§ 18. Mr. William Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek powers to ban the use of animals in television advertising.
§ Mrs. Doris FisherHe is.
§ Mr. PriceHow would he like to be dressed in a strange uniform, made to rehearse for weeks on end and then stuck in a colour television studio for long periods and made to perform unnatural acts? How—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member has gone quite far enough. The Minister has enough to answer.
§ Mr. LaneI know the hon. Member's great concern about animal welfare, and if he would like to meet me to discuss this I will be pleased to do so. Meantime I have no evidence that existing legislation is inadequate to prevent possible abuse in situations like this. The hon. Gentleman is proposing a total ban and I do not think we want to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
§ Mr. MuddWould my hon. Friend accept that many of us who derive a great deal of pleasure, amusement and enjoyment from these advertisements welcome that reply as it will do nothing to dispel the delightful day when the lugubrious Henry will desert his bowl of meat and begin to devour Mr. Clement Freud?