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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the ability of local authority inspectors to inspect licensable activities under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

During the COVID-19 restrictions, my department has engaged with local authority representatives about their undertaking of inspections. Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) local authorities have powers to vary licences and this includes extending them without needing to inspect the premises. Therefore, local authorities were able to make decisions on a case by case basis relating to inspecting premises licensed under the 2018 Regulations in a safe way.