Question reference: S6W-25214
- Date lodged: 5 February 2024
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Current status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 20 February 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to provide additional funding to (a) Police Scotland and (b) local authorities for the enforcement of any legislation relating to XL Bully-type dogs.
Answer
The Scottish Government met with Police Scotland this month, with further engagement planned to discuss any issues, concerns or barriers from a policing perspective in relation to implementation and enforcement of the new safeguards in relation to XL Bully dogs.
In addition the Scottish Government has also written to Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, to provide information on the Scottish Government’s policy approach and to offer to meet to discuss any local authority issues, concerns or barriers from a local authority perspective on the implementation of the new safeguards.
My officials have also set up an implementation forum to bring together the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, local authorities and COSLA to collectively consider any operational / enforcement issues that arise, and to help inform any consideration of requests for additional funding.