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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her department provides to local authorities on making appropriate allowance for licensed dog home boarding businesses that are in the process of changing premises when scheduling inspections and applying licensing conditions.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations (2018) local authorities may vary a licence following an application by the licence holder and inspect premises as part of the process for granting or renewing licences.

Where a licence holder seeks to change premises, the relevant local authority inspector would need to ensure compliance with the licensing conditions. The decision whether to vary or issue a new licence is the responsibility of the local authority. After varying or issuing a licence, local authorities will decide on an individual basis the timing of mid-term or renewal inspections.