Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022

2 Reports of the Committee U.K.

(1) When any government policy is being or has been formulated or implemented, the Animal Sentience Committee may produce a report containing its views on the question in subsection (2).

(2) The question is whether, or to what extent, the government is having, or has had, all due regard to the ways in which the policy might have an adverse effect on the welfare of animals as sentient beings.

(3) The report may also contain recommendations as to the steps the Committee considers the government should take for the purpose in subsection (4).

(4) The purpose is that of ensuring that, in any further formulation or implementation of the policy, the government has all due regard to the ways in which the policy might have an adverse effect on the welfare of animals as sentient beings.

(5) Recommendations made by the Committee must respect legislative or administrative provisions and customs relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage.

(6) A report under this section must be published in such manner as the Committee thinks appropriate.

(7) References in this section to government policy are to policy of the government of the United Kingdom, but do not include any policy if, or to the extent that, the policy relates to legislative provision falling within devolved competence.

(8) For the purposes of subsection (7) legislative provision falls within devolved competence if and to the extent that—

(a) the provision would be within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament if contained in an Act of that Parliament,

(b) the provision would be within the legislative competence of Senedd Cymru if contained in Act of the Senedd (including any provision that could only be made with the consent of a Minister of the Crown), and

(c) the provision would be within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly if contained in an Act of that Assembly made without the Secretary of State’s consent.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 2 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 6(2)

I2 S. 2 in force at 22.5.2023 by S.I. 2023/563, reg. 2