Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to replicate the Northern Ireland dog licencing system in England and Wales.

Since April 2016 every dog in Great Britain is required to be microchipped with the keeper’s details. Over 90% of dog owners are compliant with the microchipping requirement which allows dogs to be traced back to their keeper and if the dog strays allows dog and keeper to be reunited quickly. There are no plans to reintroduce the dog licence in England.