Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rory Stewart and Stephen McPartland

Tuesday 6th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Stephen McPartland (Stevenage) (Con)]

13. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of creating a specific offence of attacking service animals.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Rory Stewart)]

I would like to express, as I am sure would the whole House, our immense gratitude for the role that service animals play and have played for a long time in public life. They frequently do things that humans would not do, ranging from detection of bombs and drugs to taking on violent criminals. There are serious aggravating circumstances that a judge can take into account when sentencing, and serious sentences can be given to anyone attacking a service animal—that is absolutely right.

[Stephen McPartland]

Police dog Finn was brutally stabbed several times in my constituency while apprehending a violent criminal. The current law treats police dog Finn, a canine hero, like a piece of computer equipment—the charge is criminal damage. This is unacceptable. My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for North East Hertfordshire (Sir Oliver Heald) is leading a campaign to introduce Finn’s law. Will the Minister agree to meet me and my right hon. and learned Friend, so that we can provide greater protection for our service animals in the course of their duty?

[Rory Stewart]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend and others for the very active campaign that they are leading. I would of course be delighted to meet them to discuss that law.