To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference
to the recommendation on breed specific legislation in paragraph 22 of the Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee's report on Controlling dangerous dogs, Ninth
Report of Session 2017–19, HC 1040, whether he plans to repeal section 1 of the Dangerous
Dogs Act.
<p>The Government response to the report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Committee (EFRA) entitled "Controlling Dangerous Dogs (HC1040)", was published
on 28 January 2019 and addressed each of the Committee's recommendations. In its response
the Government noted it has commissioned research by Middlesex University into dog
attacks. The research is ongoing and will help to inform implementation of some of
EFRA's recommendations.</p><p> </p><p>In their Ninth Report of Session 2017-19, HC
1040, EFRA stopped short of recommending the repeal of section 1 of the Dangerous
Dogs Act 1991. In the summary, the Committee stated "We agree with the Government
that it would be irresponsible to amend the breed ban immediately without adequate
safeguards." In response to the EFRA report, the Government referred to the suite
of powers and measures available to police and local authorities to respond to incidents
involving dangerous dogs and to help prevent dogs from becoming dangerously out of
control.</p>
