MPs' Views on Animal Welfare

Postal survey on Animal Welfare of MPs elected at the 1997 general election (re-analysis of a pre-election survey of candidates, once the election results were known)

Postal questionnaires were sent to all selected Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat (prospective) parliamentary candidates in December 1996. A total of 800 candidates responded between 17 December 1996 and 10 April 1997, of whom 235 were subsequently elected to Parliament on 1 May. The survey was conducted on behalf of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and originally published in the Sunday Mirror on 13 April 1997.

After the election, MORI re-analysed the results of the survey to isolate the views of those candidates who were successfully elected. They comprise 181 Labour, 30 Conservative and 24 Liberal Democrat MPs.

Q1 How important do you think animal welfare will be in influencing how your constituents will vote at the next General Election?

  Con Lab LDem
  % % %
Very important 3 15 4
Fairly important 27 59 50
Not very important 53 21 46
Not at all important 13 3 0
Don't know 3 3 0

Q2 We would now like to ask you some questions about issues relating to animals. Please indicate which of these statements comes closest to describing your views on animals?

  Con Lab LDem
  % % %
Animal have feelings, they are sentient beings that can suffer pain, fear and deprivation from behavioural needs 60 98 92
Animals do not have feelings, they are not sentient beings 7 0 4
Neither of these 30 1 4
Not sure 0 0 0

Q3 From the list below, please indicate, by ticking the relevant boxes, which two or three of the following, if any, currently cause you greatest concern for the welfare of animals?

  Con Lab LDem
  % % %
Hunting with hounds 13 66 42
Cosmetics tests on live animals 27 44 71
Live animal transportation 20 43 29
Veal calves kept in crates 40 40 38
Factory farming 10 23 25
Animal experiments which harm animals 23 23 25
Whaling 30 22 25
Fur trade-unions/trapping 7 15 13
Battery hens 23 14 25
Importation of wild caught birds 27 8 4
Seal killing 13 7 4
Oiled seabirds 30 6 4
Other 7 6 8
Game shooting 0 2 0
Zoos/circuses 3 2 0
Angling 0 0 0
None of these animal welfare issues 10 0 0
No opinion 3 0 0

Q4 Below and overleaf are a list of possible legislative changes relating to animal welfare issues. In a free vote, how strongly would you support or oppose each of these possible legislative changes?

  Con Lab LDem
  Support Oppose Support Oppose Support Oppose
  % % % % % %
A ban on live veal calf exports from the UK 40 53 97 2 83 8
A ban on all live food animal exports from the UK 23 70 82 7 54 29
A Europe-wide ban on the use of battery cages for hens 37 50 91 1 79 4
A Europe-wide ban on testing of cosmetics on animals 47 37 97 1 96 0
Further restrictions on animal experiments which harm animals 40 37 97 1 96 0
A statutory code for the sale and use of snares in the UK 57 23 98 0 88 0
A ban on hunting foxes with hounds 17 83 98 1 71 21
A ban on hunting deer with hounds 20 73 99 1 71 17
A ban on hunting mink with hounds 13 73 96 2 63 21
A ban on hunting hares with hounds 17 70 97 1 75 17
An end to all whaling 43 40 90 2 88 8
Modification to UK quarantine regulation with a view to replacing it with a pet passport scheme 73 17 65 11 71 13
The introduction of dog registration 43 53 93 1 92 0
A general ban on livestock journeys over eight hours (regardless of rests) throughout Europe 40 53 94 1 71 13
A ban on fur farming in the UK 17 67 85 2 58 4
The courts being given discretion on sentencing under the Dangerous Dogs Act 67 17 83 4 79 4
Rationalising existing bodies which advise and co-ordinate the animal welfare work of government departments 27 20 88 1 92 0
Recognition of animals as sentient beings under The Treaty of Rome 33 50 92 1 79 4
Explicit provision for animal welfare protection under World Trade Organisation provisions 40 37 92 0 96 0
An overhaul of British law dealing with animal protection 17 43 93 0 96 0

 

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