Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many instances of an individual being charged relating to domestic abuse was there also charges laid for animal abuse in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions by offence through the Outcomes by Offences data tool on GOV.UK. It is not currently possible to separately identify prosecutions for domestic abuse, as such cases are prosecuted under a range of different criminal offences. However, the Government recognises the importance of consistently identifying domestic abuse offenders at every stage of the system. That is why we are moving at pace to implement a domestic abuse identifier at sentencing in criminal cases, delivering on a recommendation made in the Independent Sentencing Review.
Statutory guidance on the definition of domestic abuse under Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is clear that domestic abuse can include harming or threatening to harm animals, for example as a form coercive and controlling behaviour. In our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published last December, we committed to ensuring all victims and survivors are protected, including those with pets, including to:
As part of this work, Defra has also commissioned research, led by the University of Bristol, into the relationship between animal abuse and domestic abuse, and will consider the findings once the research concludes.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has received advice on the potential link between domestic abuse and animal abuse.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions by offence through the Outcomes by Offences data tool on GOV.UK. It is not currently possible to separately identify prosecutions for domestic abuse, as such cases are prosecuted under a range of different criminal offences. However, the Government recognises the importance of consistently identifying domestic abuse offenders at every stage of the system. That is why we are moving at pace to implement a domestic abuse identifier at sentencing in criminal cases, delivering on a recommendation made in the Independent Sentencing Review.
Statutory guidance on the definition of domestic abuse under Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is clear that domestic abuse can include harming or threatening to harm animals, for example as a form coercive and controlling behaviour. In our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published last December, we committed to ensuring all victims and survivors are protected, including those with pets, including to:
As part of this work, Defra has also commissioned research, led by the University of Bristol, into the relationship between animal abuse and domestic abuse, and will consider the findings once the research concludes.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many bans on animal ownership have been imposed by Courts in each of the last five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Animal health and welfare is a devolved matter. For England, the information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the UK Government is taking to promote collaborative defence innovation initiatives involving the UK, European partners and Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence is committed to promoting collaborative initiatives that strengthen collaboration between Ukrainian, British and European defence innovators. In cooperation with trade association ADS, the UK has delivered seven successful Trade Missions to Ukraine, bringing together UK industry and likeminded European partners to discuss opportunities for long-term cooperation and investment, and to promote greater collaboration with defence industrial companies inside Ukraine.
This month, I led the largest trade mission, with the UK welcoming five European partners and a record 35 UK companies from primes to SMEs, offering a range of innovative solutions.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the role of Ukrainian defence technology innovation in strengthening NATO partners’ capabilities against drone and ballistic missile threats.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence continues to work closely with the Government of Ukraine and NATO partners on the sharing of knowledge and insights about drone and missile threats whose technologists and armed forces are constantly evolving capabilities to address a variety of threats from Russia.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support UK companies seeking to collaborate with Ukrainian defence and dual-use technology innovators.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence is committed to strengthening collaboration between Ukrainian and British defence innovators.
In cooperation with trade association ADS, the UK has delivered seven successful Trade Missions to Ukraine, bringing together UK industry and likeminded European partners to discuss opportunities for long-term cooperation and investment, and to promote greater collaboration with defence industrial companies inside Ukraine.
This month, I led the largest trade mission, with the UK welcoming five European partners and a record 35 UK companies from primes to SMEs, offering a range of innovative solutions.
Last year we announced that the UK will manufacture and jointly develop cutting-edge military equipment with Ukrainian industry through a groundbreaking new technology sharing agreement. This tech sharing agreement is called Programme Lyra.
On the first anniversary of the 100 Year Partnership (16 Jan 2026) it was announced that a new business centre will open in Kyiv this year to ensure Britain’s cutting-edge defence industry and innovators can step up their work to equip Ukraine’s Armed Forces. This facility will deliver jobs at home and bring Ukrainian and UK defence industries closer than ever while embedding the lessons from the battlefield.