§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many circuses have been prosecuted over the last five years for cruelty to animals.
§ Mr. MellorThe information, which may be incomplete, on proceedings for all offences of cruelty to animals is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables, Volume 1" (Table S.1.1(A) of the 1984 issue under offence classification 108). The information collected centrally does not identify prosecutions against circuses. However, within the published totals, only one or two prosecutions a year were for cruelty to performing animals.