Clause 9 - The registrar
Hunting Bill
4:00 pm
Mr Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West, Labour)
I apologise, Mrs. Roe. You have reminded me of that before. I shall try to do as you ask.
Many Committee members are concerned that the Bill will be a lawyer's charter. If amendment No. 305 were incorporated into the Bill, it would exacerbate that. Adding subsection (1A)(a), which refers to ''good knowledge'', would increase the level of subjectivity, because the test of good knowledge is almost entirely subjective. Similarly, paragraph (b), which would require the registrar to be
''entirely impartial as to hunting'',
would be a subjective test. Paragraphs (a) and (b) would lead to a great deal of judicial review. Many people who have strong feelings about hunting have access to or own substantial resources.