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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Oral Answer of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of 26 April 2018, Official Report, column 1007, how many charities have made representations to his Department to register (a) concerns about the potential burden of and (b) support for introducing licensing and regulation for animal rescue homes in each of the last five years.

We do not have precise numbers available of the charities that have expressed an opinion on the regulation of animal rescue homes over the last five years. However, Defra is aware that animal rescue homes have expressed views on both sides of the argument in relation to the regulation of such establishments. Ministers have not held any recent discussions with animal charities about the regulation of animal rescue homes.