5. What discussions has the Welsh Government had about licensing of performing animals? OAQ53450

Thank you. I issued a written statement on 31 January summarising the outcome of a series of workshops held with stakeholders to discuss mobile animal exhibits last year. My officials have been in correspondence with DEFRA to discuss cross-border issues regarding the English licensing of animal activities legislation.

Thank you for your answer, Minister, and thank you for your letter that you sent to me recently on an issue raised by my constituent who at the moment faces needing to pay not only for her own Welsh licence, which she's perfectly happy to do, but also an additional £800 if she's going to be able to take her business into England, which she does on a regular basis. Now, she—and many other people who work in this field—is a sole trader, with very low turnover, and, if she has to meet this additional £800 on an ongoing basis, her business will cease to be viable.

I'm pleased to hear you say that you are having discussions with Michael Gove about this issue, because it's a small issue in the great big post-Brexit picture, but to my constituent, and to others who work in that field, it's a very serious one. What assurances can you give us? It is too late now to resolve this by the 1 April deadline, I imagine, for this year, but what assurances can you give my constituent that, by next year, we will have some sort of cross-border arrangements in place, and that she will not have to pay twice to licence her business?

Well, officials are still—. I'm aware of the correspondence that we exchanged, and my officials are certainly continuing to have those discussions with counterparts—not actually just the UK Government, but, obviously, Scotland, because, obviously, these businesses, as you say, are transient in nature. So, I can't give you a date as to when those discussions will come to a conclusion, but I do hope that it won't take a year to do so. But, you're quite right, I don't think we'll have it in place by 1 April this year.

Minister, I think this area of public policy deserves a lot of attention and needs to be speeded up. Your first written answer, I think, or written statement, was in December 2016, so, it's well over two years ago that that was made. The public are demanding some action here, because it's not just circus animals. We've all been to agricultural shows and seen the birds of prey there, and, at Christmas, you often see reindeer out on the streets in some mobile displays. And I think we need clarity, and, those that are using animals, if they can do it humanely, and without those animals suffering any loss of dignity, then it may be appropriate. But we do need to come to a conclusion on this and state what our policy aims are for regulation.

I think you're right about public interest. I think, in some ways, there's more public interest in mobile animal exhibits than in circuses, because we don't have any circuses registered in Wales. And, as you say, we've all been to agricultural shows. Schools, for instance, often have birds of prey, and so I do think it is something of public interest, and, certainly, when we had the consultation, there was a high number of responses in relation to this aspect.

The licensing scheme is being developed. You'll be aware that we've engaged with any stakeholders, also with enforcement agents. We are going to have a full public consultation, because I think that is required and that will be done, hopefully, within the next few months. But you will appreciate, again, Brexit has to take priority—particularly a 'no deal' Brexit—but I do hope that the consultation, certainly, will come out by the end of the summer.