Thank you to all those who contacted me about a variety of pressing animal welfare issues.

I assure you I support action to provide the biggest boost to animal welfare in our generation. Animal welfare is extremely important.

I know Britain rightly considers itself a nation of animal lovers and I consider myself one.

I support plans to ban the import of hunting trophies from abroad. Trophy hunting is a cruel, damaging and outdated practice where tens of thousands of endangered animals are killed each year for fun so that people can show off their barbaric hobby and bring home body parts as souvenirs. The things trophy hunters do are shameful.

I stand behind pledges to outlaw and end illegal practices of puppy smuggling and farming by criminal gangs who profit from animal cruelty. In addition, I want to see an end to the sale of animals with cropped ears, to the import of dogs and cats with fashion-based mutilations, and to the import of heavily pregnant dogs and cats.

I also support plans to end foie gras imports into Great Britain. These geese and ducks are aggressively force-fed.

More broadly on animal welfare, I also want to see our new Government work with scientists, industry and civil society to work towards the phasing out of animal testing, and with scientists and farmers on measures to eradicate bovine tuberculosis and end the badger cull. I also support ending the use of snare traps.

Thank you once again to all those who contacted me about this fundamental subject. I assure you animal welfare is of great importance to me.