Animal Welfare Bill

The hour is late and I shall be brief. The House has been genuinely congratulatory of the Minister, and those hon. Members who took part on Second Reading and watched the Committee in progress feel that he has made a particular contribution to the Bill. For those in the animal welfare lobby who have been arguing about bits of the Bill for nine years now, there was some doubt whether it would ever come to fruition. On Second Reading, we spoke about it being a Christmas tree Bill, which is why Conservative Members were always a bit scared of introducing such legislation when we were in power. I am very glad that the Conservative Front-Bench team has welcomed the Bill tonight and has been constructive as well. What the Minister has achieved is undoubtedly notable, and what the animal welfare charities will look for in the future is what happens with the regulations and how the Government respond. The one word of advice that I urge on him is that, both in the House and particularly among those who advise Ministers, there is the view that the only organisation that has a serious view on animal welfare interests in this country is the RSPCA. It is a really good organisation and, although it has its critics, it does a splendid job. The companion welfare charities, however, such as the Dogs Trust and Cats Protection, with which I have been involved, take an interest in a single species, so their experience and knowledge tends to be much better than that which Ministers will find in the RSPCA. As regulations are introduced, I hope that the Minister will seek a wider input and look beyond that notable charity to charities with a specific interest in different types of animals. The Minister is rightly to be congratulated, and people working in animal welfare on a daily basis will not forget his contribution.