Oral Answers to Questions

Alexander Stafford Excerpts

Tuesday 29th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to tackle pet theft.

[Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to tackle pet theft.

[Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to tackle pet theft.

--- Later in debate ---

[Robert Buckland]

My hon. Friend will know that our manifesto pledge is to extend microchipping to cats as well. With regard to dogs, over 90% of them in England are now microchipped. This year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is carrying out a post-implementation review of the regulations that introduced microchipping in 2015, to see how the various databases can operate in a more co-ordinated way, and it will come forward with proposals later in the year.

[Alexander Stafford]

Pet theft is the most scurrilous crime, and residents have spoken to me about the loss they have felt when their dog or cat has been stolen from them. Does the Minister agree that each local force should have a dedicated dog theft lead? Will he join my calls for the police and crime commissioner to have a dog theft lead for South Yorkshire police, like the one for the Nottinghamshire constabulary?

[Robert Buckland]

I welcome my hon. Friend’s commitment to this campaign. I am pleased to hear about his energetic efforts in this sphere and I wish him well. Decisions on priorities are, of course, a matter for individual forces, but I am sure he will want to work with his local force to achieve the laudable aims that his campaign represents.