Animal Welfare Bill

If the hon. Gentleman looks at the legislation that the Bill replaces, he will see that there were similar differences. These are issues that can be explored in Committee. If the House feels that a change should be made, no doubt that can be considered. I should perhaps make a point about different legislation in different countries. We have put in place procedures for both jurisdictions—England and Wales and Scotland—to have reciprocal arrangements in place to apply disqualification orders so that we prevent any circumstance arising in which a person who is found unfit to own or look after animals by a court in one part of the UK can evade the law by moving between countries. It was in keeping with the traditions of the House and our people that we were the first nation to protect animals by statute. Since that step was first taken as long ago as the early 19th century, attitudes have undergone a radical change. Over the past 200 years, legislators, the Executive and the courts have stamped out a litany of mediaeval practices: bull-running, bear-baiting, cockfighting, the use of dogcarts, random and pre-meditated acts of cruelty—