Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill

We will do everything we can. We are completely committed to making sure that the legislation get...

This has been a pretty sorry story of delay, but I welcome the fact that the Bill is now here, gi...

I completely agree. We are working hard to find the right vehicle to take that important legislat...

I support this Bill, but will the Minister confirm that nothing in it should cause any animal aff...

I completely understand my right hon. Friend’s concern. We have had conversations with circus own...

We were promised that the Bill would come in after the Backbench Business debate secured by the h...

I was not around at the time of whatever was said. I have been involved for eight months and we h...

The Minister was not around at the time and cannot be held responsible, but the hon. Member for B...

I thank my hon. Friend for those questions and again acknowledge his work and tireless commitment...

That will have to be long!

Given all the statutory instruments of recent months, I am used to this sort of barracking and ha...

Is the Minister aware that the British Veterinary Association concluded:

“The welfare needs...

We have worked closely with the BVA and I am really pleased that it has welcomed the steps we hav...

The Minister said that 95% of people responded to the previous Government’s consultation. What do...

That is a fantastic question—a terrific question—which I know the Under-Secretary of State for En...

There are two circuses, Circus Mondao and Peter Jolly’s Circus, with the 19 animals. Is the Minis...

As defined in this legislation, they are wild animals, but I understand my hon. Friend’s point. A...

I thank the Minister for giving way; he is being very generous. A lot of people across the House ...

That is another important question. There is a strong rationale to do that. We are looking at oth...

Will the Minister look again at the need to define “travelling circus” in the Bill? A concern exi...

I understand that some residual concerns have been raised by welfare groups, but I assure the hon...

The Minister says that he believes that the definition is adequate, but surely he will concede th...

Of course, in Committee, we will have the chance to review these things in more detail. There has...

Circuses are no place for wild animals. That view is shared not only by animal welfare organisati...

My intervention on the Minister was long enough, with the long list of countries, so I did not ma...

My hon. Friend is right: there have been many times when our membership of the European Union has...

I support the Bill, not least because, as a Minister in the Department for Environment, Food and ...

I have great respect for the former Minister, as he knows. Does he share my lack of understanding...

It was, but, as the hon. Gentleman says, the legal advice was that these were not necessarily ani...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I am going to make some progress.

However, the Bill does raise some anomalies. For instance...

It is a privilege to speak for the Scottish National party on this important Bill, which is cruci...

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate.

I welcome the Bill, but further to what my hon. F...

I am grateful to be called to participate briefly in this uncontroversial and consensual debate, ...

I thank the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for taking the Bill throug...

As we have heard from so many hon. Members today, this legislation is long overdue. We have heard...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Blaydon (Liz Twist) and to take part in this debat...

Everyone in the Chamber is completely committed to the welfare of animals, including me, but will...

I think I can help, because what the hon. Gentleman asks would broaden the debate outside the sco...

If I may, I will reply briefly and within order to the point that my hon. Friend the Member for R...

I have no need to repeat the sound case made by my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton an...

Would the hon. Gentleman clarify something? Does he feel that the legislation should be extended ...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. As I said, we should not allow our wish to have ...

It is my pleasure and privilege to respond to this debate, and I thank hon. and right hon. Member...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way, and the whole team has done a great job on this Bil...

My hon. Friend raises an important point about the state of biodiversity in the world. I was priv...

I wholeheartedly endorse the comments of my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Rebecca Pow...

I can answer my hon. Friend directly, because clause 1(5) states that

“‘wild animal’ means ...

I wish to clarify something for the benefit of the whole House and everyone outside who works wit...

This is specifically about circuses, and the basis for it is the itinerant nature of such events ...