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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will produce an animal protection strategy.

The welfare of animals is currently protected by a suite of legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The Government has committed to introducing the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in their manifesto, the Government intends to ban trail hunting and the import of hunting trophies, to end puppy smuggling and farming and to stop the use of snare traps.

Ministers are considering the most effective way to deliver these commitments and will set out next steps in due course.