HL Deb 05 November 1974 vol 354 cc280-2
THE 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 they will introduce legislation during the present Session to control the use of guard dogs by security firms in order to ensure that proper standards of training, handling and maintenance are employed.

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, my right honourable friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland are considering the preparation of a code of practice for the training and use of guard dogs by security firms. At the present moment they have no plans to introduce legislation on this subject.

THE LORD DE CLIFFORD

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, may I ask whether he is aware that there are many premises and institutions which are being guarded by guard dogs without any handlers? Is he also aware that the mass of accidents which occur from this circumstance is because there is no compulsion for handlers to be used? Is he also aware that small firms have no proper training facilities or knowledge of training, and that their main method of training is to starve the dogs for three or four days to make them angry?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, it is precisely because of what the noble Lord has said—and which, I take it, the Government accept to be the situation—that consideration is being given at the present moment to drawing up some kind of code which the Government hope ultimately can be achieved on a voluntary basis. If the voluntary basis for the supervision and training of guard dogs does not work out, then obviously legislation will have to be considered. However, I should like to assure the noble Lord and your Lordships that both the Home Office and the Scottish Office are at this moment drawing up a possible code of practice, and that the Department of the Environment have recently set up a Working Party to consider all aspects of the law relating to guard dogs, though this will be a long-term matter. I am hoping that we shall be able to deal with what the noble Lord has said in a much shorter period.

BARONESS BACON

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that this problem is not confined to security firms? Is he aware that it appears to be the case that a great many dangerous dogs—in fact, an increasing number—are being used as household pets, and that it is impossible to walk down any street, either in a big town or in a small village, without seeing this type of dog, either unaccompanied or sometimes accompanied only by small children?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, we are not unaware of what the noble Baroness has said; but I was trying to deal with the matter which had been raised by the noble Lord, who specifically referred to guard dogs kept by security firms, and I hope that my reply will give satisfaction to the House as a whole.

THE LORD DE CLIFFORD

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply; it was very satisfactory. May I just ask him whether he would please ask his right honourable friends to produce this code of practice as quickly as possible?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, the Home Office and the Scottish Office are doing it quickly. The inquiry by the Department of the Environment will take much longer.