To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made to the police in each police authority area in respect of attacks by dogs in each of the last five years; how many such complaints resulted in prosecutions; and if he will make a statement. (316414)

The information requested is not collected centrally as there is no requirement for police forces to report attacks by dogs to the Home Office.

The police are required to notify the Home Office of offences recorded under sections 3(1) and 3(3) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. These offences relate to an owner or person in charge allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring any person or allowing a dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person. However, such offences would be included in the offence classification ‘Actual bodily harm and other injury’ and cannot be separately identified from other offences recorded under that classification.