Animal Welfare Bill

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Duke for the way in which he introduced his amendment. I believe that I can reassure him because essentially he is asking for a commitment that what he described as being in some ways traditional farming practices in areas of mountain and moorland will not be made illegal under this Bill. Broadly speaking, I can say that they will not. The special regulations relate not exclusively but mainly to sheep. The noble Duke is concerned that sheep management practices that take place now should be allowed to continue. We understand that. The practices that he is concerned about will still be legal. Indeed, under Clause 5, some mutilations are banned. However, a number of practices which involve the short-term suffering of the animal on the mountain have a longer-term gain. It is custom and practice, and it works: the animals benefit from it. A number of mutilations—that is the technical word—in the interests of good husbandry should therefore be permitted in mountain and moorland circumstances. There are obviously going to be some regulations, referred to by the noble Duke, which will go out to public consultation in the next few weeks, enabling them to come into force next April. The general point that I have made, however—that we do not intend to outlaw traditional practices of husbandry in the interests of the animals—is sufficient for this short debate and the issues raised.