"We will use all levers on the world stage to combat this trade in eating dogs and cats,” she told MPs. The Defra minister hit out during a parliamentary debate on the disgusting practice.

       She said that the government would be introducing an animals abroad bill which will focus on encouraging high animal welfare and standards internationally.

       The debate was led by Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns who has repeatedly urged the government to do more to tackle the issue.

       Referencing the horrific practice of beating dogs to death or boiling them alive, she said: “ “No living thing deserves to suffer like this”.

       “Sadly across the world the poor quality of animal welfare regulations and legislation means that millions of animals, including dogs and cats, continue to suffer needlessly.”

       Ms Jenkyns highlighted data from Four Paws UK, a global animal welfare organisation, that shows 10 million dogs and cats are killed in South east Asia every year.

       Other figures show up to 20 million dogs are slaughtered for their meat in China each year and four million cats.

       In Vietnam five million are killed every year and while two million suffer the same fate in South Korea.

       “Every year millions of dogs and cats are killed around the world so people can consume their meat,” she added.

       “It is a barbaric practice and there are too many animals that suffer.”

       Miss Jenkyns – who is an animal welfare activist and vegetarian – said that she wanted to bring the debate to Parliament after researching the Yulin dog meat festival in China.

       Both Boris and Carrie Johnson have previously lashed out at the sickening animal cruelty in the Chinese city and Miss Jenkyns has urged the Prime Minister to take a firm stance on the world stage.

       “I would like to see the Government play a more proactive role in combating this barbaric industry which is unnecessarily and morally indefensible,” she said.