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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support local authority animal welfare inspectors.

Defra officials meet regularly with the National Animal Health and Welfare Panel which represents local authority inspectors to support inspectors to deliver their duties in relation to the health and welfare of farmed animals.

Defra has also completed a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 in line with the requirements of the regulations’ review clause. The Government is considering the findings and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course. Any policy changes would be made with appropriate engagement with stakeholders.