MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston and Animal Welfare Minister Zac Goldsmith welcomed the new Conservative Party’s animal welfare action plan unveiled over the weekend.

The plan includes banning the live export and import of animals, and ensuring they are instead transported to the nearest abattoir to prevent long journeys to slaughter. At present, large numbers of animals endure very poor conditions while being transported for slaughter, often being denied their basic needs of access to food and water.

Zac has long campaigned for tougher animal welfare laws, and he welcomed the animal welfare action plan which also includes plans for compulsory microchipping of cats, banning the keeping of primates as pets, and restricting the imports of hunting trophies.

Zac commented: “The action plan is great news and helps further the Government’s commitment to boost animal welfare measures in the UK. As the Animal Welfare Minister, I am delighted with this progress.”

Since Zac was appointed a Minister of State for DfID and DEFRA, he has introduced Natasha’s Law to require food retailers to include allergy information, a consultation to ban primates as pets, and a very significant increase in the UK’s biodiversity and climate funding around the world.