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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with the Charity Commission on improving (a) information sharing and (b) oversight of animal rescue organisations operating at scale but outside existing statutory licensing frameworks.

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 cover five licensable activities: selling animals as pets; providing or arranging boarding for cats or dogs; hiring out horses; breeding dogs; and keeping or training animals for exhibition.

Defra issues supporting statutory guidance, which furnishes practical detail on how the regulations should be applied, including in relation to the business test. Local authorities must have regard to this statutory guidance.

Defra regularly engages with a range of stakeholders across the animal welfare and charity sectors, including regulatory agencies. We continue to explore opportunities to improve coordination and information sharing where appropriate.