HL Deb 24 January 1985 vol 459 cc379-81

3.7 p.m.

Lord Gainford

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action is being considered to deal with the damage being done to livestock by dogs.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, it is already an offence to allow a dog to attack livestock. The Government, however, believe that education and publicity offer the most realistic solution to the problem, and to this end a new publicity campaign was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food last year. As part of this continuing campaign, and with lambing already under way in some parts of the country, dog owners were reminded on 9th January of the dangers to livestock posed by dogs and of their responsibilities under the law.

Lord Gainford

My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer. Will the Government consider the possibility of a revision of dog-licensing arrangements, particularly as it happens in other countries that a licensed dog has to carry a form of identification tag on it? And are there satisfactory facilities for dog owners and farmers to take out insurance policies against such contingencies?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, in answer to the first part of my noble friend's supplementary question, the law already provides, of course, that all dogs on a highway or in a public place shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner on it. In answer to the second part of his supplementary question, the answer is yes.

Lord Somers

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether dogs themselves are not classed as "livestock"?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, for the purposes of this particular law, no.

Lord John-Mackie

My Lords—

Lord Mackie of Benshie

My Lords, I am sorry that my senior kinsman has to sit down. Is not the answer that the most popular tax among farmers which could be raised would be the tax on dogs which has been static for what appears to be centuries?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, last November the Government put out a consultation paper which included precisely that proposal and that the system should be shifted on to a more local basis. Comments are still coming in and the time for comments to finish coming in has been set as the end of February.

Lord John-Mackie

I always give way to youth, my Lords! Is the Minister aware that in spite of the publicity campaign, which I think is a good idea, so far as we can see, the problem of sheep worrying by dogs is still very bad? I have two neighbours who had their sheep worried last month. Is he also aware that the identification of the dog is the biggest problem? We often know where the dog is but the police have no powers to go into the house and say, "We want that dog out to give it an emetic and prove that it has worried sheep." We had an amendment, if I remember correctly, on the Police Bill in this respect but it was turned down. Until that happens and dogs are identified it will continue to be a very big problem.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I certainly agree with the noble Lord that this is a problem. The consultation paper which was given out by the Government last November made the point that if we could have a licensing system on a more local basis, then that would give the local authorities, among other matters, the responsibility for stray dogs. If we can do that, we will have gone a considerable distance towards solving this problem.

Lord Harvington

My Lords, is it not a fact that the law as it stands is that if a dog is caught flagrante delicto it can be shot by the farmer without legal penalty?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I am advised that in a civil action the farmer has a defence for killing or injuring a dog provided he can prove that he was acting to protect his livestock and provided he had notified the police within 48 hours.

Lord Constantine of Stanmore

My Lords, has my noble friend considered the possibility of tattooing the ears of dogs to identify them, whether they are collared or not?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, that might be one of the proposals to come out of the consultations which are now proceeding.