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Animal Welfare Bill

My Lords, procedure apart, I apologise if any Member of the House feels that I have been misleading in any way. I was simply attempting to express the views on this issue of various colleagues in this House and in another place. However, I am not so insensitive that I do not realise that the amendment has not received the degree of support that I would have hoped for. That is disappointing, as it will be, too, to the Animal Protection Agency, which stated: "““It is unfortunate that many people, including policy-makers, often fail to recognise that while some animals, like dogs and cattle are highly adaptable””," others are not. The agency vociferously supported the amendment. I heard what the Minister said about it being a matter for the court to judge, but it is also for the Government, in drawing up the codes, to have this guidance in place. That was what my amendment attempted to do. I shall not waste the time of the House in testing its opinion, because it is clearly not with me and, therefore, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.