ANIMAL WELFARE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FOIE GRAS

Early day motion 41, tabled 18 November 2009 by Bob Spink (Independent). Signed by 46 members.

That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and over-feeding them, causing their livers to swell to 10 times the normal size; further notes that the production, but not the sale, of foie gras is banned in the UK;calls on restaurants to use brands of faux gras which are supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Compassion in World Farming and are produced from free-range ducks and geese without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 25, Liberal Democrat 13, Independent 4, Conservative 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.