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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on replacing the paper-based application process for a licence to export live falcons with an online process.

On 1 June 2020, the Export Health Certificates (EHC) Online service was made available by Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This service allows exporters to apply for certain EHCs using a fully online application process.

The EHCs to export captive birds (live falcons) to the United Arab Emirates and Japan were released on the EHC online service on 1 June 2020, replacing the paper-based application process.

A further 13 EHCs for the export of captive birds to various countries will be available for use via the online service by the end of 2020.