To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will regulate cat breeding as part of the Post Implementation Review of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 which is due by October 2023.

The 2018 Regulations are due to be reviewed five years after they came into force (2023) and so this will be an appropriate time to re-examine the scope of the Regulations and consider any changes.

During the review we will consider all aspects of the Regulations, including whether there is a need to explore introducing licencing arrangements for cat breeders.

As part of planning for this review, we are proactively working with partners, including local authorities, to collate data that can provide a picture of licensed and unlicensed activities involving animals in England. A wide range of stakeholders, key trade associations, and the Canine and Feline Sector Group will be integral to coordinating input from this diverse sector to inform Defra’s review.