A proposal to further clamp down on dangerous Dogs has received a mixed reaction from MPs in the Bradford district.

The Government yesterday revealed plans to microchip all puppies at birth so their owners can always be traced, but Shipley Conservative MP Philip Davies said he did not support compulsory dog chipping.

He said: “The problem with compulsory chipping is responsible dog owners will get it done and irresponsible dog owners will not and therefore it ends up being a tax on the responsible.

“I fear it might be difficult to enforce and I am not sure what the point is. I will listen to the argument but I am not entirely sure this will deal with the problem, that we all want tackled.”

Bradford East Liberal Democrats MP David Ward, though, welcomed the proposals, saying he had “lost count” of how many times he and his colleagues had been at the Bradford Royal Infirmary waiting to be treated for dog bites after delivering leaflets.

He said: “The most common comment we get is ‘don’t worry, he never bites, he wants to play’. Every dog in the wrong situation can be dangerous and we have to err on the side of caution especially where children are concerned.

“I have long called for for it to be compulsory for every house with a dog behind the letter box to have a sign.

“We have delivered leaflets for years and bites are common place and there have been some nasty ones. Any measures that can be taken to crack down on dangerous dogs is good.”

Bradford West Respect MP George Galloway said he had been a dog owner in the past and hoped to again in the future. He added: “I absolutely support the campaign to have all dogs microchipped. If you take a dog to Europe or if you bring one in from the EU it has to be chipped. Extending it to the UK is sensible and will provide a measure of safety and accountability.”

Bradford Labour South MP Gerry Sutcliffe criticised the Government for taking two years to respond to the last consultation on the Dangerous Dogs Act. He said: “The Government is making the right noises on a phased introduction of microchipping and extending the law to attacks on private property but the package is half-baked and does nothing on early intervention to tackle irresponsible ownership.

“There were 6,118 dog-related admissions to hospital in 2010 alone. Here in Bradford we’ve seen far too many instances of people being attacked by dangerous dogs. We now need to see a clear timetable for reform with a comprehensive package to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners.”

Keighley Conference MP Kris Hopkins, who said he supported reform while he was leader of Bradford Council, said: “I am strongly supportive of this positive suggestion which would force disreputable dog owners to be more accountable for the control of their animals. Legitimate owners who take their responsibilities seriously will rightly have nothing to fear.”