Written question asked by Mark Tami (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 November 2004. It was answered by Alun Michael (Labour) on Monday, 15 November 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what initiatives her Department is promoting to local authorities for combating dog fouling on public highways, pavements and parks. - Inc figures and ref to the 2002/03 Local Environmental Quality Survey of England.

Answer: Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what initiatives her Department is promoting to local authorities for combating dog fouling on public highways, pavements and parks. [196857] Alun Michael: On our behalf ENCAMS run campaigns to raise awareness of local environmental issues, including dog fouling. The 2002/03 Local Environmental Quality Survey of England recorded a 27 per cent. drop in dog fouling, which followed a successful campaign in the summer of 2002. This trend has continued and figures from the survey indicate that fouling is less socially acceptable than has previously been the case. We are looking at several measures relating to dog fouling, including allowing local authorities to set the level of fixed penalty for dog fouling offences, and we will look to take them forward into legislation at the earliest available opportunity.

Secondary information