The Earl of Effingham (Con)

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, the first female Deputy Prime Minister in British history, for her work on the Bill, which embodies the steadfast Conservative commitment to farmers. We should also flag the many organisations that have campaigned for and been instrumental in delivering reform in this area. His Majesty’s loyal Opposition is fully supportive of the Bill, which is a long overdue update to the law and of genuine benefit to rural communities such as the one that I live in. The Bill will, among other measures, extend the powers available to the police to enforce the law against incidents of livestock worrying. With an estimated 34,000 such incidents every year across England and Wales, this issue is of key concern, not only because of the significant financial costs but because of the distress it causes to farmers, who truly care for the animals in their keep and who have to bear both the emotional and monetary scars. The Bill also includes new protection for the 45,000 alpacas and llamas, whose UK population continues to grow. They will now be afforded the same protections as other livestock under the 1953 Act. By enhancing powers of enforcement, encouraging responsible dog ownership and securing justice for those negatively impacted, the Bill delivers for both farmers and their livestock. We commend the Bill to your Lordships’ House, and we look forward to seeing it complete its final stages.