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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the not passing of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals Bill) on (a) pets, (b) puppy smuggling, (c) livestock and (d) live exports.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill (“the Bill”) was reintroduced to the House of Commons in May.

The Bill is part of a wider package of measures to improve animal welfare for a wide range of animals as set out in our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, which was published in May 2021.

The Bill will have a positive impact in relation to pets, puppy smuggling, livestock and live exports, and it will continue its passage as soon as Parliamentary time allows.