§ Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of dogs subject to the annual dog licensing fee, and the percentage that actually were licensed in the last 12 months for which figures are available, the revenue received from this source and the cost of administration of this scheme.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNo firm information is available on the size of the present dog population; the 1976 report of the working party on dogs estimated that the total dog population of the United Kingdom probably amounted to more than 6 million. In 1982–83, the last year for which information is currently available, the number of licences issued through post offices in England and Wales was 2.4 million. The revenue raised from this source was £900,000 and the payment made by the Department to the Post Offices in respect of the costs of issuing licences in that year was £3.3 million.
§ Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the revenue that would be obtained if the dog licence fee were to be increased to £10.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIf the number of licences remained unchanged, the gross annual yield in England and Wales from a £10 licence fee would be about £24 million. As I announced in the House on 4 July, at column 395, the Government will shortly issue a consultation paper setting out proposals to give local authorities discretion to determine their own licensing and registration arrangements.