Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the timing of the legislative stages for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals Bill) on levels of puppy smuggling.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was re-introduced to the House of Commons in May and will progress to Report stage as soon as Parliamentary time allows. It includes measures which tackle puppy smuggling.