PROCEEDINGS ON THE WILD MAMMALS (HUNTING WITH DOGS) BILL

Early day motion 783, tabled 12 February 1998 by Lord Blencathra (Conservative). Signed by 33 members.

That this House deplores the antics of the supporters of the Wild Mammals (Hunting with Dogs) Bill in Standing Committee C which have brought, and continue to bring, this House into disrepute; notes that they have tabled over 200 amendments to their own Bill and have spoken at such length that the Committee was still on line 2 of the Bill at the end of its fifth sitting; notes that the honourable Member for Worcester tabled an amendment to his own Bill which he then voted against despite the advice of the Government Minister, and recognises that this was but one example of many where honourable Members forced unnecessary divisions in order to waste time; further notes that the Government has now promised substantially to rewrite the Bill and that the Committee has been suspended in disarray whilst the honourable Member for Worcester waits for the new clauses from the Home Office lawyers; and calls on the House to make Committee time available immediately for the other nine Private Members' Bills which have received a Second Reading but will not become law unless the Wild Mammals (Hunting with Dogs) Bill ceases to block their progress.

Signatures by party: Conservative 28, Liberal Democrat 4, Plaid Cymru 1.