Stephen's view on the Animal Welfare Bill and the use of animals in circuses

My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I believe that the Animal Welfare Bill is predominantly a welcome step forward. The Duty of Care and the confirmation of the five basic freedoms to which animals should be entitled are positive moves in the right direction.

My colleague Norman Baker MP, the former Liberal Democrat DEFRA spokesman, was particularly critical of the government sidestepping this, and a number of other important issues during the second reading of the Bill. I am pleased that the Minister responsible for Animal Welfare Ben Bradshaw MP has since issued a written ministerial statement stating that he intends to use a regulation of the Animal Welfare Bill to ban the use in travelling circuses of certain non-domesticated species whose welfare needs cannot be satisfactorily met in that environment.

This is excellent news for the many people who have campaigned on this issue. I signed an Early Day Motion (EDM 468) which noted the large body of evidence showing that a circus environment cannot provide for the needs of wild animals, and called on the government to introduce measures to end the use of wild animals in circuses.