Protection of Animals Act 1911 (Amendment) (Hansard, 12 February 1986)

§ Mr. Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull, North)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend sections l and 15 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and for connected purposes.

It is somewhat ironic to introduce today's Bill as a ten-minute Bill when on Monday the House will debate and pass a Bill which will protect animals subject to research procedures in laboratories. We seek to protect those animals because we have a high regard for their dignity. These animals should not be abused even on occasions when lives are being saved and remedies are found for many dangerous diseases that afflict us.

My Bill seeks to protect animals which are not used for such a noble purpose but those whose lives are put at risk for the selfish pleasure of a privileged few. They seek to delight in the idea that a hare should be the subject of a tug of war between two greyhounds, that a fox should be pursued for miles until exhausted and is turned at bay to be ripped to pieces by hounds, or that a stag should be chased to the point of exhaustion when it either rushes into the sea trying to save itself and drowns or is savaged by a pack of hounds. Those of us who support the Bill are of the opinion that, in our civilised society, there is no justification for continuing these practices.

My Bill would make two small but vital amendments to the Protection of Animals Act 1911. It does not have the range and vision of the Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) about a fortnight ago, but it tackles a problem which the House can properly put to rights.

The Bill would add to the definition of cruelty thus: (f) shall hunt with one or more dogs wholly or mainly for the purpose of sport any animal with intent to pursue, take or kill same". The Bill would also put a responsibility on the occupier or owner of the land not to permit its use for such a purpose. That is common practice in the areas of many progressive shire counties. The Bill would also redefine "animal" so as to cover any mammal. The amended Act would therefore specifically and directly make it an offence to hunt, and cover all animals in the wild.

The 1911 Act protects wild animals to a limited extent. It prohibits as cruel the baiting of an animal in a confined space if it is wild, but it is not considered cruel if the baiting is done in the open. It would be considered cruel to put dogs into a cage with a fox or a hare, but it would not be considered cruel to bring them together in an open field. That cannot be a proper way in which to treat animals.

If amended, the Act would cover cruel and vicious practices involving the use of crossbows, airguns and other methods of snaring, killing and trapping animals. It would make it an offence to allow animals to be hunted or pursued in such a manner.

I realise that there are pressures on the House and that we are eating into Opposition time, but I should like to refer to some public opinion polls on the matter Some people are saying that the issue is political and that we are trying to gain votes. An NOP Market Research Ltd poll of 1983 found that 65 per cent. of respondents disapproved 967 of fox hunting and that 11 per cent. approved. As for political opinion, 54 per cent. of Conservative voters disapproved and 80 per cent. of Labour voters disapproved. However, 53 per cent. of rural opinion disapproved. On hare coursing, 80 per cent. disapproved, as did,78 per cent. of Conservative voters, 86 per cent. of Labour voters and 77 per cent. of rural opinion. On stag hunting, 81 per cent. disapproved, as did 76 per cent. of Conservative voters, 88 per cent. of Labour voters and 79 per cent. of rural opinion. On hare hunting, 70 per cent. disapproved, as did 62 per cent. of Conservative voters, 79 per cent. of Labour voters and 66 per cent. of rural opinion.

The background shows that this is not a party political matter—it has the support of the overwhelming majority of the population. As for the fight for votes that is going on, any party that could claim 40 per cent. would claim a majority in the House, but here at least 66 per cent. are in favour of legislation to stop these cruel and barbaric practices.

The latest Gallup poll on the subject found that, in some cases, people in county constituencies are more worried about hunting than people in urban ones. Nevertheless, the percentage who opposed hunting was extremely high, and the difference between the county and urban response was only a few per cent. For example, 74 per cent. of respondents in county constituencies disapproved of stag hunting whereas 73 per cent. of urban ones disapproved. For hare coursing, 72 per cent. of county respondents disapproved, while the urban figure was 71 per cent. The roles were reversed in respect of fox hunting—66 per cent. of county respondents disapproving and 68 per cent. of urban ones disapproving. Those figures show that the vast majority of people want Parliament to legislate to abolish these sports.

The interesting feature is that the figures go across all social classes. A majority in every social class disapprove, as do a majority in every age group, especially between 16 and 24. This is a moral issue. Our treatment of wild animals reflects our society. I have never believed that animals are more important than human beings, and I do not exaggerate the importance of their well-being, but I believe that animals, which have been put here for the use of man, should be used sensibly and humanely—not abused for a cheap thrill from a savage and bloody sport.

Division No. 71]	[4.16 pm
AYES
Alton, David	Brown, N. (N'c'tle-u-Tyne E)
Archer, Rt Hon Peter	Brown, R. (N'c'tle-u-Tyne N)
Atkinson, N. (Tottenham)	Caborn, Richard
Banks, Tony (Newham NW)	Callaghan, Jim (Heyw'd & M)
Barron, Kevin	Campbell, Ian
Bell, Stuart	Canavan, Dennis
Bennett, A. (Dent'n & Red'sh)	Carter-Jones, Lewis
Bermingham, Gerald	Clarke, Thomas
Blair, Anthony	Clelland, David Gordon
Bowden, A. (Brighton K'to'n)	Clwyd, Mrs Ann
Boyes, Roland	Concannon, Rt Hon J. D.
Bray, Dr Jeremy	Craigen, J. M.
Brown, Gordon (D'f'mline E)	Crowther, Stan
Brown, Hugh D. (Provan)	Cunliffe, Lawrence

Davies, Ronald (Caerphilly)	Marek, Dr John
Davis, Terry (B'ham, H'ge H'l)	Martin, Michael
Deakins, Eric	Mason, Rt Hon Roy
Dixon, Donald	Maxton, John
Douglas, Dick	Maynard, Miss Joan
Dubs, Alfred	Meadowcroft, Michael
Duffy, A. E. P.	Michie, William
Eadie, Alex	Millan, Rt Hon Bruce
Eastham, Ken	Morris, Rt Hon A. (W'shawe)
Edwards, Bob (W'h'mpt'n SE)	Nellist, David
Ellis, Raymond	Norris, Steven
Evans, John (St. Helens N)	O'Brien, William
Fatchett, Derek	O'Neill, Martin
Fields, T. (L'pool Broad Gn)	Orme, Rt Hon Stanley
Fisher, Mark	Park, George
Flannery, Martin	Parry, Robert
Foot, Rt Hon Michael	Pike, Peter
Forrester, John	Prescott, John
Fraser, J. (Norwood)	Radice, Giles
George, Bruce	Redmond, Martin
Gilbert, Rt Hon Dr John	Richardson, Ms Jo
Gould, Bryan	Roberts, Allan (Bootle)
Grist, Ian	Roberts, Ernest (Hackney N)
Hamilton, W. W. (Fife Central)	Robertson, George
Hancock, Michael	Rogers, Allan
Hardy, Peter	Ross, Ernest (Dundee W)
Hattersley, Rt Hon Roy	Rowlands, Ted
Haynes, Frank	Sedgemore, Brian
Heffer, Eric S.	Sheerman, Barry
Hoyle, Douglas	Sheldon, Rt Hon R.
Hughes, Dr Mark (Durham)	Shore, Rt Hon Peter
Hughes, Roy (Newport East)	Short, Ms Clare (Ladywood)
Hughes, Sean (Knowsley S)	Skinner, Dennis
Hughes, Simon (Southwark)	Smith, Rt Hon J. (M'ds E)
Jones, Barry (Alyn & Deeside)	Soley, Clive
Kaufman, Rt Hon Gerald	Stanbrook, Ivor
Kinnock, Rt Hon Neil	Stott, Roger
Lamond, James	Strang, Gavin
Leighton, Ronald	Straw, Jack
Lewis, Terence (Worsley)	Taylor, Teddy (S'end E)
Litherland, Robert	Thomas, Dr R. (Carmarthen)
Lloyd, Tony (Stretford)	Thorne, Stan (Preston)
Lofthouse, Geoffrey	Wardell, Gareth (Gower)
Loyden, Edward	Weetch, Ken
McCartney, Hugh	Welsh, Michael
McDonald, Dr Oonagh	Williams, Rt Hon A.
McGuire, Michael	Winnick, David
McKay, Allen (Penistone)	Woodall, Alec
McKelvey, William	Wrigglesworth, Ian
MacKenzie, Rt Hon Gregor	Young, David (Bolton SE)
McNamara, Kevin
McTaggart, Robert	Tellers for the Ayes:
McWilliam, John	Mr. Jeremy Corbyn and
Madden, Max	Mr. Bob Clay.
Mallon, Seamus
NOES
Nil
Tellers for the Noes:
Mr. Robin Corbett and
Mr. Harry Cohen.