Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) (Amendment) Bill 2020

#Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) (Amendment) Bill

 

*A Bill to amend the Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) Act 2018 and repeal the provisions related to the transportation of live crustaceans.*

 

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

 

**1 Amendment to the Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) Act 2018**

(1) The Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) Act 2018 is amended as follows.

(2) Omit section 3 (standards for the transportation of crustaceans).

**2 Extent, short title and commencement**

(1) This Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom.

(2) This Act comes into force on the day of royal assent.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) (Amendment) Act 2020.

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This Bill was submitted by Sir /u/cthulhuiscool2 KD CB CVO KBE PC MP AM, Member of Parliament for Surrey, on behalf of the Libertarian Party UK.

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Mr Deputy Speaker,

When this Act was submitted in February of 2018 this house was led to believe it would join a tidal wave of nations – that this country would become a ‘world leader’ in the 'humane' transportation of crustaceans. It is telling Mr Deputy Speaker that this has not materialised and the United Kingdom remains one of only a small number of nations to introduce this gratuitous and unenforceable legislation.

Let us first accept that there is no scientific consensus that lobsters and crustaceans are capable of experiencing pain. I can however accept the argument that we must err on the side of caution - that is why I have not sought to repeal the The Animal Welfare (Crustaceans) Act in its entirety. However I cannot accept any argument in favour of section 3. It is not feasible or economically viable to transport a lobster in its natural environment - if its natural environment lies hundreds of meters below the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover we are left in a strange situation where lobsters and crustaceans are transported to a higher standard than farmed animals to slaughter. The overbearing provisions of this act deny my constituents access to affordable seafood and for that reason I commend this Bill.