Animal Welfare Bill

I was almost going to say the same, but I have got my notes and my brief. I pay tribute to the expertise around the Committee, in particular the work of my noble friend Lord Lipsey who has given excellent leadership to the board since he took up his position. We believe that the regulated sector is making strong advances in welfare, but I do not think that anyone is saying that it is perfect. We are very keen for self-regulation of the National Greyhound Racing Club sector, if at all possible. However, that would take place only if all concerned were satisfied that open and auditable self-regulation was possible. That is why we are very encouraged by the way in which industry and welfare representatives have been working on Defra’s greyhound welfare working group. I understand that it will meet again tomorrow. At its previous meeting on 25 April, the group made tremendous progress in deciding how industry self-regulation might work, including how it might be extended to the independent tracks. So real progress is being made. The board and the club already regulate and issue guidance in the areas mentioned in the amendment. However, the Government would have a power under Clause 14 to issue codes of practice to offer further guidance if it was considered necessary. We acknowledge concerns about the ability of self-regulation to extend to independent tracks, but as my noble friend has just said, while those tracks vary, their economic lifeline is not long. We want the working group to be given a chance to consider the best way to regulate independent tracks and make recommendations. In some ways, that is what I am asking the Committee to do. The work is under way. I fully accept that we have no real facts and figures about retired greyhounds. My noble friend Lord Bilston gave some information and is collecting further information, which he said he would have available in the near future. However, when one looks at the numbers of dogs racing, and the numbers entering and leaving competition each year, one has to worry about what happens to them. That is a factor. Our goal is for all greyhound racing to have the same high welfare standards, whether under National Greyhound Racing Club’s rules or not. We will endeavour to introduce regulations under the Bill in any situation where self-regulation is not possible. We are committed to doing that. We prefer the self-regulation route, but, if it is not possible, we will introduce regulations. The regulatory impact assessment commits us to doing that by 2009 if necessary. I am new to all this and have not been party to all the previous discussions, but I take ““doing it by 2009”” to mean that you start a lot earlier. I make it clear that we shall not sit back and wait till 2009; we want to see what happens well before then. However, the good progress that has been made by the working group gives us confidence. I would be very happy to provide colleagues with an update on progress on or before Report. It may be on the floor of the House, but I would prefer to do so in a note before then. The noble Baroness requested that when she moved the amendment. This issue is on the move as we make the legislation. It is very important, therefore, that we provide the best updates possible as we go through the various stages of the Bill. A note in writing before Report would have much to commend it, not least that it would inform our debate at that stage. We will see whether any difficulties exist, because we want to be fully accountable.