Hansard

I will come to that issue as I go through my comments.

In the interests of pragmatism, the Scottish Government is working with other UK Administrations to improve the welfare of animals in this area. The changes that are proposed in the bill address matters around animal welfare that are of significant public concern and are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and require primary legislation in order to be given effect. Those are areas where consistent changes to the legislation in all Administrations of the United Kingdom at the same time will be beneficial.

Given the freedom of movement of dogs, cats and ferrets within Great Britain, effecting the bill in Scotland will aid the enforcement of import requirements by avoiding attempts to circumvent controls in one country by utilising points of entry in another. The bill provides an opportunity to have consistent control over such imports and to assist enforcement agencies to ensure that such unnecessary movements can no longer take place.

However, the Scottish Government fully recognises that, for the measures in the bill to be successful, they must be introduced consistently across Great Britain. Consistent legislative measures across GB will also greatly assist when it comes to the interpretation and enforcement of new controls. A co-ordinated GB-wide approach in tackling the issues that are covered by the bill is widely supported and welcomed by many key stakeholders.

The bill was amended in committee, including in relation to provisions that were contained in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, to which legislative consent was given by the Scottish Parliament in January 2022, but which the UK Government did not proceed with.

I am strongly of the view that allowing the UK Parliament to legislate for all GB Administrations in this area is the most timely, efficient and effective way to achieve the important changes that are proposed.

I move,

That the Parliament agrees that the relevant provisions of the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, introduced in the House of Commons on 16 October 2024, so far as these matters fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament.