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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Animal Welfare Strategy for England, published on 22 December 2025, what her Department's planned timetable is for conducting an assessment of cat breeding.

In the Animal Welfare Strategy, we have committed to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector.

Defra officials are already engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders to help address some of the evidence gaps related to the cat breeding sector and will consider the information provided to determine next steps.