establish an Animal Sentience Committee (ASC). This inquiry will consider the proposed ASC, and ask whether it will ensure that animal sentience is properly taken into account in both new and existing Government policy in England. The inquiry will also examine whether there are sufficient safeguards to ensure that the proposed ASC will be independent, and have the necessary expertise and powers to be effective. The inquiry will look at whether the requirement for the Government to respond to a report of the ASC will be sufficient, and how the proposed ASC compares to similar bodies elsewhere. The inquiry will also ask if the Government is correct to limit the scope of the Bill to vertebrate animals. Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry.Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 2021 |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Marc Casale · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Rt Hon The Lord Benyon · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| 19 Jul 2021 |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Dr Jonathan Birch · London School of Economics (LSE),
Dr Michael Radford · University of Aberdeen,
Dr Nick Palmer · Compassion in World Farming,
Dr Penny Hawkins · Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
Steven McCulloch · University of Winchester,
Tim Bonner · Countryside Alliance
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Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Jonathan Birch · Associate Professor, Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science | London School of Economics (LSE) | 1 |
| Dr Michael Radford · Reader in Animal Welfare Law and UK Constitutional Law | University of Aberdeen | 1 |
| Dr Nick Palmer · Head of Compassion in World Farming UK | Compassion in World Farming | 1 |
| Dr Penny Hawkins · Head, Animals in Science Department | Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals | 1 |
| Marc Casale · Deputy Director, Chemicals & International | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1 |
| Rt Hon The Lord Benyon · Rural Affairs Minister | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1 |
| Steven McCulloch · Senior Lecturer in Human-Animal Studies | University of Winchester | 1 |
| Tim Bonner · Chief Executive | Countryside Alliance | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar 2022 | To committee | Letter from the Secretary of State regarding the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, dated 21 February 2022 |
| 17 Jan 2022 | — | Correspondence to the Secretary of State, regarding the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, dated 17 January 2022 |