§ Mr. CartwrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what restrictions are applied to the presence of dogs in Greenwich park; and how these are enforced;
(2) how many complaints have been made about the extent of dogs' excrement in the grassed areas of Greenwich park in each of the past five years; and what action has been taken to reduce the problem.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe number of formal complaints about dog excrement in Greenwich park in each of the past five years is as follows:
Year Number 1984 0 1985 1 1986 4 1987 5 1988 3 to date The Royal and Other Parks and Gardens Regulations make it an offence to permit an animal to foul a pathway or mown lawn. Notices in all the royal parks, including Greenwich, exclude dogs from children's playgrounds and oblige any person in charge of a dog to keep it on a lead in the area of flowerbeds and fine grass. The regulations are enforced by the Royal Parks Constabulary who have cautioned 275 people for dog nuisance in Greenwich park over the past five years.
We recognise and share public concern about the unpleasantness and health risks and will, therefore, be considering more effective ways to tackle the problem. These include a new regulation requiring a person in charge of a dog to remove any excrement deposited on specific areas of a royal park, improved enforcement of the regulations, the provision of special waste bins and improved publicity to remind all those in charge of dogs of the regulations and of their responsibilities.
§ Mr. CartwrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to reduce the nuisance and danger caused by stray dogs in urban areas.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyProvisions, which came into force on 24 May, were included in the Local Government Act 1988 giving duly authorised officers of local authorities in England and Wales the same powers as the police to deal with stray dogs.