Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Select Committee Announcement
10 April 2013
MPs TO SCRUTINISE PROPOSED LAW ON DANGEROUS DOGS
On 9 April Defra published draft legislation aimed at tackling dangerous dogs.
The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee will conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of these proposals and invites interested parties to submit written evidence on the draft clauses and related dog control issues.
The Committee published its report Dog Control and Welfare in February 2013 making recommendations on Defra’s 2012 consultation on promoting more responsible dog ownership.The draft clauses published this week take forward those measures upon which the Government is now proposing to legislate.
The EFRA Committee would welcome views on the following issues:
· Do Defra’s draft clauses translate the Government’s intentions on dog control into clear, proportionate, and effective legislation?
· Do the proposed measures provide a sufficient legislative base to tackle irresponsible dog ownership?
o If not, which additional measures should be brought into law?
o Are any of the proposed measures unnecessary or counterproductive?
The Committee will focus in this short inquiry on the legislative mechanisms required to tackle dog control.
It will take into account the evidence submitted to its previous, wider Dog Control and Welfare inquiry so it is not necessary to resubmit full evidence covering these points. However, interested parties may wish to update any previously submitted evidence in light of the proposed legislation and the Committee’s February report.
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FURTHER INFORMATION:
Guidance for those wishing to submit written evidence is at:
The Government’ proposed legislationDraft Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill, Cm 8601, is athttp://www.official-documents.
The Committee’s report published in February 2013,Dog Control and Welfare, HC 575 is at http://www.publications.
Defra’s consultation documentPromoting more responsible dog ownership is at http://www.defra.gov.uk/
Committee Membership is as follows: Miss Anne McIntosh (Chair), Thomas Docherty, Richard Drax, George Eustice, Barry Gardiner, Mrs Mary Glindon, Ian McKenzie, Sheryll Murray, Margaret Ritchie, Neil Parish, Dan Rogerson,
Publications / Reports / Reference Material: Copies of all select committee reports are available from the Parliamentary Bookshop (12 Bridge St, Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the Stationery Office (0845 7023474). Committee reports, press releases, evidence transcripts, Bills; research papers, a directory of MPs, plus Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can be found on www.parliament.uk
