Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the powers available to Staffordshire Police to seize dangerous dogs.

The police have appropriate powers to seize dangerous dogs, including under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and the general seizure power in section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. The exercise of these powers is an operational decision for the police, who must take account of the circumstances of each case. We keep police powers under regular review to ensure the police have the necessary tools to respond quickly and effectively to tackle crime and protect the public.