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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on entering the premises of (a) animal shelters and (b) rescue homes to assess (ii) animal welfare and (ii) conditions.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, local authorities and the police have powers to investigate allegations of animal cruelty or poor welfare, including powers of entry to premises such as animal shelters and rescue homes. Section 18 of the Act allows animals to be seized where necessary to prevent suffering.