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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the implications of the bans on the use of wild animals in circuses introduced in Iran, Malta, Mexico, Panama and the Netherlands since 2013 for the draft legislation it is preparing on that matter.

The Government remains committed to banning the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. We support the Bill sponsored by the Member for Torbay, the Wild Animals in Circuses (Prohibition) Bill. If this Bill is not successful we will introduce legislation when Parliamentary time is available.

We have made no detailed assessment of the implications of bans introduced in other countries.