Animal Welfare Bill

I would like to take up some of the matters that have been raised by noble Lords so far. I shall express a personal view, as any vote on the matter would be a free vote. I am quite satisfied with the arrangements that have been made in the Bill as it stands. The Government have recognised the difficulty relating to working dogs and have identified those dogs which will be exempt from the regulations. My noble friend Lord Soulsby was right that some vets find this a very difficult part of the Bill to deal with. Quite clearly, some of them do not wish to perform this type of operation. Other vets do not hold that view. I would hate the Committee to think it was a view held by every vet, because it clearly is not. Many vets have been in touch with me who do not necessarily share the same view. They need the Bill, if it remains as it is, to make it clear that they would be well within the law in performing tail-docking on those categories of dogs which are defined in it. As my noble friend said, the difficulty is that very little research has been done. One of the ways forward might be for the Government to revisit this issue in three or five years. This section of the Bill was discussed in great detail in another place. One can merely make the case for or against, according to the way one looks at it. Unless we are to return to the status quo, which no one on the Committee has called for today, I believe the Government have got it right. While we should take into consideration the contributions that have already been made, I hope we will manage to stick with the Bill as it is.