Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord de Mauley on 11 March (WA 374), what offence would be committed by an RSPCA inspector making entry, or attempting to make entry, to private property of a private home without the permission of the owner.

If the RSPCA are investigating an allegation of animal cruelty and the owners do not cooperate or refuse entry to their property, the RSPCA would normally call upon the assistance of the police. The RSPCA has no special powers for entry or search and seizure – these powers lie with police constables and some local authority officers.

As such they would be subject to the law as any member of the public would be.