Circus ban claim has MPs howling

19 May 2011 Last updated at 13:04 GMT In Full: MPs debate the issue of animal welfare: From Democracy Live

MPs have jeered a minister who suggested banning wild animals in circuses could breach human rights law.

To howls of laughter, Jim Paice said legal advice suggested a total ban "might well be seen as disproportionate action" under the Human Rights Act.

He said to have pursued a total ban would have been irresponsible.

But Labour's Mary Creagh said the department was being "pathetic" and accused ministers of "hiding behind human rights legislation".

Last week, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman announced there would be no ban on the use of wild animals in circuses but promised to enforce "high welfare standards".

She suggested a ban would be unworkable because of a court case in Austria.

Junior minister Mr Paice told MPs on Thursday he wanted to "clarify the confusion". He said the case against the Austrian government had been delayed - although proceedings were expected to start soon.

But he said his clarification did not change the government's legal position on any ban.

'All-singing disaster'

To laughter from MPs, Mr Paice said: "The very strong legal advice which we have received, and which is consistent with the case being prepared against Austria, is that a total ban on wild animals in circuses might well be seen as disproportionate action under the European Union Services Directive and under our own Human Rights Act.

"To have pursued a ban in light of that legal advice we believe would have been irresponsible."

But shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said the secretary of state had told MPs that the Austrian government "have been taken to court by a German circus company". However, the statement confirmed "no legal challenge exists".

She said of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that it was another "all-singing disaster from the worst-performing department in government".

Ms Creagh challenged the government to place the legal advice it had received in the Commons library so it could be scrutinised by MPs.

"On the legal cases that don't exist and hiding behind human rights legislation, it is this department which is pathetic," she said.

She urged Mr Paice to "stop hiding behind some circus owners, who may at some point in the future, after six years of failed national and European legal challenges, be bringing another case".

"That is no reason not to ban wild animals in British circuses."

Newspapers 'incorrect'

But Mr Paice said the written statement issued on Friday had been "perfectly accurate at that time" adding: "It now transpires newspaper reports were incorrect."

In a move which stops short of a ban, government-approved vets will oversee a new licensing scheme designed to prevent cruelty and mistreatment.

Green MP Caroline Lucas called it a "cowardly" position, citing previous examples of animal welfare issues where the government had gone ahead, despite legal advice.

"Could you have a bit of spine?" she told Mr Paice.

In 2009, the year for which the latest figures are available, there were an estimated 39 wild animals being used in circuses in the UK, including elephants, tigers, lions, camels, zebras and crocodiles.

There was a public outcry earlier this year when footage emerged of a 59-year-old circus elephant called Anne being beaten with a pitchfork in Northamptonshire.

She has since been taken to Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire.

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Points claim 'incorrect' - Huhne

16 May 2011 Last updated at 12:00 GMT Chris Huhne MP: "These allegations are simply incorrect"

Lib Dem minister Chris Huhne has said allegations he asked someone else to take his penalty points for a 2003 speeding offence are "simply incorrect".

Downing Street said the prime minister had "full confidence" in Mr Huhne after it emerged police were investigating whether an offence took place.

The findings will decide whether a formal inquiry is launched.

The energy secretary said he welcomed the police investigation.

He said the allegations had been "made before and been shown to be untrue".

"I very much welcome the referral to the police as it will draw a line under the matter," he told BBC News.

"I don't want to say any more than that, I think the police can get to the bottom of this."

'In the past'

A senior Lib Dem source told the BBC that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg had met Mr Huhne on Monday to discuss the weekend's allegations, which Mr Huhne denied, and that he retained the Lib Dem leader's full confidence.

Continue reading the main story

Tony Blair remained prime minister while he was investigated, I imagine Chris Huhne can just about cope with being energy secretary”

End Quote Tim Farron Lib Dem president Asked if Mr Huhne could stay in the Cabinet if the police do formally investigate him, a Downing Street spokesman said: "It has happened in the past."

Mr Cameron was asked if he had confidence in Mr Huhne at a press conference on the government's planned NHS shake-up. He said Mr Huhne had denied the allegations.

Liberal Democrat party president Tim Farron told the BBC's Daily Politics show that he did not think Mr Huhne would have to stand down from the cabinet if there was a full police investigation into the allegations.

He said: "If there's an investigation, there's an investigation. But he denies it. Tony Blair remained prime minister while he was investigated, I imagine Chris Huhne can just about cope with being energy secretary."

'Action where necessary'

Det Supt Wills was charged with looking into the allegations after Labour MP Simon Danczuk lodged a formal complaint with police against Mr Huhne after claims surfaced in newspaper stories following an interview with his estranged wife Vicky Pryce.

Essex Police said: "We are aware of allegations around a speeding offence which is believed to have occurred in 2003. A senior detective from the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate has been appointed to establish if this offence took place and the allegations around it.

"We take allegations such as this one extremely seriously and will take action where necessary."

Mr Huhne, MP for Eastleigh, is Energy and Climate Change Secretary in the coalition government - and was narrowly beaten to the Lib Dem leadership by Nick Clegg in 2007.

He has been in the spotlight recently for his criticism of the Conservatives over their behaviour during the recent campaign over changing the UK voting system - which saw the two government parties on opposing sides of the argument.

He confirmed last year he was splitting from his wife of 25 years, economist Vicky Pryce, and was in a relationship with another woman.

His office has denied the allegation about a speeding offence dating back to 2003, when he was an MEP, saying it had been made before and been shown to be untrue.

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MPs' hidden nuclear subsidy claim

16 May 2011 Last updated at 14:04 GMT It's at the centre of coalition energy policy - we will only give the go-ahead to new nuclear power stations if they can be built without public subsidy.

But for some time there have been grave doubts that a new generation of power stations will be built purely through market forces.

A new nuclear power station could be built at Sellafield

And now MPs have accused ministers of disguising subsidies to get round the problem.

In its report, the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee says ministers are at risk of warping the market and disadvantaging competing technologies.

The problem is that any firm building a nuclear power station has huge upfront costs to develop the technology and put safety measures in place.

For that reason, investors want some degree of certainty about the return they'll get.

According to the report, the Government is planning to do that by providing long-term contracts and guaranteed prices.

Deeply irresponsible

The Government can speak for its own policy, but I would certainly support subsidy for new nuclear generation in this country.”

End Quote Jamie Reed MP Shadow Environment Minister

The Committee argues that's a subsidy in all but name, and has said that ministers should be upfront about it.

The MPs also say they should offer a level playing field to wind farm and solar power developers.

Tim Yeo, who chairs the committee, said: "Ministers believe that new nuclear could play a key role in keeping the lights on and meeting our climate change targets - but they don't want to own up to supporting it.

"This is understandable given the promise they made not to subsidise nuclear, but it would be deeply irresponsible to skew the whole process of electricity market reform simply to save face."

He also warns that the system being set up is so complex it may not deliver the investment in new energy sources we desperately need.

The report has been seized upon by environmentalists who say it is proof that the Government is giving nuclear power an unfair advantage, and that its promise not to subsidise it is completely bogus.

That's a charge the Government denies.

Labour MP Jamie Reed favours subsidising nuclear power.

Subsidy essential

But one Labour MP and shadow minister has told the Politics Show that new nuclear power stations will not be built without public subsidy.

Jamie Reed represents Copeland in Cumbria. It's a constituency which includes Sellafield, and that's where he worked before entering parliament.

The MP and shadow environment minister says he has always believed that public subsidy should be used to develop nuclear power stations and other forms of energy generation.

He wants to see three nuclear power plants built in his constituency alone, and believes subsidy will be needed to attract investors.

He says: "I have always been consistent in believing that any form of energy production will need subsidy.

"The Government can speak for its own policy, but I would certainly support subsidy for new nuclear generation in this country."

But all of this is a problem for the coalition.

While the Conservatives are keen on nuclear power, the Lib Dems and their Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne are not.

Many Lib Dems will be unhappy with any change of policy that would allow public money to go towards developing new power stations.

The select committee though is concerned that the muddle over whether to subsidise or not could prevent vital investment in our power supply.

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