---

Animal Welfare Bill

My Lords, I support the noble Baroness and agree with all her remarks. As I said more than once in Committee, I am a prohibitionist. I think—and there is some evidence to show that my thoughts are right—that travelling circuses train animals cruelly, at least initially. When moving about the country with various groups of animals, they fail to provide the basic standards for an entertainment situation. The amendment represents a minor but useful change. The circus working group should be quickly established. I am disappointed that the Government throughout the Bill have dealt with almost all issues by regulation. That is very unsatisfactory. The evidence is clearly that, in the main, circuses are cruel to animals and that the beasts are inadequately looked after. The noble Baroness should be supported in all her remarks.