Animal Welfare Bill

Either the noble Earl, Lord Peel, or the noble Lord, Lord Inglewood, said that the Government would have some difficulty with these definitions. That is so in some ways. It is right that the Bill is properly scrutinised. I do not think that anybody should apologise for creating this debate about circuses. The public would think we had gone bananas if we dealt with the Bill and did not discuss these issues. I fully accept that no votes are allowed in Grand Committee and therefore people should not draw conclusions that it is not reasonable to draw. I have no doubt that on Report the House will want to take a view on these issues. Whether we will get clarity I am not so sure, because as has been made clear during the past few minutes, there are different definitions. The most worrying speech of the lot contained the thought that I might be in this Room in 30 years’ time. I can assure the noble Lord that I will not.