Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on (a) animal welfare, (b) extending the ban on the use and manufacture of snares and (c) the potential merits of a ban on the use of cages to breed game birds in Wales.

I have regular discussions with colleagues in the Welsh Government on a wide range of subjects. Owing to the range of topics covered by this question, I will address each point in turn.

(a): DEFRA holds regular discussions with the devolved administrations – including the Welsh Government – through an Animal Welfare Policy Group. This group provides a key strategic policy and regulatory decision-making forum for UK-wide animal welfare and is governed by the processes and principles outlined in the Animal Health and Welfare Common Framework.

(b): The UK Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare included an ambition to conduct a call for evidence on the use of snares and this will be launched in due course. I am aware the Welsh Government has announced a commitment to ban the use of snares in Wales.