Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on increasing the penalty for people who are convicted of pet theft.

Following discussions between myself (the Minister for Crime and Policing), the Home Secretary, and ministerial colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Government, Pet Theft Taskforce will:

• Work with police, law enforcement, and experts to understand and tackle pet theft.
• Consider the issue from end to end, including causes, prevention, reporting, enforcement and prosecution.
• Make clear and timely recommendations on ways to reduce pet theft.

Further information about the Pet Theft Taskforce, including its full terms of reference, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/taskforce-launched-to-investigate-reported-rise-in-pet-thefts