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Animal Welfare: Licensing

Asked by Mr Richard HoldenConservativeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 16 June 2025UIN 58275

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterparts in the (a) Scottish, (b) Welsh and (c) Northern Irish governments on the potential merits of extending licensing requirements to include (i) animal welfare establishments and (ii) rehoming organisations.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nation’s Ministers. Defra engages regularly with its counterparts in the devolved administrations on animal welfare matters and takes their experience into account.

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