Written question asked by Roger Gale (Conservative) on Monday, 4 April 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 April 2005. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Thursday, 7 April 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the scientific basis is of her decision to permit within the terms of the proposed Animal Welfare Bill the re-introduction of the pet markets prohibited under the 1983 amendments to the Pet Animals Act 1951.

Answer: Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the scientific basis is of her decision to permit within the terms of the proposed Animal Welfare Bill the reintroduction of the pet markets prohibited under the 1983 amendments to the Pet Animals Act 1951. [224832] Mr. Bradshaw: The scope of the prohibition on pet markets and similar events in public places under the Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended 1983) is in our view in need of clarification. That is one of the aims of the proposed secondary regulation under the Animal Welfare Bill. We will be conducting a public consultation on the proposed regulation in due course.

Secondary information