Hunting Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Alun Michael (Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Cardiff South and Penarth, Labour/Co-operative)
My hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Mr. Pickthall) was so far away that I could hardly hear what he was saying. There must be a problem with the speakers; perhaps those who deal with them can turn them up because I should hate for my hon. Friend to miss any of the pearls that I want to put before the Committee.
A number of members of the Committee have asked for a general debate and for more time to table amendments to clause 8 before we start the line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill. That makes sense because the Bill is carefully constructed to reflect clear principles and a great deal of evidence, and it is sensible to be clear on what it is about. Following this short debate, a dilatory motion—like those used in Adjournment debates—will be moved. It will give members of the Committee an opportunity to seek clarification or to
explore possible amendments before we get into the detail and debate the Bill. Following discussion and advice, I took that step with the agreement of the lead members of the Committee from both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, as well as you, Mrs. Roe.
The Committee will be more interesting than is sometimes the case because all its members—this is true for all the parties—have a free vote. Members have the responsibility of thinking for themselves, which is dangerous territory; not only for the Government, but for the Opposition. More seriously, it is a challenge to all of us to examine carefully the arguments and the evidence at each stage. I expect this to be an interesting and lively Committee.
We have agreed a timetable that offers the Committee more than enough time to discuss all the details of the Bill. I shall be happy to sit as late as necessary to expand the hours available to the Committee during the coming weeks if that is required to ensure that everyone has as much time as they want to explore the details of the Bill.
On the order of consideration, it is important to explain at the start that the Bill is constructed on the basis of principles. The two main principles are those of preventing cruelty and recognising utility. Those principles are set out explicitly in clause 8 to show the basis on which the tribunal and registrar must make their decisions, but there are also principles or tests against which any activity to which the Bill applies can be recognised as an exempt activity because it meets the two tests in full or a banned activity because it can never meet the two tests. Clause 8 establishes the test that the registrar and tribunal will have to apply and sets out the key test for everything to which the Bill applies. It is logical to start with clause 8 and to ensure that all hon. Members have had the opportunity to explore all those principles before we come to the practical details of the Bill.
In speaking to the dilatory motion, I shall say a little more about the principles underpinning the Bill, the history of how they have been tested in depth during recent months and how the Bill is designed to reflect both principles and evidence. For the moment, I simply urge the Committee to accept the programme of work implied by the motion.
I should, perhaps, welcome the comments made by the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray), through the Press Association. I have not heard these comments from him, but I am sure that I shall have that opportunity shortly. I understand that he indicated that his party is ready to work with the Government to create a workmanlike regime based on evidence and principle that will stand the test of time. On that basis, I look forward to his wholehearted support for this well-designed Bill and I am sure that the Committee will proceed smoothly.