HC Deb 13 July 1981 vol 8 cc883-4
Mr. Hardy

I beg to move amendment No. 14, in page 61, leave out line 14.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this it will be convenient to take the following amendments: No. 15, in page 61, leave out line 15.

No. 16, in page 61, leave out line 18.

Mr. Hardy

The amendments would remove the jackdaw, the jay and the barn owl from part 1 of schedule 3. I find it incredible that people should want to keep the jay in captivity. It is an extremely beautiful creature. It is obviously timid, as it lives among trees and is not frequently seen away from woodland. It is a beautiful bird that is best left to look beautiful in the wild. It should be respected rather more than it is by those who believe that it is destructive. It is a member of the crow family and it can be a nuisance to sporting interests. However, it is sufficiently attractive to justify a reasonable level of tolerance.

I view the jackdaw with some suspicion. Many years ago, when I first started teaching, a boy in my class had a pet jackdaw. I foolishly told him that he could bring it to school. The thing came to school frequently and I gradually came to regard it as a confounded nuisance. It exhibited the tendency to steal. It could not resist any small, bright object. Long ago, and well before the present levels of vicious inflation and economic weaknesses that we currently experience, the bird took 6d pieces. That was when they had some value. It also took penknives and staples. I came to the conclusion that it was a bad influence on my boys and I tried to persuade the young man to take it home and keep it there. It is scarcely reasonable to encourage people to keep jackdaws, as they so often exhibit a dishonest streak. These birds are scarcely suitable for captivity.

I said in Committee that the rook should be deleted from the schedule and the Minister accepted the suggestion. The jay and the jackdaw are members of the same family. If the rook is removed, it may be logical to remove the jay and the jackdaw as well.

I should like to ask the Minister a question, as the barn owl may be involved in this matter. One of my constituents, Mr. David Owen, of Maltby near Rotherham, does a great deal of good work. I hope that the Minister will be able to respond to this query. In the last few months Mr. Owen has released six barn owls, nine kestrels and 12 tawny owls, which—

It being Ten o'clock, further consideration of the Bill stood adjourned.