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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) published on the use of electronic training collars since 2018.

Defra has not commissioned or published new research on this matter since 2018. The decision to ban electronic shock collars was reached after considering a broad range of factors. This includes academic research – including Defra-commissioned research (AW1402 and AW1402a), published in 2011. We also note the findings of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, published in April 2023, which recommended banning the devices on welfare grounds.