Animal Welfare Bill

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention but I do not know when he last discussed the matter with the RCVS. It has changed its view, and that is important. Recently—only days ago—its council took a vote to change its position to support an end to prophylactic docking and to say that it was time for a total ban. I received the letter that I read out only a couple of days ago. The position has changed, and I fear that my hon. Friend may be referring to the royal college’s position before it changed its policy. My next point relates to the intervention of my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew) about illegality. Vets are not taught how to dock in college nowadays. The Vets Against Docking website reveals that the vast majority of vets refuse to do it and are against docking dogs’ tails. The exemptions therefore cause a serious problem and place the veterinary profession in a difficult position.