Member News
A Lib Dem MP has called on the government to ban circuses which feature animals.
At Defra questions this morning Bob Russell (Colchester) said "exotic animals" are being forced to dance and do tricks.
"Bearing in mind that very few animal circuses are now left, surely the best thing is to abolish them, which the last government failed to do but had promised to do while in opposition," he asked.
Defra minister James Paice said the government is "reviewing reviewing the summary of the responses" to a consultation on the issue.
Lord Henley, another Defra minister, has met with representatives of the circus industry and animal welfare organisations and a response to the consultation will be published later this year.
Katy Clark (Lab, North Ayrshire and Arran) said that 94 per cent of people who responded to the call for consultation want a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses and asked for a decision "as soon as possible".
Paice said consideration has to be given to the definition of a circus and a ban might encompass "snakes and all sorts of things that might be present in a circus and which might be perfectly reasonable".
Environment secretary Caroline Spelman was asked about the Pitt review.
She said fire and rescue service authorities play a very important role in any flooding incident.
Kate Hoey (Lab, Vauxhall) said they should be given a statutory footing.
Spelman said that while no authorities had authorities had reported being constrained in their response by a lack of powers, the question of the need for a statutory responsibility will be tested in an exercise next year.
"The option of a statutory duty has certainly not been ruled out."
Later ministers faced close questioning on the government's plan to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board.
John Cryer (Lab, Leyton and Wanstead) asked Paice if he sees it as "a burden or protection for vulnerable workers".
The minister said the board is "entirely inflexible and unable to face up to modern needs".
Shadow environment secretary Hilary Benn said even Margaret Thatcher shied away from abolishing the board.
"Will the minister try to explain why setting wage rates of between £5.95 an hour—which is only just above the minimum wage—and £8.88 an hour constitutes the burden of which he speaks? Where is the evidence for that?" he asked.
Paice said the there is no need for the "superstructure" of the board and accused Labour of being "in the hock to the trade unions".
Benn said there are issues about overtime rates and bereavement leave and accused the government of "a shabby little plan to cut the wages of agricultural workers".
Paice said there aren't wages boards for other sectors and the farming industry should make its own decisions in negotiations with its workers.
Ministers also answered questions on: fish quotas, farm animal welfare, public sector food procurement, mackerel quotas, food labelling, Defra quangos, the waste and resources action programme, laying hens, supermarket food sourcing, unsold food, scallop dredging, commercial whaling waste incinerators and the English coastal path.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.