Animals Act 1971 (Amendment) Bill

An aspersion has been cast from the other side of the House, but my hon. Friend will know from our discussions that I have grave reservations of principle about this Bill, and it was entirely appropriate that I should put those reservations before the House today. I would not wish to retract anything that I said. I fundamentally oppose the Bill and I wished to ensure that the House had the benefit of my arguments against it. It had nothing to do with anything that might come afterwards: when I first saw the Bill, I did not even know what would follow it.