A ban on the export of farm animals for slaughter and fattening, including cattle, sheep, and pigs, has moved one step closer. 

On Monday  January 15, the Animal Welfare (Live Exports) Bill passed its stages in the House of Commons.

The bill will now progress to the House of Lords, before it becomes law. The legislation stops animals enduring unnecessary stress, exhaustion, and injury on long journeys.

It will ensure that animals are slaughtered domestically in high welfare UK slaughterhouses, and will remove the possibility of animals facing cramped and exhausting journeys abroad for the purposes of slaughter. 

Guy Opperman MP said: "We are a nation of animal lovers and people rightly want us to have the highest animal welfare standards in the world. 

"I have been inundated with emails from constituents and local campaign groups about this issue, and I was proud to vote for the Bill this week, which delivers on our 2019 manifesto commitment, and takes us within touching distance of ending the cruel practice of the live export of animals."