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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce cat and kitten smuggling from overseas.

Criminal offences already exist for cats and kittens brought into this country in breach of current import requirements.

In autumn 2021 we consulted on further proposed changes to the rules governing the commercial and non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets into Great Britain.

The consultation sought views on whether maintaining the existing requirements in relation to cats was the right approach. We are carefully reviewing the feedback from our consultation and wider engagement with stakeholders in the animal welfare sector, including Cats Protection, and a summary will be published in due course.