Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with transport providers on trends in the number of dogs, other than assistance dogs, permitted on public transport; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of dogs on public transport on (a) public safety and (b) carriage capacity.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The rules on the carriage of dogs on trains is set out in condition 24 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel. This states that up to 2 dogs can accompany the passenger free of charge. Train operating companies can allow passengers to take additional dogs onto the train but there may be a cost to the passenger for this.
This condition also stipulates that staff can ask that dogs be removed if they cause a nuisance or inconvenience to other passengers. On bus and coach, regulations state that animals are accepted onto bus services at the discretion of the driver. Bus and coach operators set their own conditions of carriage policies which may prohibit the carriage of dogs with the exception of trained assistance dogs.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on (a) cats and (b) dogs being transported to the UK with their owners in the passenger cabin of aircraft; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government takes the importation of pets seriously and we are committed to preserving our high standards of biosecurity and animal welfare.
All pets travelling into Great Britain (GB) are checked for compliance prior to entry. To facilitate this, Defra requires that all pets entering GB airports are transported safely and securely to the pet checking facility. Operations at airports are sensitive and complex, and other vital border controls need to be considered. In practice, this means that most pets currently travel to GB by air as 'manifest cargo'. This enables the pets to be transferred directly to the pet checking facility and means that a documentary record of the pet’s arrival is available to customs and other border control officials.
The safety and welfare of the animals is given prime importance before approval to transport the animals is granted. Carriers are required to ensure that air quality and quantity, temperature and pressure is maintained while the animals are on board. Food and water must also be provided, according to the journey duration. Stringent requirements are also in place for pet transport containers under the International Air Transport Association Live Animals Regulations, with space and ventilation concerns paramount.
Currently, the only animals that are authorised to travel in the cabin of a commercial aircraft into GB are Recognised Assistance Dogs.
We have no immediate plans to change the means by which pet cats and dogs may enter GB by air.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) transparency of data collected by the UK Government on the importation of pets.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The information that we provide is a true reflection of the information that we have access to.
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.
Every month carriers complete and submit spreadsheets detailing their throughput broken down by species, document type, non-compliance data and whether or not it is an assistance animal. This is the data recorded on the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) system. Where necessary APHA ensures that carriers provide this information in a timely manner.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 25 October regarding assistance animals travelling from the UK to the EU (HL2987), whether similarly stringent requirements are in place for pet movements from the EU to the UK.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Currently there are no changes to the pre-transition period pet travel requirements for entry into Great Britain (GB) from the EU or Northern Ireland. We continue to accept Pet Passports issued in the EU, Northern Ireland and Part 1 listed third countries and Pet Passports issued in GB prior to January 2021. We also accept Animal Health Certificates (AHC) issued in GB, and Great Britain Pet Health Certificates (which can be used when travelling from a Part 2 or ‘not listed’ country, or a ‘Part 1’ country that does not issue pet passports). Pets travelling from Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man do not need this documentation.
The pet health requirements remain in place to protect GB’s biosecurity from diseases such as rabies and the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. This means that all dogs, cats and ferrets entering GB from the EU must continue to be microchipped, have been vaccinated against rabies and for dogs, including assistance dogs, to have been treated against tapeworm (unless travelling from a tapeworm-free country).
We have extensive guidance on GOV.UK with detailed information on what pet owners must do to ensure a seamless journey for their pet into GB: https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain.
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet checking regimes in the world for non-commercial pet travel movements. Every pet animal entering GB on approved routes under the pet travel rules undergoes documentary and identity checks. Any animals found to be non-compliant with the pet travel rules may be refused entry or detained until compliant.
The Government has a manifesto commitment to crack down on puppy smuggling. We are now making some significant changes to domestic law, with potential changes to our import requirements, through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The Bill was introduced in Parliament on the 8 June and second reading took place on 25 October. The Bill will progress through Parliament when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Penrith and The Border)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cats entering the UK non-commercially were under six months of age in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. All non-commercial dogs, cats and ferrets entering Great Britain on approved routes (every route other than ROI and NI) under the Pet Travel rules undergo 100% documentary and identity checks by authorised pet checkers.
There are numerous approved routes into the UK by which pets can travel. These diverse routes are managed by independent pet checkers and by a variety of carriers including ferries, air travel and trains. Pet checkers and carriers independently record the number of how many cats, dogs, ferrets and assistance dogs have travelled and are required to record additional details of the animal where non-compliance is discovered. They may also independently record identifying details for their own records.
The data regarding the Pet Travel Rules is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals. Raw data on the number of animals travelled via each authorised pet checker or carrier is provided to the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Border Force to enable effective enforcement action. This new system, with carrier captured data, records the number of pet animals entering the country more accurately than the previous legacy database (Pets database) which was initially deployed in 2006, but it is not a requirement to record the age of the animals travelling on those routes. Therefore, we cannot provide this data.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is he taking to remove the internal border for assistance dog owners between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has been formally ‘listed’ as a ‘Part 2’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel regulations, which means that new rules apply to pet movements from Great Britain to the EU and also – under the Northern Ireland Protocol – to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland. The health and documentary requirements for such pet travel are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations; there are no derogations for assistance dogs under these regulations.
We will continue to press the European Commission on securing Part 1 listed status and in regaining recognition of our freedom from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, as achieving these would alleviate some of these new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users. We meet all the animal health requirements for this, and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
The Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, recognising the high standards of animal health that we share. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA’s NIDirect website. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also written to the European Vice-President seeking to ensure that an agreement can be made to address the barriers imposed on pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made in reducing barriers to travel for people with assistance dogs seeking to travel to the (a) EU and (b) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland recognising the high standards of animal health that we share. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also written to the European Vice-President seeking to ensure that an agreement can be made to address the barriers imposed on pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Northern Ireland-based pets and assistance dogs returning to Northern Ireland from Great Britain can continue to use a Northern Ireland-issued EU Pet Passport to re-enter Northern Ireland and will not need an animal health certificate. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA’s NIDirect website.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affiars are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure that people in Great Britain who use assistance dogs do not face hardship as a result of new administrative requirements when they travel to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The health and documentary requirements for pet travel to the EU are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU rules also apply to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. There are no derogations for assistance dogs under the legal framework of the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
We will continue to press the European Commission in relation to securing Part 1 listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We are clear that we meet all the animal health requirements for this, and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
The Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland recognising the high standards of animal health that we share. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also written to the European Vice-President seeking to ensure that an agreement can be made to address the barriers imposed on pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland has recently published guidance on a pragmatic enforcement approach to pets entering from Great Britain. Northern Ireland-based pets and assistance dogs returning to Northern Ireland from Great Britain can continue to use a Northern Ireland-issued EU Pet Passport to re-enter Northern Ireland and will not need an animal health certificate. Pets and assistance dogs entering from Great Britain will not be subject to routine checks until July 2021. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA's NIDirect website.
We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
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 with the European Commission in securing Part 1 listed status for pet travel between the UK and the EU.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department previously submitted an application to the European Commission to become a 'Part 1' listed third country in relation to non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets. On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of, and has now adopted, the UK as a ‘Part 2’ listed status third country for the non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets.
We are clear we meet all the animal health requirements to become a Part 1 listed third country and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity. Our disease risk has not changed, and we recognise the challenges that Part 2 listed status poses for those travelling with pets and assistance dogs. We have reiterated this, and will continue to press the EU Commission on securing Part 1 listed status, alongside securing recognised tapeworm free status from the EU.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow pets to be moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland without restrictions and in the same way that they can be moved from England to Scotland.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
After the end of the transition period the UK became a third country in relation to the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The rules of this scheme govern non-commercial movements of pets from Great Britain to the EU and from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
In February 2020 we submitted an application to allow the UK to become a Part 1 listed third country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme. This status would mean similar animal health and documentary requirements (compared to before the end of the transition period) for non-commercial pet movements from Great Britain to the EU. On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of giving the United Kingdom Part 2 listed status under the EU Pet Travel Scheme after the transition period. This listed status has been formally adopted by the EU.
We will continue to press the EU Commission in relation to securing Part 1 listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We are clear that we meet all the animal health requirements for this and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
The Government is also working with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) on a long-term solution which respects the rights of assistance dog users and pet owners to travel with the minimum of friction. Guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on the DAERA’s NIDirect website.
Commercial movements of live animals, including dogs, cats and ferrets, which are being moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland for the transference of ownership or sale, are not subject to the EU Pet Travel Scheme but to the ‘Balai Directive’. This requires that traders or organisations moving pets in this way must pre-notify and use a specific export health certificate. We are listening to the concerns of stakeholders on this issue and welcome any evidence of disruption that might be caused by these new requirements.
There have been no changes to the rules governing non-commercial pet movements, or the commercial movement of dogs, cats or ferrets, from Northern Ireland into Great Britain.