Sentience Bill fears raised
Objections have been raised to the Government’s planned Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill.
The Bill aims to make provisions for an Animal Sentience Committee, the role of which would include reporting on the adverse effects government policies have on the welfare of animals as sentient beings.
However, some MPs believe such a move is flawed and have raised objections. One such is Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, vice-president of BASC and MP for The Cotswolds.
Sir Geoffrey and other MPs believe an existing committee already serves this role and the new committee could be influenced by animal rights groups.
The fear is that these groups would pressure the new committee to act on policies beyond its remit, including shooting and farming issues.
Richard Drax, the MP for South Dorset, even went as far as to suggest the Bill was a ‘Trojan horse’ designed by “those who have no understanding of the countryside and all that goes on in it”.
To counter these perceived issues, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has asked the Government to support an amendment to the Bill. Taking inspiration from the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, Sir Geoffrey asks that the proposed committee respects “religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage”.
BASC has backed Sir Geoffrey and said: “(BASC) is working hard to ensure the Bill does not become a means to attack fieldsports and farming, but acts in our best interest to ensure a high level of animal welfare.”