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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether inspections carried out by inspectors certified by a body accredited by UKAS will be duplicated by local authority inspectors under the forthcoming animal establishments licensing regime.

New regulations on licensing of activities involving animals were laid in draft on 8 February. They replace the existing laws on dog breeding, and in conjunction with supporting guidance being finalised, will allow those operators certified by UKAS-accredited organisations to be assessed as lower risk and subject to fewer inspections and a lower fee. Within the requirements of the inspection regime set out in the regulations, local authorities will be encouraged to avoid duplication of inspections where facilities are already inspected by UKAS-accredited bodies and to work collaboratively with UKAS-accredited organisations on this. My officials have held a number of joint meetings with UKAS and local authority representatives to encourage this cooperation.