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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to remove the business test in the dog breeding regulations.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations), anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority.

We are always seeking to learn from the implementation of legislation and make improvements where necessary. The 2018 Regulations are currently being reviewed, and the Government’s report on the review will be published later in 2023. As part of this review my department is re-examining the scope and operability of the licensing framework. We currently have no plans to introduce self-regulation by systems such as the Kennel Club Assured Breeders scheme.