Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement this afternoon? I believe it's important that animal welfare is a priority for any Welsh Government, and I'm also pleased that there are plenty of discussions taking place at Westminster around driving up animal standards. Indeed, it's good to see that Governments at both ends of the M4 are committing to this agenda. 

Of course, the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017 would increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences from six months to five years' imprisonment, and it would ensure that animals are defined in UK law as sentient beings. Of course, I'm pleased that today's statement confirms the Welsh Government support for this Bill, therefore perhaps the Cabinet Secretary could confirm whether it's still her intention to bring forward a legislative consent motion in the National Assembly to allow this obligation to extend to Welsh Government Ministers. And perhaps she could also provide an update on what discussions she's had with UK Government counterparts on this specific Bill, given its impact on Wales. 

The Cabinet Secretary will be aware of the UK Government's recent consultation to introduce a ban on third-party puppy sales, which would mean pet shops and pet dealers cannot sell puppies unless they have bred them themselves. I note that today's statement confirms that the potential banning of third-party sales is worthy of investigation, and that the Cabinet Secretary will be discussing options with officials. I'm sure the Welsh Government is also monitoring the outcomes of the UK Government's consultation, but perhaps she can tell us a bit more about the options she has so far discussed with her officials. 

Of course, a ban on third-party sales of puppies goes some way to tackling the puppy trade in the UK, but there's scope here to look at a range of measures to tackle this problem, such as perhaps tightening regulations around the breeding and selling of puppies. I note from today's statement that in 2017 a survey was carried out by local authorities in partnership with the Welsh Government, which served as an opportunity to assess the standards currently applied in Wales, and that further projects under that partnership will be progressed this year. Given that we are now roughly half way through this Assembly, perhaps the Cabinet Secretary could give an assessment of the effectiveness of the current dog breeding regulations and also expand on what type of partnership projects will be carried out this year. 

Now, this afternoon's statement tells us that the current microchipping regulations will be reviewed and perhaps extended to other species, such as cats, and I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary could tell us what initial discussions she's had with cat welfare organisations and the animal welfare sector more generally at this stage about this review, and the impact of extending the regulations to other species. 

One of the more difficult issues that I believe needs tackling is in relation to the scale of unlicensed activity and the rise in the online sale of pets in Wales, as the invisibility of this trading system has resulted in many online sellers being able to avoid pet breeding and vending legislation, and it crucially pays no regard to an animal's welfare. Therefore, whilst I'm pleased that today's statement looks at a series of measures around animal welfare, perhaps she could tell us a bit more about the specific action that her department intends to take in relation to the buying and selling of animals and, in particular, online trading. 

Now, another important animal welfare campaign that has gained significant attention recently is in relation to sanctuaries, and the Cabinet Secretary will be aware of the YouGov poll for RSPCA Cymru in 2017, which found that 83 per cent of the public in Wales believe the Welsh Government should make animal sanctuary owners obtain a licence and be inspected to set up or operate such premises. It's clear that there's an appetite for the Welsh Government to do something here. I accept that today's statement confirms the development of a new voluntary code of practice for sanctuaries. However, I'd be grateful if she could give us her initial thoughts on how animal welfare establishments should be monitored to ensure that they are meeting the highest possible welfare standards, and perhaps in the first instance she would consider providing a clear-cut definition of the phrase 'animal welfare establishment' so that there can be no ambiguity in talking about what sorts of establishments any new codes would apply to and to ensure that all sanctuaries are included within this definition.

Of course, today's statement confirms that the Welsh Government has committed to looking at reviewing a range of codes of practice for companion animals, and I'm pleased that more work will be done in the autumn as it's crucial that all codes are kept up to date and extended where they need to be and that they are considered alongside other portfolio areas, as often animal welfare guidance can have an impact on other Government policies, such as health and housing.

Therefore, in closing, Deputy Presiding Officer, can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement? I look forward to scrutinising the Welsh Government's progress on its animal welfare policies as they develop. Thank you.