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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what preparations her Department is making to ensure that mandatory microchipping of dogs comes into effect in April 2016.

Regulations to require the compulsory microchipping of all dogs in England by 6 April 2016 came into force on 24 February 2015. Defra is working closely with a number of partners including veterinary organisations, animal welfare charities and others to promote the message on compulsory microchipping using a range of channels including social media and the websites www.chipmydog.org.uk and www.gov.uk.