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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the average length of time that a dog is held in custody while being assessed under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in (a) Havering and (b) England.

Details of how long dogs are kept in police custody while being assessed under the Dangerous Dogs Act are not held centrally and are a matter for each separate police force. Each police force has access to a Dog Legislation Officer who is specifically trained in the law on dangerous dogs and dog related matters including animal welfare. Any concerns about specific cases should be reported to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Details of how to contact the IOPC can be found on its website: www.policeconduct.gov.uk.