To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will take steps to ensure that puppies are not sold without their mothers being present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will take steps to ensure that puppies are not sold without their mothers being present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the International Fund for Animal Welfare's proposals of February 2017 to (a) ban sales of puppies through third party intermediaries, (b) ensure all dog purchases are traceable through a robust licensing...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the International Fund for Animal Welfare's proposals of February 2017 to (a) ban sales of puppies through third party intermediaries, (b) ensure all dog purchases are traceable through a robust licensing...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) his global counterparts and (b) animal rights groups on cruelty in the global dog meat trade; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) his global counterparts and (b) animal rights groups on cruelty in the global dog meat trade; and if he will make a statement.

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. I welcome the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home campaign to stiffen the sentences for animal cruelty. There are some truly horrific cases of animals being mistreated.

I do not intend to labour the point, but there is also the issue of irresponsible ownership. As candidates,...

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. I welcome the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home campaign to stiffen the sentences for animal cruelty. There are some truly horrific cases of animals being mistreated.

I do not intend to labour the point, but there is also the issue of irresponsible ownership. As candidates,...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered police force and local authority guidance on dogs attacking other dogs.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. I am delighted to open the debate, the aim of which is to raise the issue of dogs attacking other dogs...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered police force and local authority guidance on dogs attacking other dogs.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. I am delighted to open the debate, the aim of which is to raise the issue of dogs attacking other dogs...

I congratulate the right hon. Lady on securing this timely debate. She will recall that, only a few months ago, police had to shoot a dog in the street because it was totally out of control. I am concerned by the number of cases of babies being attacked by dangerous...

I congratulate the right hon. Lady on securing this timely debate. She will recall that, only a few months ago, police had to shoot a dog in the street because it was totally out of control. I am concerned by the number of cases of babies being attacked by dangerous...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his support, which shows that, although the Chamber may not be packed, this is a great concern right across the country in all of our constituencies—I also know that from looking at social media. He is absolutely right, and I will come to sentencing...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his support, which shows that, although the Chamber may not be packed, this is a great concern right across the country in all of our constituencies—I also know that from looking at social media. He is absolutely right, and I will come to sentencing...

I am sure the right hon. Lady agrees—we do not want imbalance in the debate—that the other side human cruelty to dogs. The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has made proposals, which I support, and I hope the Minister will say something about them.

I am sure the right hon. Lady agrees—we do not want imbalance in the debate—that the other side human cruelty to dogs. The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has made proposals, which I support, and I hope the Minister will say something about them.

I would like to begin by congratulating my right hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Nicky Morgan) on securing this debate on police force and local authority guidance on dogs attacking other dogs. I understand that it must be incredibly traumatic for owners whose dogs are attacked by other dogs,...

I would like to begin by congratulating my right hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Nicky Morgan) on securing this debate on police force and local authority guidance on dogs attacking other dogs. I understand that it must be incredibly traumatic for owners whose dogs are attacked by other dogs,...

Will the Minister express a view on the Battersea proposals, to balance out the argument?

Will the Minister express a view on the Battersea proposals, to balance out the argument?

I am sorry, but I have lots of proposals from Battersea and I am not sure which ones the hon. Gentleman has in mind. I come back to the point that we issued very specific guidance on how CPNs could be used.

I am sorry, but I have lots of proposals from Battersea and I am not sure which ones the hon. Gentleman has in mind. I come back to the point that we issued very specific guidance on how CPNs could be used.

rose—

rose—

I will give way again if the hon. Gentleman is going to clarify the point.

I will give way again if the hon. Gentleman is going to clarify the point.

Simply put, there is a proposal for longer sentences for people who abuse animals.

Simply put, there is a proposal for longer sentences for people who abuse animals.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to a debate that took place on that very matter a few weeks ago. The Sentencing Council recently issued new guidance, which took effect this week, that makes it far easier for courts to award custodial sentences at the upper end of the range for...

I refer the hon. Gentleman to a debate that took place on that very matter a few weeks ago. The Sentencing Council recently issued new guidance, which took effect this week, that makes it far easier for courts to award custodial sentences at the upper end of the range for...

I thank the Minister very much for that clarification; it is really helpful to hear it. I will certainly pursue it with Charnwood Borough Council, but I have to say that I think Charnwood is a very responsible authority. As I said, it works closely, through the MOU, with Leicestershire...

I thank the Minister very much for that clarification; it is really helpful to hear it. I will certainly pursue it with Charnwood Borough Council, but I have to say that I think Charnwood is a very responsible authority. As I said, it works closely, through the MOU, with Leicestershire...

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. I very much welcome this debate, which is timely. As a Minister in DEFRA in 2014, I felt that we had addressed this matter by issuing the practitioners guidance, but although I accept that the powers are available for local authorities to use...

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. I very much welcome this debate, which is timely. As a Minister in DEFRA in 2014, I felt that we had addressed this matter by issuing the practitioners guidance, but although I accept that the powers are available for local authorities to use...

Motion that this House has considered police force and local authority guidance on dogs attacking other dogs. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered police force and local authority guidance on dogs attacking other dogs. Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State of 30 March 2017, Official Report, column 480-2, on animal welfare, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals prohibiting puppy farms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State of 30 March 2017, Official Report, column 480-2, on animal welfare, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals prohibiting puppy farms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2017 to Question 66537, for what reason the numbers of dogs imported into the UK from each origin country, as presented in Annex A, do not add up to the number...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2017 to Question 66537, for what reason the numbers of dogs imported into the UK from each origin country, as presented in Annex A, do not add up to the number...