HL Deb 20 July 1976 vol 373 cc688-9

3 p.m.

Lord DE CLIFFORD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the report in The Times of 2nd July is an accurate summary of the recommendations of the Working Party set up by the Minister of the Environment to review the legislation affecting dogs, and whether they will now publish these recommendations since they appear to form an essential part of the proposed arrangements to combat an outbreak of rabies.

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Sport and Recreation announced on 8th July that he would publish the report of the Working Party on Dogs. Publication should take place within the next few weeks, whereupon the noble Lord may judge for himself the accuracy of the report to which he refers.

Lord DE CLIFFORD

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that smart evasion. Will she represent to her right honourable friend that this report will affect probably between 4 million and 5 million people, and it is rather unfortunate that they should get their information from The Times? Will the noble Baroness please ask him to make up his mind as quickly as possible, particularly in view of the fact that this matter seems to coincide with the organisation relating to rabies set up by the noble Lord, Lord Strabolgi?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, the Government are not responsible for what the Press prints and noble Lords will understand that I cannot anticipate what is to be in the report which we are expecting within a few weeks' time. But we are aware of the public concern over all the questions which the Working Party was looking at with regard to dogs. That is why we decided to publish the report and we shall decide our future policy when we have had the full benefit of public reaction to the report when it is issued.