Country: Great Britain
Name of Organisation: Farm Animal Welfare Committee
Link to website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/fawc
Terms of reference:
The Committee’s Terms of Reference are:
- To provide independent, authoritative, impartial and timely advice, to Defra and the Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales:
- on the welfare of farmed animals, including farmed animals on agricultural land, at market,
in transit and at the place of killing; and
- on any legislative or other changes that might be considered necessary to improve standards of animal welfare
- To provide independent scientific support and advice as required by Article 20 of Council Regulation (EC) No.1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.
Short outline of structure:
Following a review of government bodies in the UK the Farm Animal Welfare Council was abolished as a Non-Departmental Public Body on 31 March 2011 and was replaced by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, an expert committee within the English Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (also reporting to government departments in Scotland and Wales). The Committee comprises 18 counsellors, appointed by government departments in England, Wales and Scotland (Great Britain). Appointment is on merit against specifications, and is normally for two terms, each of three years. The counsellors come from various backgrounds, e.g. livestock farming, veterinary medicine and academia.
Short outline of working methods:
The Committee works to a strategic plan. Advice takes three forms, i.e. reports, opinions (short reports) and letters. At present there are three working groups investigating major topics (e.g. disease and farm animal welfare) with a report published after about three years. With resource constraints this will soon reduce to one working group at any one time. About two opinions are published annually (e.g. the welfare of the dairy cow, enriched cages for laying hens) and these are prepared by one of three standing committees (Pigs, Poultry and Fish; Ruminants; and Ethics, Economics, Education and Regulation). An additional standing committee on Welfare at Killing is being established to provide the independent scientific support and advice to UK governments as required by Article 20 of Council Regulation (EC) No.1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing. About six letters are sent to GB governments and other organisations (e.g. the European Commission) annually. Extensive consultation takes place with stakeholders in preparing advice, which is based upon scientific evidence, experience and other information. Where there is scientific or moral doubt, then the animal is given the benefit. All advice is published on the website.
Publications:
Advice from the Farm Animal Welfare Committee will be published on its Website – http://www.defra.gov.uk/fawc
Reports, Opinions and other advice produced by the former Farm Animal Welfare Council can be accessed via The (UK) National Archive - http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110405232041/http://www.fawc.org.uk/
Contact details:
FAWC Secretariat
Area 8B
9 Millbank
c/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7238 ext 5016 / 6340
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