Clause 5 - Mutilation
Animal Welfare Bill
6:00 pm
Norman Baker (Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
I am grateful to the Minister for a constructive reply. If I understood him correctly, he is telling me that the Bill will outlaw the mutilation that so concerns me, and that is a welcome assurance. I quite accept that, as the Minister says, the Bill is not a Christmas tree, but he must expect people to present baubles on which he can comment before they are subsequently rejected—I am not quite sure what the metaphor should be, but I am grateful for the Minister's assurance. On that basis, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 5 ordered to stand part of the Bill.