Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is providing to local authorities to enable them to meet their obligation under the Care Act 2014 to ensure that pets, which are considered property of an individual, are looked after if an individual is hospitalised as a result of covid-19.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to protect the moveable property (which includes pets) of adults with care and support needs, who are in hospital or are away from home in accommodation such as care homes.

We have provided £3.7 billion to local authorities through un-ringfenced grants so they can address the expenditure pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.