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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandatory third-party liability insurance for all dog owners.

Defra recognises the importance of public safety and responsible dog ownership. The provision of insurance is a commercial decision for insurers and there is currently very limited coverage available for certain types of dogs. This Government does not currently have plans to make insurance mandatory for all owners as not all owners have access to suitable policies.