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1013168

registered interest
date	23/11/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the newly-established intelligence-led approach to the enforcement of the Pet Travel Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
uin	195123
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The UK carries out more checks of pets at the border than most other EU member states. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) works in partnership with Dogs Trust, enforcement bodies and transport carriers to identify non-compliant animals destined for Dover and Folkestone ports. This partnership in collaboration with the intelligence-led Task Force has led to over 800 puppies being seized since 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Demand drives the illegal trafficking of puppies. Defra works with stakeholders to drive up standards for advertising, and to educate potential owners on how to responsibly buy a pet. Defra has published guidance on buying a pet. We have recently consulted on a ban on third party sales of puppies and kittens, and are completing the analysis of the results.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/12/2018 16:51:43 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1005700

registered interest
date	12/11/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is adequate veterinary capacity to meet the demand for (a) rabies (i) vaccinations and (ii) testing and (b) the issuing of health certificates for pets travelling to the EU in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	190334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is working with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to ensure there is sufficient veterinary capacity in the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>Currently all pet dogs, cat and ferrets leaving the UK for other EU countries are required to have rabies vaccinations, therefore leaving the EU is unlikely to significantly impact on veterinary capacity to carry out vaccinations.</p><p> </p><p>In the unlikely event that the United Kingdom leaves the EU without a deal and the UK is an unlisted third country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme (PTS) there would be some additional requirements that veterinarians would need to carry out to so that their clients’ pets could travel to the EU. These would be taking a blood sample for rabies antibody testing at an approved blood testing laboratory. However, provided a pet has an up-to-date rabies vaccination there would be no need to repeat the blood test during the animal’s lifetime. Should the UK become an unlisted third country after leaving the EU there may be an impact on demand for rabies serology tests in UK laboratories. We are preparing for an increase in demand on laboratories for these tests to enable pet owners to continue to visit the EU with their animals under all exit scenarios.</p><p> </p><p>For each trip a pet animal makes from the UK to the EU its owner would need a health certificate. Both the blood sample and health certificate would need to be completed by an Official Veterinarian (OV) authorised to issue pet travel documents. There are currently over 9,600 OVs authorised to issue pet travel documents in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs are responsible for pet travel documentation.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/11/2018 17:59:36 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1005701

registered interest
date	12/11/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether pet owners will be compensated for following Government advice on preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal by paying for blood titre testing of rabies antibody levels ahead of travelling to the EU after 29 March 2019 in the event that an agreement is then reached.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	190335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2018 answer text <p>We recognise the uncertainty for owners and vets regarding pet travel requirements after the UK leaves the EU. This is why we have issued practical advice to pet owners. On 6 November Defra issued advice on Pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit</a></p><p>This gives advice to pet owners planning to take their pet to any EU country on the rules they would need to follow in the unlikely event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.</p><p>It is important that owners understand any potential changes to pet travel after our departure from the EU to help inform their decision on whether to incur veterinary costs. To make sure a pet is able to travel from the UK to the EU after 29 March 2019 in any scenario, owners should contact their vet at least four months before travelling to get the latest advice.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 15/11/2018 17:58:14 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

993751

registered interest
date	23/10/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2018 to Question 180250 on Pet Travel Scheme, if he will publish the (a) increased resources at major UK ports and (b) the responsibilities of the intelligence-led Task Force.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	182871
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2018 answer text <p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency is responsible for monitoring puppy imports at major UK ports. Since January 2017 the resources made available for monitoring puppy imports have increased by one-third.</p><p> </p><p>The Task Force is a forum that enables agencies to collaborate in coordinating action to disrupt and reduce illegal dog importation activities. Membership of the Task Force and specific responsibilities are in the process of being agreed and this is expected to be finalised in the near future.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 31/10/2018 15:35:20 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

988879

registered interest
date	16/10/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report Puppy Smuggling: When will this cruel trade end?, published by the Dogs Trust, what steps his Department is taking to tackle abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
uin	180250
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2018 answer text <p>Defra takes the health and welfare of dogs coming into the UK very seriously. We share Dogs Trust’s concerns about illegal puppy trafficking, where commercial operators have abused European Union (EU) pet travel rules to traffic underage puppies into the UK, using falsified pet passports to conceal the animals’ true ages.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has zero tolerance for this abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme. Defra has published guidance for owners on buying a pet. This contains guidelines such as buying from a reputable supplier and viewing the animal and its documentation, and also highlights the trade in illegal imports. A wider public communications campaign is also being planned.</p><p> </p><p>We have increased resourcing at major UK ports. The UK carries out more checks at the border than most other EU Member States and penalties are in place where people are found to be breaking these rules. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is working in partnership with Dogs Trust, enforcement bodies and transport carriers to identify non-compliant animals destined for Dover and Folkestone ports. This partnership began in December 2015 and has since then resulted in over 800 puppies being seized and placed into quarantine.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has also launched an intelligence-led Task Force to work on this issue. We are working with a wide range of stakeholders (including Dogs Trust) to develop long term solutions to the illegal puppy trade.</p><p> </p><p>Defra considers it extremely important to raise the profile of this issue at an EU level. In 2017, an EU Platform on Animal Welfare was set up, and the UK is a member of this. It contains a specific, smaller subgroup on the dog trade. Defra considers this subgroup to be an important initiative and our Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer will speak at a conference on the Online Puppy Trade in Brussels in November, which is affiliated with this subgroup.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has in recent months held a consultation on a proposed ban on commercial third party puppy and kitten sales in England. This would mean that anyone looking to buy or adopt a puppy or kitten must either deal directly with the breeder or with one of the nation’s many animal rehoming centres. It is hoped that this will drive up animal welfare standards and deter those motivated to traffic puppies into the UK and sell them on for financial gain. This consultation closed in September and is now being reviewed.</p><p> </p><p>We welcome the latest Dogs Trust report and will be reviewing the evidence it presents to consider what further action can be taken to end the illegal puppy trade.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 22/10/2018 15:50:37 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

982466

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September to Question 167837, what the different options are for pet travel to the EU that are being considering in the event of (a) a planned withdrawal from the EU and (b) the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	175796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2018 answer text <p>As part of the negotiations on the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK and EU have reached an agreement in principle on the terms of a time-limited implementation period. The rules governing pet travel would continue to apply throughout any implementation period. In the meantime, we are also putting in place contingency arrangements in the event of a no-deal outcome, which are set out in the Technical Notice “Taking your pet abroad if there’s no Brexit deal”. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taking-your-pet-abroad-if-theres-no-brexit-deal</p><p> </p><p>We are working to ensure pet owners continue to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption, whilst maintaining biosecurity and welfare standards. There may be changes to the system, the extent of any potential changes will depend on the outcome of negotiations.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 16/10/2018 16:11:44 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

947253

registered interest
date	24/07/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to continue the existing pet passport scheme once the UK has left the EU.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	167837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2018 answer text <p>Whilst we are a member of the EU, we continue to be signed up to the requirements of the pet travel scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is negotiating our departure from the EU and Defra is looking at future arrangements, including those for pet travel. We want pet owners to continue to be able to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption, whilst maintaining high biosecurity and animal welfare standards.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Whatever the outcome of negotiations, owners will be able to continue to travel to the EU with their pets, but there may be changes to the system. The extent of any potential changes will depend on the outcome of negotiations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 04/09/2018 11:08:02 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

944653

registered interest
date	19/07/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Pet Travel Scheme, when his Department last reviewed the effectiveness of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's Required Method of Operation process with Eurotunnel, P&O, DFDS and other carriers.
tabling member constituency	Penistone and Stocksbridge
tabling member printed	Angela Smith
uin	166121
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2018 answer text <p>Each carrier is subject to an annual liaison visit and a minimum of one additional audit visit to ensure compliance with the agreed procedures set out in the RMOP. Every 2 years the RMOP is formally reviewed and re-approved. It was last reviewed in July 2017.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 27/07/2018 12:22:35 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1564 label Biography information for Angela Smith

943847

registered interest
date	18/07/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to reduce the number of animals that one person can transport to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	165544
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2018 answer text <p>Defra is concerned that the number of pet animals that one person is currently allowed to transport into the UK has the potential to facilitate the illegal puppy trade.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Whilst we remain a member of the EU, we continue to be signed up to the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme. After we leave we want pet owners to continue to be able to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption whilst maintaining high biosecurity and welfare standards. The Government is negotiating our departure from the EU and Defra is looking at future arrangements, including those for pet travel. We are also putting in place contingency arrangements in the event of a no-deal outcome.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2017 the EU Commission consulted Member States on whether some Pet Travel Scheme rules should be amended. We stand by our response to that consultation in which we recommended lowering the maximum number of pets that are permitted to be moved in a single consignment. Looking to the future, leaving the EU will open up new opportunities for managing our pet travel arrangements, including ensuring there are robust controls on disease and animal welfare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 27/07/2018 12:00:44 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

943997

registered interest
date	18/07/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce specific requirements to ensure the welfare of dogs and cats transported to the UK under the Pets Transport Scheme after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	165551
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2018 answer text <p>There is a general existing requirement under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order (2006) that protects all animals during transport. This regulation makes it an offence to cause or be likely to cause injury or unnecessary suffering during transport.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst we remain a member of the EU, we continue to be signed up to the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme. After we leave we want pet owners to continue to be able to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption whilst maintaining high biosecurity and welfare standards. The Government is negotiating our departure from the EU and Defra is looking at future arrangements, including those for pet travel. We are also putting in place contingency arrangements in the event of a no-deal outcome.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 27/07/2018 12:07:26 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord