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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 230932 on Animal Welfare Act 2006, when he plans to increase the custodial maximum penalty for animal cruelty from six months imprisonment to five years imprisonment; and whether that change will require primary legislation.

The Government remains committed to increasing the maximum custodial penalty for animal cruelty from 6 months’ to 5 years’ imprisonment, and will do so as soon as Parliamentary time allows. Primary legislation is required.