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Primates: Overseas Trade

Asked by Andrew RosindellReform UKDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 25 February 2025UIN 31432

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for banning the trade of primates as pets in the UK.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 was signed into law on 5 March 2024 and will prohibit the keeping of primates as pets in England without a specialist license, improving the welfare of potentially thousands of animals. The legislation sets strict rules to ensure that only private keepers who can provide zoo-level welfare standards will be able to keep primates and will come into force on 6 April 2026.

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