Dangerous Dogs

I have no direct interest to declare other than that I own a Staffordshire bull terrier called Buster, but he is not dangerous—except to the opposition at election time when he campaigns with me in Romford. I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. Many people are concerned that the laws in this country are ineffective and do not have the potential to deal with this serious problem. As a nation of animal lovers, we also have great compassion when it comes to ensuring the welfare of man's best friend by encouraging the responsible ownership of dogs. Indeed, as so many organisations that are engaged in this debate—such as the Kennel Club, Dogs Trust, the RSPCA and others—will tell us, promoting responsible dog ownership, education and training is by far the best means by which to ensure the protection of the public.