Clause 9 - The Registrar
Hunting Bill
10:00 am
Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire, Liberal Democrat)
I have not asked them. When I have finished speaking, perhaps I shall call David Jones and ask him. That is not the issue. If amendment No. 229 were accepted, they could sit anywhere in Wales. It would not have to be in Cardiff. Tribunals serve people—people do not serve tribunals—and presumably the tribunal would be willing to make the effort to go to the locality and make it easier for those applying for licences to do so.
The hon. Member for Caernarfon is the architect of the amendment, so he may intervene if he wishes. I envisage a tribunal advertising for a period of days that it will visit a particular area and perhaps make appointments to cover as many applications as possible. It might then sit in Newtown in mid-Wales, which would be a shorter journey for David Jones than going to Cardiff.