PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Animals: Markets (10 September 2020)

‘Wet markets’ sell a range of fresh produce and can be found across the globe, including farmers markets and seafood markets in the UK. They are an important source of food and income for many people globally. The Government recognises that markets selling live animals and meat are a high risk environment for the transmission of zoonotic diseases if they are not subject to high standards of biosecurity and hygiene. We therefore agree with the World Health Organization that markets should close if these standards are not met.

The Government is fully committed to tackling the environmental drivers of pandemics, including by reversing global biodiversity loss, tackling unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade, and driving up standards in food production and food safety around the world. We will continue to support swift policy interventions where these are shown to be effective in mitigating future risk of zoonotic diseases and are underpinned by sound evidence.