Bill and Ben
From Ben Bradshaw
Sir: Jeremy Clarke’s rattle through the draft Animal Welfare Bill (‘Animals don’t have human rights’, 22 January) was entertaining but bore little resemblance to what is proposed. The Bill will not curtail fishing or shooting, because it does not apply to animals in the wild. This government has encouraged fishing and shooting in ways the previous one failed to, including tackling the problem of fish predation by cormorants and liberalising the game laws.
Neither will the Bill ban pet fairs. It is a modest and long overdue attempt to reform and consolidate a hotchpotch of animal welfare laws dating back nearly 100 years. Its main provision is a duty of care for pets, something farmed animals have enjoyed for decades. The draft Bill has been supported by all the political parties, mainstream animal welfare organisations, the pet industry and the Countryside Alliance.
Spectator readers wishing to know more can read the draft Bill at http://www.defra. gov.uk/animalh/welfare/bill/index.htm.
Ben Bradshaw
Minister for Animal Welfare, Defra, London SW1
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