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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) stakeholders on pet theft; and what steps he is taking to help protect pets from theft.

This Government is committed to acting to address the issue of pet theft. The Secretary of State has had regular discussions with cabinet colleagues about the work of the Government's Pet Theft Taskforce.

The Government's Pet Theft Taskforce has been set up to gather evidence to understand the factors that may be contributing to any rise in pets being stolen and will consider the issue from end to end, recommending any necessary measures to tackle the problem. The Taskforce has been engaging with relevant stakeholders, including experts and animal welfare groups throughout the review, and aims to report this summer and publish the outcomes of the review.