Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, columns 649-50W on judges: housing, when he expects the review of the spend on judges' lodging to be completed.
Answered by Simon Hughes
We expect the review of spend on judges' lodgings to conclude before the summer.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will introduce legislative proposals to protect police dogs by recognising them as an extension of their handler as a police officer.
Answered by Simon Hughes
The Government agrees that attacks of any sort on police dogs, horses or any other police animal should be dealt with severely under the criminal law. However, it is not necessary to create a new offence in order to do this.
An attack on a police dog can be treated as animal cruelty under s4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The maximum penalty is six months imprisonment, or a fine of up to £20,000, or both.