Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Will Stone and Nia Griffith

Wednesday 29th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dame Nia Griffith]

Today, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor confirmed that we are moving forward with the £160 million Wrexham and Flintshire investment zone, focusing on the area’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, leveraging £1 billion of private investment over the next 10 years and creating up to 6,000 jobs. Growth is integral to creating the opportunities that young people need to get on in life.

[Will Stone (Swindon North) (Lab)]

7. Whether she has had recent discussions with the Welsh Government on plans to ban greyhound racing in Wales.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Dame Nia Griffith)]

Labour has long been committed to animal welfare. Indeed, it was my privilege under the previous Labour Government to serve on the Committee for the Bill that became the Animal Welfare Act 2006. In our 2024 manifesto, we committed to further improve animal welfare, including ending puppy smuggling. This particular issue is devolved to the Welsh Government.

[Will Stone]

I thank the Minister for her response. I am incredibly passionate about animal welfare—I have a dog and a cat—and for the most part we are an animal-loving country. That is why I find it so shocking that we still have practices such as greyhound racing that treat animals as disposable. If they do not run fast enough or if they get injured, they get binned off. Some of them are still spending 80% of their life in kennels. Will the Minister meet me to discuss this issue further?

[Dame Nia Griffith]

I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend.