Live animal exports to be banned in England and Wales

Sending live animals abroad for slaughter will be banned in England and Wales under new government plans.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the ban could be in force by the end of 2021 in a post-Brexit break from EU trade rules.

The RSPCA welcomed the move, saying it would be “a landmark achievement for animal welfare”.

But the National Farmers Union warned big changes could have a “massive” impact on the UK’s food supply chain.

The government is launching an eight-week consultation on the plan – which includes measures to cut the amount of time animals spend in trucks within the UK.

A package of reforms is then expected to come to Parliament next summer.