§ Lord AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date dog licence fees were last increased, and by what percentage the fee would now have to be raised to bring it into line with the rise in the cost of living since that date.
§ Lord BESWICKIn 1878 the dog licence fee was raised to 7s.6d. (i.e. the equivalent of the present fee of 37½ pence). Since then the whole pattern of household expenditure has changed so completely that it is difficult to arrive at a realistic comparison between the cost of living today and that prevailing nearly a century ago. With that reservation it is estimated that the fee would need to be raised at least tenfold to bring it into line with the cost of living today.
§ Lord AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many dog licences were taken out in 1974, and whether they will 1466WA estimate what was the average total dog population of the United Kingdom in the year.
§ Lord BESWICKDuring the year ended 31st March 1974, 2,948,284 dog licences were issued in Great Britain. No departmental estimate of the dog population has been made.