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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve consistency of local authority implementation of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy for England, Defra will continue work with local authorities to ensure that enforcement is consistent and effective.

To improve consistency and encourage best practice, Defra works with the Local Government Animal Welfare Group and National Companion and Exotic Animal Welfare Panel to encourage a coordinated and consistent approach to enforcement across local authorities.