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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with West Mercia Police and Crime and Commissioner on steps to reduce (a) vehicle theft, (b) livestock theft and (c) other rural crime.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Environment Secretary has not recently met the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner.

We recognise that there can be particular challenges in responding to rural crime. In particular, we are aware that dog attacks on livestock are a serious and growing concern to rural communities, police forces and farmers. To address this, we recently set out in “Our Action Plan for Animal Welfare”, published on 12 May, that we will legislate to ensure that new powers are available to the police so they can respond to the most serious incidents of livestock worrying.