To ask the Minister of the Environment (i) how many people have been convicted of dog fouling offences in the last twelve months; (ii) how much revenue was raised from the resulting fines; and (iii) what further measures he is taking to combat this problem.

The Department obtains information concerning dog fouling offences from district councils on a financial year basis only. 89 people were convicted by the courts for dog fouling offences in 2010/11 and a total of £4,451 in fines and £88 in court costs were imposed. The Department does not hold any information on the fines subsequently paid.

In the same period, district councils issued 323 fixed penalty notices (£50) for dog fouling offences resulting in a total of £12,800 received in penalties. Such a notice may be given to a person offering that person the opportunity of discharging any liability to conviction for the dog fouling offence by payment of a fixed penalty.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 will strengthen the law in relation to dog fouling by the introduction of a new system of dog control orders.

Under the new system, it will be an offence, subject to certain conditions, for anyone in charge of a dog on land to which a dog control order applies, not to remove the faeces deposited by the dog. A person guilty of the offence will be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000 (currently £500 under the Litter (Northern Ireland) Order 1994). The district council will still be able to offer the person the opportunity of discharging any liability to conviction for the offence by payment of a fixed penalty. The district council will have the flexibility, subject to upper and lower limits, to set their own fixed penalty rates, with the default rate being £75.