Clause 8
Hunting Bill
8:55 am
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire, Conservative)
The hon. Gentleman makes an extremely important point. Scientists are considering that matter with some care, but the RSPCA has made it plain in the past that it believes that fish feel pain. Coarse fishing—this does not apply to the same degree to fly fishing where at least one is catching a salmon or trout to eat—is practised by many people in this country, but it has no utility. One cannot eat what one catches, which gets thrown back. As he correctly pointed out, the RSPCA has said many times that fish may well feel pain. In angling, there is some pain, some cruelty and minimal utility. If the principles in the Bill were applied to coarse fishing it would have to be banned, and none of us in the Committee wants that to happen. It is therefore terribly important that we find a way to amend the definitions of cruelty and utility in the Bill to ensure that it does not bring in coarse fishing, horse racing, dog racing or a variety of other activities.