ADJOURNMENT ANIMAL CRUELTY AND DOMESTIC ABUSE
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Petition NHS dentistry.
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Question is that this House do now adjourn. Sir John Hayes.
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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I start by thanking Mr Speaker and his deputies for allowing me
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in many forms.
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But when it begins with cruelty to animals then becomes cruelty to people. It becomes barbaric.
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Courage is another word that occurs to me. For Annette's courage, which has led us here today in her ceaseless campaign to honour Hollie by ensuring that future tragedies of that kind don't occur, is notable and admirable. and inspires me
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has inspired many others.
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And that's grief for the loss of her daughter is compounded by the appalling way the her worthless
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husband murdered her. It came after years of cruelty towards her pets.
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And
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You know, Holly was just 26 years of age when she died in 2020.
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But her pets and her have been subjected to years of cruelty before that.
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involving both physical cruelty to those animals and the
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vested controller associated with that in respect of
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and so on in ways that are unimaginably
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Whickham
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As so many abusers do, he exploited her love for animals against her.
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in the case of often the violence towards the animals turned
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Alright. subsequently convicted and sentenced Nichols Metson, that's the man concerned.
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vote it was passed. The violent behavior did not first appear on that fatal day at Holyrood. were warning signs of animal cruelty for years before. And that says that if she'd known for how long he had been hurting the animals
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She could have stopped what happened to her daughter.
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Her courageous campaign since has been for what she calls, and I call it today, Hollie's Law, a national register
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of those guilty of animal cruelty to help violence against women.She wants to help others who are suffering similarly, and so she proposed Hollie's Law.We'll create a kind of register so the police would know about animal abuse convictions when responding to reports of domestic abuse.
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I strongly support this.
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on abusers can surely help in the campaign against domestic abuse.
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To advancing further pieces of beloved pets. The link between animal cruelty and domestic violence is that correlation is proven, it is persuasive.This undeniable.Domestic abuse charities have long been clear there's a real and frightening linkbetween the two
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It stands to reason that people who are abusive to other animals surely won't feel any guilt, any doubt about handling animals
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Police revealed animal cruelty was reported in 3,000 domestic abuse incidents. over just three years. The National Centre for Domestic Violence found that 64,000 civil protection
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Witness statements refers to
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PCC and the NSPCC have both highlighted that many domestic abuse victims report their petsWorse than be used, tortured, killed. I happily give my
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of those animals and it becomes very difficult for the victim to get hold of that animal and also that animal rescue charities are reporting animals left for long periodswhilst the case goes back and forth leaving animals often unablebe rehomed at the end of a traumatic case.
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the fear that people
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are leaving the relationship for what might happen to the animals otherwise. This is used as a means of control, butanimals and the individuals concerned, the people, the owners become frightened and
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of course, in the end, the glaciated in the case of
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that she's described. So there is a there is a series of
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who's actually here. I know the government are aware of this and I shall say why in a second. Now's the timefor action. We know that the early warning signs of abusive partner is the way they treat pets. It's one of the questions that the DSIT, the Domestic
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stalking and harassment risk assessment, which is routinely used by the police across the UK to determine a victim's risk.
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Identify. So, research undertaken by Refuge for Pets, who work with Dogs Trust, found that almost nine in 10 households who experienced domestic abuse haveThe animals were all served years.
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Fast.
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by the abuser. So it isn't just neglect, it isn't just cruelty, this is the death of animals alongside the death of people.A Sullivan Massachusetts society to prevent cruelty to animals in northeastern university found animals used as a
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five times as likely to also harm other humans. 70%
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of people who have committed animal cruelty also have criminal
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hugs or disorderly behaviour. 88% of households experiencing domestic
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The perpetrator also
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veterinary professionals encountered cases of pets being harmed as coercion.
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used animals. 97
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Of these cases, 49%
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49% then the animal died as they did in the case of Holly's Pets.
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So, the correlation between animal cruelty and domestic abuse is as clear as crystal.
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I happily give way.
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hon. Member for Gillingham and Rainham, I want to pay tribute to Holly's mum, Annette, and the hon. Member himself for the relentless campaigning they've done to promote HollyLook, it's hugely important and they have not given up on this.
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All the stats about the link between the abuse of humans and the abuse of animals, we can
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women and children from avoidable abuse, but many of these abusers start as children, and we saw
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In the case of Holly, we saw Holly's partner, and we saw in the case of Russell Brand recently. As children, Russell Brand, as a child, was kicking his dog down the stairs. Now,
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This must also be a way of recording and escalating these incidents because many children who
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animals are receiving abuse them selves, and we know at that age they're going to grow up to be more significantlikely to harm humans and there must be a way of having early intervention to try and help prevent these children often victims of abuse from from then going on to cause abuse.
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hope for this campaign which has been notable. So thank
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Thank I thank it. This is really about threat and risk, and where threat first becomes apparent, risk can be mitigated.
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said my right hon. Friend
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over a long time closely, and it's absolutely true.
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and I spend a lot of our
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But the early identification of the kind of risks he described can prevent their
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The government wants to do more on domestic abuse.
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I'll tell my sister to do more about that in a moment or two. This correlationas I described it. Clear
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amount to this particular case, tragic though that is and personal that is to me and my constituents.
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Annette really wants to protect other people. permission
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another mother, to another family, to
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victim Now the problem is that animal cruelty is regarded as an animal welfare matter quite separate to human safeguarding at present. This is the
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It's clear to Gape in the way the government treats these serious problems, they don't recognize that both are just that, serious.
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the Member for Birmingham Yardley to make the case for a potential animal abuse register. I just want to put on the record how well that hon. Member responded to myfor the meeting and how she conducted that meeting. She made my constituent feel valued. She listened carefully to what we both said and
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committed to Home Office work, which again I shall say a little more about in a few moments.
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do not lead to someone going onto the sex offenders register. when there is clearly
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Murray issue.
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It's a parallel issue, but it's a related one. So, although it's a separate matter, it should certainly be taken into account. in the work the Home Office are doing, and I'm grateful to the noble lady.
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for raising it.
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statutory guidance. I wanted the ministers can update the House tonight on that work, and particularlywhen it will be completed. I just say to the Minister on the on the Treasury bench, she probably knows this, but I was on the front bench of my party for 19 years consecutively. I was a minister in countdifferent government departments. And I know that it's critically important that very strict timetables are set. The Ministerdemand of their officials that things will be done within limits.
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To Treasury ministers, I know the work is ongoing with respect to theabuse statutory guidance and the
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two eight
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agreed schedule. When they don't, with the best will in the world, and it isn't a lack of will,They often drift, so please can we have an update and some real assurances about when this is going to happen?
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Now we may end up with a form of animal protection disclosure scheme which will allow the police to disclose an individual's history of animal
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Clare's Law, the domestic violence disclosure scheme, operates under the common law duty
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No, after making an initial application the information must be provided within 28 days.
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At present, UK animal cruelty convictions are recorded on the Police National Database, but it is a challenge for police due to fragmented information sharing.Such a coordinated approach must be possible, and I hope the Minister can set out details of how that might
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We note too that only 26 of 43 police forces reported their
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work
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through guidance is necessary.
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Just this week I raised with the Member for Pontypridd, the Minister for
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and tackling violence against women
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the Father of the House, who committed to meetmay to move things forward.
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The US state of Tennessee introduced an animal abuse registry in 2015.
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the public register listing convictions whereis remaining on the public register for five years in the case of persistent offenders. There are
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out of public register, but I wonder what lessons might be learned from the US.
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Given acts of cruelty against animals have been tracked by the FBI since 2016 in the same way as arson, burglary, oreven homicide, lowering police to monitor and tackle the extent of animal neglect, torture and other abuse. It may be that we can indeed learn lessons on best practicefrom elsewhere
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I've finally had the example raised in the Chamber by the Member for Winchester earlier this week. That convicted rapist Russell Brand and it's been raised again.
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We now know, of course, of the prime shocking offences against women, which lasted for so long.
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But it is an example of his cruelty to animals that's perhaps particularly relevant to this debate.
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Francois' account in a book, if you can call it that, of his history of abuse to his pet dog. was surely a warning sign of what was to come. And so when designing policy, we must be cognizant that relevant information, including emissions and other intelligence where appropriate,not just convictions, this is critical information, not always convictions, because not all inquiries into animal cruelty lead to convictions. That's one of the
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built into the response to my call, Holly's Law.
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This is a matter that has significant cross-party support. I've received support from members in all parts of this House.
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A letter I sent to the Leader of the House seeking a debate on it attracted nearly 60 signatures from MPs of all political colours. Net Brownless's campaign for Hollie's Law has caught the imagination precisely becauseIt's just plain common sense. Her petition online has attracted over 60,000 signatures. This campaign is supported by the charity Domestic Abuse Alliance.
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which is said that quote it supports initiatives like Holly's Law that address the overlapping harms seen in abusive households. I alsowould like to add that it has the strong support of my local paper, the Lincolnshire Free Press, and I pay tribute to the reporter Jenny Beake, who has been a greatchampion of Annette and our campaign.The campaign is also supported by Naturewatch Foundation, a charity dedicated toon the animal cruelty which argues that animal abuse is often linked to coercive control and escalating violence but not always
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closures
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Identify as such within police.
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My mission is to bring justice to my constituent, to make Holly's Law a reality.
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to prevent what happened to her next daughter
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And so I will do all I can.
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Presentman, Byrne said.Justice is itself the greatest standing policy of civil society.
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happening again
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Minister.
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Madam Deputy Speaker, may I start by congratulatingthe hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings on securing this really important debate. I would like to thank him too for the thoughtful way in which he set out these important issues this evening.
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May I also thank the other hon. Members who have contributed to the debate this evening.I'd particularly like to pay tribute to Annette Rammell, who has campaigned tirelessly in memory of her daughter, Holly, and I know Annette
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Holly's case is a deeply distressing reminder that cruelty towards animals can form part of a wider pattern of coercion andcruelty and domestic abuse. I know that Annette and the hon. Member met, as he mentioned, with the former Home Office Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls earlier this
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discuss their proposals, and I understand and was glad to hear again that those were verydiscussions. I also note the hon. Members' recent request to continue this important conversation with government ministers, and with this inand pleased to be able to set out the government's position today.Let me start by saying the government takes the issue of animal cruelty and domestic abuse seriously.
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extremely seriously. Evidence shows, as we've heard this evening, that there is a strong link between pet abuse and domestic abuse. That's why the Government is working to take forward the specific action
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issue as part of the government's violence against women and girls and animal welfare strategies.I'll touch on these important actions in further detail later in my remarks.
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Let me turn first to the proposed animal abuse register.
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I can understand why there's public support for this idea and the reassurance it's intended to provide.However, I think it's important to say that there are already systems in place to both record and share this type of information. when it is right to do so. Convictions under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are recorded on the police national computer, and enforcement bodies such as the police and local authorities have access to this information.
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to establish to closure mechanisms that allow the police to share relevant information with those who need it. That means relevant information
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can be used where it is needed for licensing, for safeguarding and public protection.
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The more effective approach is targeted disclosure, ensuring that relevant information is shared lawfully, proportionately and with the appropriate bodies at the right time.
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she will be pleased to know. But there is inconsistency currently amongst police forces. I mentioned it in my speech. So one of the things that's absolutely
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As that consistency is delivered, perhaps through improved guidance, I'd like there to be statutory guidance.
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quiet of them in the terms she's just set out.
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Can I thank the hon. Member for his intervention? Courts already have a strong
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qualification disqualification powers and these can be lifelong where appropriate. A mandatory lifetime ban would remove judicial discretion and it would be and it would could createproportionate outcomes. I appreciate that I believe he raised some of those points previously with the Home Office and he continues to engageon them.
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Thank you for allowing me to intervene. I wondered whether in fact it would be much more useful for police to push that information or in some way to tag
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willingly and openly. The Minister is saying in a proportionate way that this information would be shared, but it actually needs to be pushedtowards the relevant agencies so they know what they're looking for.
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I thank the hon. Member for her contribution. She's put her comments on record, and I'll ask the Home Office write to her directly on those points.I'm I'm aware that there is a support for the creation of a specific animal protection disclosure scheme.Defra is working was was already working with the Home Office to support the effective use of the existingdomestic violence disclosure scheme for animal cruelty offences. The scheme provides guidance for police for using to use existing powers to disclose information
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about an individual's history or violent or abusive behaviour where that information is relevant for
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to protecting a victim or a potential victim from domestic abuse. Police can also make the disclosure proactively where they believe they someone may be at risk. Importantly, disclosures are not limited to criminal convictions or domestic abuse offences. The police may disclose information relating to animal cruelty where they assess it is relevant to the
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risk posed to an individual. I understand the Home Office is currently reviewing how the scheme works in practice to ensure it's applied consistently and effectively acrosspleased waters and I'm sure that the points that have been raised are noted and on record and contribute will be heard.
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I also welcome the really proactive approach that the RSPCA has taken in exploring how information on animal cruelty can be shared morewith the police. They recognise that the information gathered by its inspectors can have a much wider role in protecting both animals and people. The
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PCA is working with the Home Office and the police to explore how that relevant information forms its from its visits.
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can be shared more effectively to support safeguarding and risk assessment processes.
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I went I went uh intervening again. The critical thing about that is not just convictions, not just incidents, because a lot of those incidents don't lead to aconviction. And so that data needs to be shared in the way she's described. And the second thing I'd say is it has to be as the hon. he said, it has to be pushed forward. So there are other authorities, local authorities are a very good example of this, were dealing with
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education or safeguarding once more another, they need the information, it needs to be proactive.
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Can I thank the hon. Member for that intervention? And he raises an important point. This is about looking beyond convictions and making better use of the relevantto help protect animals and people. The aim is to help the police build a fuller picture of risks and identify opportunitiesto act earlier while ensuring information is accurate and shared lawfully and proportionately.
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victim survivors. I'd like to address an intervention that was raised earlier in the debate by the Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole on the Sex Acts on Animals and the Sexregister point that she made for for the new offence of a sexual activity with an animal. requirements will still apply under specified circumstances, um, and we will write to her with further informations on the specific points that she raised. The animal welfare strategy for England sets out sets outDefra's commitments to help protect animals facing harm in domestic violence settings. We are working closely with the Links Group, which is doing important work to help veterinary professionals
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recognise signs of non-accidental injuries to animal animals. Alongside this, we are working
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Dogs Trust Freedom Cats Protection Lifeline refugee refuge for pets andthe the Endeavour project. Earlier
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Baroness Hayman visited the cats' protection centre in South London and saw firsthand the impact.
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of the important work being done in this area. We are also working to streng then protections for victim survivors' personal information held ontrade chip databases
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statutory guidance can better highlight the link between pet abuse and domestic violence.
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To inform future policy, Defra has also commissioned research to look more closely at this issue and identifyadditional opportunities for intervention. The research will report in 2027 and will carefully
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before I close I want to reference a direct question that the
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on timings. Um it's a very it's a very clear uh question. Um the Home Off I'll ensure the Home Office write to him. My understanding iswill be coming forward in 2027, in early 2027.
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