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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timetable the Government has set for introducing legislation to increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty offences to five years' imprisonment.

As announced on 30 September, a bill to increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences to five years imprisonment will be published for consultation around the turn of the year. We will welcome comments from animal welfare charities who have campaigned for this change.