Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill

Baroness Hayman of Ullock Excerpts

Friday 5th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, the first female Deputy Prime Minister in British history, for her work on the Bill, which embodies the steadfast Conservative commitment to farmers. We should also flag the many organisations that have campaigned for and been instrumental in delivering reform in this area. His Majesty’s loyal Opposition is fully supportive of the Bill, which is a long overdue update to the law and of genuine benefit to rural communities such as the one that I live in.

The Bill will, among other measures, extend the powers available to the police to enforce the law against incidents of livestock worrying. With an estimated 34,000 such incidents every year across England and Wales, this issue is of key concern, not only because of the significant financial costs but because of the distress it causes to farmers, who truly care for the animals in their keep and who have to bear both the emotional and monetary scars.

The Bill also includes new protection for the 45,000 alpacas and llamas, whose UK population continues to grow. They will now be afforded the same protections as other livestock under the 1953 Act. By enhancing powers of enforcement, encouraging responsible dog ownership and securing justice for those negatively impacted, the Bill delivers for both farmers and their livestock. We commend the Bill to your Lordships’ House, and we look forward to seeing it complete its final stages.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Baroness Hayman of Ullock) (Lab)]

My Lords, I am very grateful to all noble Lords for their contributions and support for the Bill during its passage through the House. I particularly thank the honourable Member for Chester South and Eddisbury for introducing this very important Bill in the other place—and, of course, the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, for successfully guiding the Bill through this House, and for keeping at it.

I am pleased that, as we have heard, the Bill makes important changes to strengthen police powers and increase fines as a deterrent, as well as expanding the law’s scope to include incidents on camelids. On roads and paths, the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, mentioned that she had received an email from my noble friend Lady Mallalieu. To clarify, the ordinary meanings of “road” and “path” are broad. We would expect the courts to interpret “road” or “path” broadly to include things like tracks, so that they do not have the narrow meaning the noble Baroness was concerned about.

The passing of the Bill is clearly important for our farmers and their livestock. Its strength and provisions will send a clear message that livestock worrying is a serious offence, and that responsible dog owners must be accountable. The provisions will serve as a deterrent but also restore confidence among farmers and members of rural communities, many of whom live in fear of the devastating impact of such incidents on their livelihoods and the welfare of their animals. The Bill is a truly meaningful step forward in our commitment to animal welfare and to those who work tirelessly to sustain our agricultural sector. I look forward to seeing the positive impact that it will have.