To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department will finish consulting on banning collars which harm animals, including e-collars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department will finish consulting on banning collars which harm animals, including e-collars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) taken recent steps towards and (b) had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on a legislative ban on the sale of aversive training tools for domestic animals in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) taken recent steps towards and (b) had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on a legislative ban on the sale of aversive training tools for domestic animals in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward additional measures under the Animal Welfare Strategy for England relating to the sale and use of hand‑controlled electric shock collars for dogs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward additional measures under the Animal Welfare Strategy for England relating to the sale and use of hand‑controlled electric shock collars for dogs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she made of the potential impact of electric shock collars on the welfare of dogs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she made of the potential impact of electric shock collars on the welfare of dogs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered banning prong collars in addition to shock collars as part of the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy published 22nd December 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered banning prong collars in addition to shock collars as part of the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy published 22nd December 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has any plans to legislate to ban the sale, and not just ownership, of shock collars as part of the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy published 22nd December 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has any plans to legislate to ban the sale, and not just ownership, of shock collars as part of the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy published 22nd December 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to launch the consultation on banning the use of electric shock collars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to launch the consultation on banning the use of electric shock collars.

My Lords, the Government remain committed to improving the welfare of domestic animals. We are considering the available evidence around hand-controlled electronic collars and their effects on animal welfare, and we will outline our next steps in due course. More broadly, we are developing an overarching approach to animal welfare and have been engaging with key welfare organisations as part of this work. The Prime Minister has committed to publish an animal welfare strategy by the end of this year.

My Lords, the Government remain committed to improving the welfare of domestic animals. We are considering the available evidence around hand-controlled electronic collars and their effects on animal welfare, and we will outline our next steps in due course. More broadly, we are developing an overarching approach to animal welfare and have been engaging with key welfare organisations as part of this work. The Prime Minister has committed to publish an animal welfare strategy by the end of this year.

I know the noble Baroness will agree that the use of electronic shock collars on cats and dogs is cruel and unnecessary, causing pain, fear and stress in animals we should be caring for. Could she therefore explain why they have not yet been banned, a full seven years after a consultation on their use in 2018 showed strong support in favour of a ban from those with animal welfare expertise? The then Government, with strong backing from the noble Baroness, were fully supportive, but draft regulations brought to this House in 2023 moved with glacial speed and timed out before the election. Since then, nothing has happened, and animals are still being caused pain and suffering. I know Whitehall can move with great speed when it wants to, but is not seven years unacceptable? Can the noble Baroness, who I know is a great supporter of animal welfare and a proud cat owner, tell us when these regulations will reappear?

I know the noble Baroness will agree that the use of electronic shock collars on cats and dogs is cruel and unnecessary, causing pain, fear and stress in animals we should be caring for. Could she therefore explain why they have not yet been banned, a full seven years after a consultation on their use in 2018 showed strong support in favour of a ban from those with animal welfare expertise? The then Government, with strong backing from the noble Baroness, were fully supportive, but draft regulations brought to this House in 2023 moved with glacial speed and timed out before the election. Since then, nothing has happened, and animals are still being caused pain and suffering. I know Whitehall can move with great speed when it wants to, but is not seven years unacceptable? Can the noble Baroness, who I know is a great supporter of animal welfare and a proud cat owner, tell us when these regulations will reappear?

The noble Lord is absolutely right that I have been supporting this for some time, and that seven years is an awfully long time. That is why, when I came into my position as Animal Welfare Minister, I wanted to properly review all the animal welfare legislation that had been sitting there, left over from the previous Government. It is why we have been pulling together this overarching animal welfare strategy. We are looking at the available evidence on electronic shock collars. We are looking at the potential impacts on animal welfare, livestock management, dog training, and owner responsibility, which is an important part of it. So, as I say, keep a watching eye out for the animal welfare strategy.

The noble Lord is absolutely right that I have been supporting this for some time, and that seven years is an awfully long time. That is why, when I came into my position as Animal Welfare Minister, I wanted to properly review all the animal welfare legislation that had been sitting there, left over from the previous Government. It is why we have been pulling together this overarching animal welfare strategy. We are looking at the available evidence on electronic shock collars. We are looking at the potential impacts on animal welfare, livestock management, dog training, and owner responsibility, which is an important part of it. So, as I say, keep a watching eye out for the animal welfare strategy.

My Lords, the legislation on electric shock collars was written, scrutinised and approved by this House in June 2023. It lapsed on a technicality, not due to any flaw. Defra’s own research concluded that these devices cause fear and harm, offering no welfare-compatible training benefit. The Government can deliver a swift animal welfare win by immediately relaying this instrument. Will the Minister undertake to do this, instead of waiting?

My Lords, the legislation on electric shock collars was written, scrutinised and approved by this House in June 2023. It lapsed on a technicality, not due to any flaw. Defra’s own research concluded that these devices cause fear and harm, offering no welfare-compatible training benefit. The Government can deliver a swift animal welfare win by immediately relaying this instrument. Will the Minister undertake to do this, instead of waiting?

My Lords, the breeding of dogs with extreme conformations for purely fashionable reasons causes significant, and potentially lifelong, ill health. It is illegal under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations. A new initiative—the innate health assessment tool—has been lodged to help owners, breeders, trading standards officers, vets and others to avoid this practice in dogs. However, we are now increasingly seeing cats bred with conformations that are seriously deleterious to their health and that of their offspring. Will His Majesty’s Government amend the current regulations to include cats and to encourage the development of innate health assessment tools, or similar tools, to help reduce and avoid these abhorrent breeding practices in cats?

My Lords, the breeding of dogs with extreme conformations for purely fashionable reasons causes significant, and potentially lifelong, ill health. It is illegal under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations. A new initiative—the innate health assessment tool—has been lodged to help owners, breeders, trading standards officers, vets and others to avoid this practice in dogs. However, we are now increasingly seeing cats bred with conformations that are seriously deleterious to their health and that of their offspring. Will His Majesty’s Government amend the current regulations to include cats and to encourage the development of innate health assessment tools, or similar tools, to help reduce and avoid these abhorrent breeding practices in cats?

The noble Lord is absolutely right to raise this issue. As he said, there has been quite a lot of interest and work done on dogs in this area. As a result of the concerns that have been continually and increasingly raised around the health and conformation of cats bred for sale as pets, the Government commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee to produce a report looking at the welfare implications, exactly as the noble Lord talked about. Those recommendations are now with the Government and we are carefully looking at them.

The noble Lord is absolutely right to raise this issue. As he said, there has been quite a lot of interest and work done on dogs in this area. As a result of the concerns that have been continually and increasingly raised around the health and conformation of cats bred for sale as pets, the Government commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee to produce a report looking at the welfare implications, exactly as the noble Lord talked about. Those recommendations are now with the Government and we are carefully looking at them.

My Lords, might I suggest to the Minister, in the same way as I did to her Conservative predecessors when I was trying to introduce legislation to ban the import of hunting trophies, that there is nothing I am aware of in the Representation of the People Act that prevents Governments undertaking popular policies? So could she overcome the institutional lethargy of Whitehall in this and other animal welfare issues and just get on with it?

My Lords, might I suggest to the Minister, in the same way as I did to her Conservative predecessors when I was trying to introduce legislation to ban the import of hunting trophies, that there is nothing I am aware of in the Representation of the People Act that prevents Governments undertaking popular policies? So could she overcome the institutional lethargy of Whitehall in this and other animal welfare issues and just get on with it?

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Black of Brentwood for raising this Question. As he said, the House did pass the last Government’s banning regulations in 2023, but they did not go through the Commons. I welcome the fact that the Government are considering all the evidence on this. As she knows, the British Veterinary Association and many dog trainers say that positive incentives are far better than shock treatment. However, many farmers say it is essential for sheepdog training, although that great sheepdog country, Wales, has banned it since 2010 without any difficulties. I suspect that I am in the same boat as the noble Baroness. If someone tried to put an electric shock collar on my cat, they themselves would get an awful shock. Can the Minister give any indication of when a conclusion may be reached in this evidence-gathering exercise? If Defra does decide to proceed with a ban, could we expect regulations similar to those we introduced in 2023?

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Black of Brentwood for raising this Question. As he said, the House did pass the last Government’s banning regulations in 2023, but they did not go through the Commons. I welcome the fact that the Government are considering all the evidence on this. As she knows, the British Veterinary Association and many dog trainers say that positive incentives are far better than shock treatment. However, many farmers say it is essential for sheepdog training, although that great sheepdog country, Wales, has banned it since 2010 without any difficulties. I suspect that I am in the same boat as the noble Baroness. If someone tried to put an electric shock collar on my cat, they themselves would get an awful shock. Can the Minister give any indication of when a conclusion may be reached in this evidence-gathering exercise? If Defra does decide to proceed with a ban, could we expect regulations similar to those we introduced in 2023?

As I mentioned earlier, we are considering all the evidence around this. It is something that we want to consider how to bring forward. As the noble Lord and others have said, we supported the work that the previous Government did on this. I cannot give a date, but we are looking at the evidence now, and obviously we want to move forward.

As I mentioned earlier, we are considering all the evidence around this. It is something that we want to consider how to bring forward. As the noble Lord and others have said, we supported the work that the previous Government did on this. I cannot give a date, but we are looking at the evidence now, and obviously we want to move forward.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her continued support on animal welfare in the UK. I declare my interest as someone who works in the veterinary industry. I hope the Minister has seen the recent report from the APPG on Animal Welfare regarding animal welfare enforcement. What are the Government doing to improve enforcement of animal welfare laws and to support local authorities and charities in protecting domestic pets from cruelty? Will she look in particular at reducing the time that local authorities have to hold seized pets?

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her continued support on animal welfare in the UK. I declare my interest as someone who works in the veterinary industry. I hope the Minister has seen the recent report from the APPG on Animal Welfare regarding animal welfare enforcement. What are the Government doing to improve enforcement of animal welfare laws and to support local authorities and charities in protecting domestic pets from cruelty? Will she look in particular at reducing the time that local authorities have to hold seized pets?

The noble Lord asks a really important question around enforcement. As I have said more than once in this House, what is the point of having laws if they are not enforced? Local authorities, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the police do have powers to investigate allegations of animal cruelty, including breaches of any disqualification orders. The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 also enables the courts to ban offenders from owning or keeping animals following a conviction. If anyone has any concerns, they should of course report them to the police. Clearly, any legislation where the enforcement is not working needs to be looked at, and I am more than happy to do so.

The noble Lord asks a really important question around enforcement. As I have said more than once in this House, what is the point of having laws if they are not enforced? Local authorities, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the police do have powers to investigate allegations of animal cruelty, including breaches of any disqualification orders. The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 also enables the courts to ban offenders from owning or keeping animals following a conviction. If anyone has any concerns, they should of course report them to the police. Clearly, any legislation where the enforcement is not working needs to be looked at, and I am more than happy to do so.

My Lords, is the Minister aware that some of us were in Downing Street yesterday, and there was a cat wandering around in Downing Street. Can she make sure that the owners are acting responsibly?

My Lords, is the Minister aware that some of us were in Downing Street yesterday, and there was a cat wandering around in Downing Street. Can she make sure that the owners are acting responsibly?

Interestingly, I was in Downing Street yesterday as well, and I saw said cat. I foolishly attempted to take a photograph of it and was told that it was not acceptable and would not help the animal’s welfare.

Interestingly, I was in Downing Street yesterday as well, and I saw said cat. I foolishly attempted to take a photograph of it and was told that it was not acceptable and would not help the animal’s welfare.