In direct response to the campaign to enshrine Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty into UK law, the Government has published a draft Bill, which sets out that the government “must have regard to the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings in formulating and implementing government policy”.

The draft Bill goes further than Article 13 as it applies to all areas of government policy, rather than specified areas of policy. If passed, the law would apply to the whole of the UK.

Responding to Michael Gove’s announcement, British Veterinary Association president John Fishwick said: “Vets have been clear in our calls that the duty on the state to have due regard for animal welfare – as captured in Article 13 of the EU Lisbon Treaty – must be enshrined in UK law.

“This Bill captures the substantive obligation that Article 13 currently puts on the national government to consider animal welfare, as well as explicitly recognising animals as sentient beings.”

The new law will also increase the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty tenfold, from six months to five years, in England and Wales.