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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of permitting dogs to travel in the cabins of aircraft arriving in the UK.

All pets travelling into Great Britain are checked for compliance with the necessary health and documentary requirements prior to entry to safeguard our biosecurity. When travelling to Great Britain by air, pets currently travel as manifest cargo to facilitate these checks upon arrival. The only animals that are authorised to travel in the cabin of a commercial aircraft into Great Britain are Recognised Assistance Dogs.

This Government has no current plans to change the process by which pet cats, dogs and ferrets may enter Great Britain in aircraft.