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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will undertake, with representatives from the devolved Administrations, a thorough and wide-ranging assessment of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on animal welfare throughout the UK.

The Government in early April, along with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to assess the risks to animal welfare as a result of Covid-19 controls. The AWC has submitted the first part of its report which was published on 4 June 2020 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awc-opinion-on-the-animal-welfare-issues-related-to-covid-19.

The AWC is currently considering the potential medium to long-term impact on animal welfare as a consequence of Covid-19 restrictions. We expect to receive that report, and for it to be published, in early autumn.