Animal Welfare Bill

I rise to oppose this amendment tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer. It prohibits goldfish at funfairs and other venues. The amendment has caused great concern to the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain and to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fairs and Showgrounds who have, for many years, represented the interests of the historic guild, which was founded in 1889. Currently more than 20,000 people are employed in funfairs, and many of them would be adversely affected if this rather politically correct, ““nanny state”” amendment were accepted. I strongly suspect that there must be a large number of parliamentarians in both Houses who in their childhood proudly carried a goldfish home, placed it in a suitable container and nurtured the fish thereafter, often for many years. I certainly did and so did most of my school friends. We always took the prize of a goldfish very seriously and gratefully. Fifty years ago, the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain passed a resolution to its constitution ensuring that all its members looked after the welfare of goldfish. It covers keeping them in a suitable container and passing them on to the winning competitor in an appropriate container. That duty of care is enshrined in the constitution. In addition, every time a goldfish is awarded, the winner is a given a copy of a leaflet drawn up especially by the RSPCA headed ““Care of Goldfish””. The leaflet details how to care properly for the goldfish and how to provide it with a proper home. The appropriate container also carries this advice, with similar wording to that on the leaflet. The award of a goldfish as a prize at a funfair is part of our British tradition and culture. The Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain strongly enforces its responsibility for the welfare of goldfish, and it believes passionately in encouraging the general public to help in the development of good habits in caring for pets more generally. I hope that with those reassurances the noble Baroness will withdraw the amendment.