Government Response: Moving animals across borders 11 Prior to the introduction of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, the Secretary of State wrote to industry stakeholders on 7 June 2021 clarifying the scope of the live exports ban. The Secretary of State’s letter confirmed that the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill would not introduce a prohibition on the export of live animals from Great Britain to third countries for breeding purposes. Nor would it introduce a prohibition on the export of poultry from Great Britain to third countries. The provisions of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill make clear that this is not a ban on the export of all live animals, rather a ban on the export of animals for slaughter and fattening purposes alone. The Government recognises the economic value of the global trade in breeding stock from Great Britain, in addition to its role in the development of resilience of local breeds within third countries. British breeds can offer advantages such as genetic disease resistance, higher quality meat, and increased carcass size. Animals that are exported for breeding purposes are generally transported in very good conditions above the regulatory baseline, with procedures put in place to ensure that the welfare of the animal is prioritised throughout the journey. Animals exported for breeding are typically able to live a full and healthy life once they arrive at the destination country. The Government is working closely with the National Farmers’ Union in its efforts to encourage ports and commercial operators to set up Border Control Posts (BCPs) to enable the export of livestock for breeding to the EU. The Government is also in discussion with officials of EU Member States about the development of BCPs for livestock. We will continue conversations with Member States and keep the issue on the agenda.