Clause 9 - The Registrar
Hunting Bill
9:45 am
Mr Albert Owen (Ynys Môn, Labour)
For reasons that I shall give in a moment, I do not believe in the principle.
I was glad to take an intervention from the hon. Gentleman because, as I pointed out to the hon. Member for Caernarfon, certain of DEFRA's responsibilities have been devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, but it has not improved the situation. It would be easy for me to score cheap points because a Liberal Minister is in charge of rural affairs in the Assembly, but there has been a huge problem with the administration of sheep annual premiums to farmers. There has been a huge delay in Wales, which is causing suffering and hardship to Welsh farmers, because we have devolved for the sake of it. We have devolved the matter because we felt that it would be better for Welsh farmers. The English payments are on time, on which I congratulate DEFRA, but the Assembly has not managed to do that.