Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to reduce the number of cats (a) killed and (b) left with life-changing injuries due to being shot by air guns; and if she will make a statement.

We are reviewing the regulation of air weapons in England and Wales, and requested the views of interested parties by 6 February 2018. The review is looking at issues such as manufacturing standards, secure storage and whether current arrangements are sufficient to prevent children gaining access to air weapons, as well as licensing arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

We are taking into account representations put forward by animal welfare organisations as part of the review. The Department has received a large number of representations on these topics, and we are considering them carefully before deciding how to proceed. We will publish the outcome of the review in due course.