New faces, same mission: Crustacean Compassion response to cabinet reshuffle

Westminster has been awash with reshuffle rumours all summer, driven by declining government popularity and mounting pressure for change. The resignation of Angela Rayner MP as Communities Secretary triggered what was expected to be a modest reshuffle, but instead, it became a sweeping overhaul of the Cabinet and many junior ministerial ranks. For Crustacean Compassion, these changes could have significant implications for the future of decapod welfare.  

What the cabinet reshuffle means for crustacean welfare 

Crustacean Compassion’s political work mostly focuses on two government departments: Defra and the Home Office. Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has oversight of almost all animal protection legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and the regulations which safeguard welfare during transport and slaughter. The exception is the legislation which regulates the use of animals in scientific research, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (APSA), which is overseen by the Home Office. 

Since the 2024 General Election, Defra had been led by  Secretary of State Steve Reed MP. With his focus on the regulation of water companies, there was limited room left for animal welfare, and despite being elected on a manifesto promising the biggest improvement to animal welfare in a generation, there has been little sign of progress. Under his watch, Defra began a review of slaughter techniques for crustaceans and we remain hopeful that guidance will be issued before the end of the year and that it will confirm that it is illegal to boil lobsters alive. There have been various discussions on this issue since the passage of the Sentience Act – but explicit guidance would end this cruel practice once and for all. With Steve Reed  moving on Emma Reynolds MP steps into the role of Secretary of State for Defra. We hope that the change of leadership will bring a sharper focus on animal welfare generally, and of course improvements for crustaceans specifically.

Among  Defra’s junior ministers, Baroness Sue Hayman, who has primary responsibility for animal welfare, has retained her position. Sue has previously been a great supporter of crustacean welfare, including suggesting the original amendment to the Sentience Act in 2021 to have them included. We’ve been in ongoing dialogue with Sue since the General Election on a range of issues. Meanwhile Dan Zeichner MP, who had been the Minister for fishing and farming, and also a supporter of crustacean welfare, has left the government and been replaced by Dame Angela Eagle MP.

At the Home Office, Yvette Cooper has been succeeded by Shabana Mahmood MP. While the media commentary that Shabana has been brought into the role to concentrate on the wider priorities of the Home Office, we are determined that the regulation of decapod crustaceans used in scientific research is not forgotten. With potentially over 5,000 crustaceans being used in UK universities each year, the scale of this issue is too high to be ignored and demands urgent attention.  

Previously, the Home Office has stated that they would not make any progress on protecting decapods used in research until DEFRA decides on whether to include them in the Animal Welfare Act. We hope that a change of personnel will bring fresh perspective and a willingness to act.

Russell Whiting, Crustacean Compassion’s Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor said of the reshuffle: “This reshuffle was expected and widely trailed, but most people were taken aback by the scale of the moves. We’re thrilled that Baroness Hayman of Ullock is still in place, and we’re looking forward to seeing the new Ministers get going and hopefully seeing the manifesto commitment to improve animal welfare take shape.” 

Turning recognition into reality – crustaceans deserve more than symbolic protection  

It’s been more than four years since the London School of Economics delivered their landmark report on decapod crustacean sentience, recommending their inclusion in all animal protection legislation. While their recognition as sentient beings in UK law is a positive step, it remains symbolic unless followed by meaningful legislative inclusion.  

• Adding decapods into the Animal Welfare Act 2006 would introduce a duty of care when handling them.  

• Including them in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 would ensure ethical oversight in research, prevent unnecessary repetition of experiments, and reduce suffering. 

• Clarifying existing regulations on transport and slaughter will protect decapods from the cruellest practices such as being sold alive to the public for home cooking, being sent through the post, and boiling alive. 

  
  

As the new ministers take up their positions we have written to each of them, outlining our priorities and urging swift action. Parliament is now on recess for the Party Conferences, but we hope that we will see some progress before the end of the year. Importantly, none of the legal protections we are seeking for these animals require new legislation, the changes can be done quickly, without costing money and would improve the lives of potentially millions of animals every year.  

Labour Party Conference: momentum stalling on animal welfare 

We have also been in Liverpool to attend Labour Party Conference – which took place at the end of September, marking 450 days since the General Election. Despite Labour having one of the largest majorities in history, there has been very little progress on any of the animal welfare commitments made in their manifesto. There is clearly a growing sense of frustration that progress hasn’t been as quick as we might have hoped, not only among animal protection organisations, but also among Labour MPs. 

In the main hall Emma Reynolds, the new DEFRA Secretary of State, failed  to reference animal welfare in her speech on the final morning of the event. But there was a motion passed which highlights Labour’s “proud track record of improving animal welfare in government” and reasserts the manifesto commitments. While none of those commitments relate to the welfare of decapod crustaceans, we are hopeful that we will see progress on our campaigning priorities before the end of 2025. While the motion is largely symbolic, it helps keep the need for improved animal welfare at on the Labour Party’s agenda. 

Behind the scenes: policy advocacy in action 

Much of the policy discussion takes place away from the main hall, where almost every imaginable topic is discussed with MPs and experts. Throughout the week Crustacean Compassion participated in meetings to discuss policy on the use of decapod crustaceans in research, their inclusion in the Animal Welfare Act, and the protection of their natural habitat in the wild. We also visited the Labour Animal Welfare Society (LAWS), and the Animals Matter coalition exhibition stands, to show our support for their work and discuss our continued collaborative working.  

During the LAWS reception Alex Mayer MP spoke about the work she has been doing in Parliament to campaign for a ban on the live boiling and live posting of lobsters. Alex has raised this a number of times both in debates and through Parliamentary Questions and supported our photo-call for Crustacean Compassion Day earlier this year. Once MPs return to Westminster this week we will continue to make the case for welfare improvements at every level.

Time to take action

Write to Emma Reynolds MP, the new Secretary of State for Defra, and urge her to prioritise decapod welfare.

These sentient animals deserve meaningful protection. Now is the time to act.