Animal Welfare Bill

The Minister’s complacency is astonishing. The fact is that there have been only two prosecutions under the existing legislation to which he refers, yet the trade globally is worth £25 billion a year, and the trade from United Kingdom websites is worth tens of millions. So to suggest that existing legislation is catching these criminals does not give the full picture—[Hon. Members: ““It is misleading.””] Well, I would not go that far. I know that the Minister is serious about animal welfare, so it is a mystery to me why he is not supporting the new clause. Have the Government been got at by internet service providers? I do not think so. I would not say that. However, the fact is that the next time we open our newspapers and read about cruelty to those endangered animals that we enjoy watching on documentaries while sitting comfortably at home, we will realise that we have missed an opportunity this evening. Members of animal welfare charities across the nation know that this has been a missed opportunity. This is an important Bill, and we might not have another opportunity to put such a clause into legislation. I feel let down, and I am sure that many other hon. Members feel let down. The endangered animals that are coming into our country across borders from around the world will certainly feel let down as well. I hope that the Minister will reconsider.