Contributions
444 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Mental Health Bill [Lords]I thank the Secretary of State for introducing this really important Bill, and the Minister for his proactive engagement with us earlier this week. Before I entered Parliament, I…19 May 2025HANSARD Mental Health Bill [Lords]My hon. Friend will not be surprised that I agree with her; she may as well have read the next bit of my speech. She is completely right. Farmers, those working in agriculture,…19 May 2025HANSARD Mental Health Bill [Lords]I totally agree, and I will come on to the care of people once they have been discharged after an acute mental health episode, because it is a hugely emotive and problematic…19 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI completely agree with the hon. Gentleman, and I am really enjoying all the cat names—that is a very good reason for introducing the Bill on its own. Although this is a huge…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI am sure that hon. Members will agree that the Bill is timely and essential. I thank you, Sir Jeremy, for chairing the Committee this morning. I also thank my whole team from…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillHe is not—my condolences to the hon. Lady’s brother on the loss of Oscar, his much-loved ferret. Crucially, subsections (3) and (4) state that the first regulations made under the…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillYes, I can confirm that. The declawing of cats is specifically included, but it covers any mutilation that is for cosmetic purposes only and not for the welfare of the animal. The…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI completely agree with the hon. Member for Epping Forest and as someone who helped to draw up the British Veterinary Association advertising policies for use of animals in…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI have speaking notes for clauses 7 and 8, but I feel that they are very technical and probably do not add much to the debate. Unless Members particularly want me to read out…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI wish to move on, then.14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillThank you, Sir Jeremy. Clause 1 creates a regulation-making power that will allow the Government to introduce measures through secondary legislation to tackle low-welfare…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI am delighted to hear that Oscar is still with us.14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillThe hon. Lady is completely right that the surge in demand for pedigree cats has also led to a surge in demand for the illegal import of cats, and cats struggle more medically…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillOkay; I will thank my team from Winchester again later. Shall I go on to clause 4?14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. I thank hon. Members for joining the Committee today. I also want to thank Ministers at the Department for…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI appreciate your chairmanship throughout our proceedings, Sir Jeremy, and I want to thank everyone who was involved. I will thank my team in Winchester, again. I am so effusive…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillYes, we know that late-stage travel during pregnancy is a risk factor for problems during the pregnancy and that it can lead to the cat giving birth early. The potential for low…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillThank you, Sir Jeremy. Clause 3 outlines who can exercise the regulation-making powers in clause 1. For the purposes of those powers, clause 3(1) defines the “appropriate national…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillI beg to move amendment 14, in clause 4, page 5, line 28, at end insert— “(b) in point (b), after ‘non-commercial movement’ (in the first place it occurs) insert ‘(including…14 May 2025HANSARDAnimal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) BillClause 4 will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules to make it harder for those rules to be exploited for commercial gain. The clause contains the second set of…14 May 2025