Clause 8 - Tests for registration:
Hunting Bill
2:30 pm
Mr Alun Michael (Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Cardiff South and Penarth, Labour/Co-operative)
I am following the hon. Gentleman's argument carefully and with interest. He is making a valid point. The Bill deals with hunting with dogs. If dogs are to be used to hunt a quarry species, the test in clause 8 requires a comparison to be made and a question to be asked: is there a way that involves less suffering which passes the utility test? The Bill covers only what is acceptable in the case of hunting with dogs. Other legislation, going back to the Protection of Animals Act 1911, covers human activities in relation to wild animals. The Bill does not cover that. All that is required under the Bill is to ask whether options other than hunting with dogs are available to the person seeking to undertake a particular activity.