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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

The amendment as drafted would allow the taking of a sample from a seal for the purpose of testing for disease. It consequently raises questions about how this proposed power would be used in relation to live seals. Wildlife inspectors do not have routine contact with live seals, and in most cases it is outside their experience. That is why the Bill contains a requirement to consult the Natural Environment Research Council about any authorisation of a wildlife inspector in the context of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. I am advised that there would be practical difficulties in capturing and confining a live seal in the environment where they live. Seals can be aggressive, and there would be associated risks to safety. It would also be necessary to anaesthetise the animal in line with common practice before a sample could be taken. Those are the reasons why the Bill as drafted specifically excludes the power to take a sample from a live seal. I am not persuaded that such a power should be made available to wildlife inspectors.