HL Deb 15 June 1981 vol 421 cc429-30

2.45 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 when they intend to implement the licensing of kennels under the Guard Dogs Act 1975.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Belstead)

My Lords, we have at present no plans to bring these licensing provisions into force, but will continue to keep the matter under review.

Lord de Clifford

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, may I ask whether he is aware that the killing of a child by several guard dogs under training came as a great shock to a number of us? Is he also aware—I think he undoubtedly will be—that the noble Lord, Lord Gordon-Walker, and myself envisaged just such a situation when the Guard Dogs Bill went through Parliament? May I ask my noble friend whether he is also aware, as again I think he will be, that this Act has been in operation for some time, and is it not time that it was brought into effect?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, like my noble friend, I was shocked and saddened to read about the death of Michek Francis on 4th June. He was a baby and so far as we know he died as a result of an attack by Alsatian dogs. There is some doubt whether the dogs in the case were guard dogs. However, if they were guard dogs, and had a licensing system been in operation, we could not say for certain that the incident would have been prevented. However, that does not prevent the thrust of my noble friend's Question, and the answer I have to give him is that to bring in the licensing provisions of the 1975 Act would impose additional burdens on local authorities which the Government would be reluctant to impose in present circumstances.

Lord de Clifford

My Lords, I do not wish to press my noble friend much further, but under this licensing provision is it not a fact that any inspections must be paid for at a rate which covers the cost for the local authority and there is no cost to the rates?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, it depends on how regulations would be drafted under the Act.