Terra Firma advocate Scott Blair has been asked to join the Working Group of the Association of Lawyers for Animal Welfare (ALAW). The working group has been formed as part of a project by ALAW to advise on the ongoing implications for the protection of the welfare of animals in the UK after the UK leaves the European Union.

Much of current animal welfare law as regards wild, farm, equine and companion animals is currently derived from EU law. Mr Blair is a member of ALAW, who are committed to ensuring that the strongest possible protection of animals remains available post-Brexit.

ALAW is co-ordinating a number such groups to consider the implications of withdrawal and to see how protections can be maintained and strengthened after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Blair is a member of the Working Group on Wild Animal Protection and has been tasked to advise ALAW on the Scots law implications.

He said: “I am delighted to be asked to be part of this valuable contribution to the Brexit debate. While much of the discussion of the legal implications of Brexit has understandably been focussed on issues such as trade, free movement and employment and social rights, the huge contribution that EU law has made to the protection of animals in the UK should not be overlooked.

“With my fellow members of the ALAW I am committed to seeking the best possible deal for all creatures affected by withdrawal from the EU and intend to work to highlight the ways in which the protection of wild and indeed all animals in Scotland must remain a priority for the Scottish and UK governments.”

The recent “Great EU Repeal Bill” has already courted controversy on this front, as Mr Blair explained: “In line with the recent comments from Compassion in World Farming I agree that it is difficult to see that the commitment in Article 13 of the Treaty to “pay full regard” to animal welfare and the related obligation to treat animals as sentient beings which now underpins much of our modern animal welfare law is given much, if any real recognition, in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

“Given this, it is important that the rights of animals as well as people are given the fullest possible protection and I intend to do what I can to achieve that goal.”