Pet Abduction Bill

It is unbelievable, isn’t it? Incredibly, two of the cats later reappeared in Leigh-on-Sea.

I support the Bill, especially in memory of my dear friend David Amess. I am a dog owner, but one...

I thank my right hon. Friend for making an important point. The two offences are slightly differe...

I am hugely supportive of the Bill. The pain, upset and grief of losing a pet in these circumstan...

It is absolutely being taken into account; I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important poin...

Didn’t he do well?

Didn’t he do well.

Keep dancing!

We digress.

Debbie Matthews founded SAMPA—the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance—after having...

This is a good Bill and I support it, but my concern is that an offence already covers this type ...

I share my hon. Friend’s interest in that area. Of course, those are questions that I have asked ...

I strongly support the Bill and hope to catch Madam Deputy Speaker’s eye a little later.

On...

My hon. Friend raises a very important and interesting point, which we could discuss because ther...

This is a really important point. I am thinking of my wife’s grandmother, who in our family was k...

I can absolutely assure my right hon. Friend that it is specifically stated in the Bill that it i...

This Bill is really important for a lot of people. Is it not the lesson of both “Six Dinner Sid” ...

I thank the hon. Member for her excellent point—in fact, there is another excellent private Membe...

I will congratulate my hon. Friend again when I make my speech. She is raising such valuable poin...

I thank my hon. Friend for an excellent point. The logic of that is irrefutable, and I agree with...

The lawyer in me is coming out here. Does “lawful control” mean ownership?

I am almost certain that it does, but I will have to refer to my notes to be precise. Perhaps I c...

I would like to reflect on cats, particularly the enormously precious indoor cat breeds. In relat...

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I cannot be prescriptive today about how that will be de...

Not cats.

Except in the case of some cats, pets ask little other than that we keep them safe. They deserve ...

Can I say first of all that my dog is truly the most amazing small loving creature in the entire ...

It is wonderful to hear about the hon. Lady’s dog, who I enjoyed meeting at the Westminster dog o...

I am not sure that Cara would agree with that, so I am hesitant to agree with the hon. Lady, but ...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for West Ham (Ms Brown), who spoke with passion about ...

I am getting a bit confused now. The whole point about the Theft Act is that intent has to be pro...

No, we are not, because the provisions of the Bill give the defence of reasonable excuse or lawfu...

It is a genuine pleasure to contribute to the debate and to follow the comprehensive report by th...

I call Jane Stevenson.

12.40 pm

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is lovely to see an animal lover in the Chair for this important...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West (Anna Firth) on securing the Second Re...

I have to say this now, having listened to the other contributions: as I walk into my front room ...

I support this incredibly important Bill, brought forward by my hon. Friend the Member for Southe...

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate. People who steal, or abduct, pets are despicable, and I...

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for raising that issue. Of course, the normal convention is...

My right hon. and learned Friend, having been a recorder and Solicitor General, is well establish...

I call George Freeman.

1.10 pm

It is a great pleasure to speak in this debate, Mr Deputy Speaker. I pay tribute to you for your ...

I call the Opposition Front Bencher.

1.17 pm

It is always a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Mid Norfolk (George Freeman). I congratulat...

First I must congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West (Anna Firth), and thank her...

With the leave of the House, I thank all hon. Members on all sides of the House for coming to thi...