New Schedule 1
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
11:30 am
Richard Benyon (Shadow Minister, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Newbury, Conservative)
There was great debate in another place about the wording used under the Bill about the control of dogs; it came down to the effective control of dogs. Like many people, I was concerned about a farmer having to pay £10,000 to a dog walker who was injured by a herd of cows. The actions of cattle are often centred not on individuals, but on the dog walking beside them, so a rule restricting the type of dog access, such as an order requiring dogs to be on a lead, is not always the best answer. In an incident, someone’s immediate action would be to let go of the dog and he find himself in contravention of a byelaw.
I just hope that such legislation will not drive a coach and horses through established local byelaws. We can all think of areas of coastal Britain where, after local consultation, town councils, parish councils or large authorities designate an area a dog-free beach and make other areas available for dog walking. The matter is all about balance. Such issues should not be controlled from Whitehall. There should be understanding. The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 was designed principally with urban areas in mind. I am sympathetic to the new schedule tabled by the hon. Member for St. Ives, but I want to make sure that legislative creep will not impose adversely on local communities, make decisions made on their behalf and impinge on the liability of landowners or the rights of dog walkers.