Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

rose to move, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. The noble Lord said: I am pleased to speak to the Grand Committee about the regulations which make important and necessary changes to the original Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007. The 2007 regulations provide exemptions to the general provision in Section 5 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 that all mutilation of animals other than for medical treatment is prohibited. By ““mutilation”” I mean the carrying out of a procedure, "““which involves interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of the animal””." Before making the 2007 regulations, we consulted stakeholders widely on any procedures that should or should not be allowed. When the regulations came into force, we believed that in most cases the status quo in common practice had been replicated where a procedure was felt to have a long-term welfare or management benefit. However, after the 2007 regulations came into force, we were made aware of certain procedures that were in common practice before the Animal Welfare Act and the 2007 mutilations regulations came into force, but which were not highlighted by the relevant sectors during the original consultation. After consideration of the welfare costs and benefits of the procedures, it was judged that they were in the long-term welfare or management benefit of the animals involved and that they should, therefore, be added to the list of permitted procedures. It is to this end that these amending regulations have been produced. In parenthesis, I should say that the same rules apply in Scotland and Wales, which will amend their regulations in due course. In other words, the relevant bodies and stakeholders did not come forward in any part of Great Britain to alert those who drafted the original regulations. The amending regulations will have a number of beneficial effects on animal welfare and conservation. They will allow certain artificial insemination techniques to be used in sheep and goats for breed improvement programmes, which will facilitate the continued genetic development of the sheep and goat flocks, including in resistance to scrapie. The regulations will allow the wing and web-tagging of birds to be used for conservation and research purposes, which will in particular aid certain wild bird reintroduction programmes. We also intend to introduce an exemption order under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 to allow conservationists other than veterinary surgeons to perform those procedures. Initial informal consultation with officials at the royal college suggests that that would be uncontroversial, and we hope to have the exemption order in place by the autumn of this year. Lastly, the regulations will allow poultry and duck breeders to wing-tag, web-tag, neck-tag and web-notch birds involved in breed improvement programmes, therefore permitting breeders to use the most welfare-friendly forms of identification of breeding birds. In conclusion, the mutilations listed in the amending regulations will have a positive effect on animal welfare, management and conservation. I regret that I have had to come forward with these amending regulations during the passage of the other regulations. Following widespread consultation, those techniques were not highlighted as being required for exemptions. Nevertheless, it is best that we do this as soon as possible. I beg to move. Moved, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. 17th report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.—(Lord Rooker.)