Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Theresa Villiers and Thangam Debbonaire

Thursday 31st October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

It brings me further great pleasure, on my last day in the Chair, to call again Thangam Debbonaire.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

Oh Mr Speaker, I do not know what to say. I am going to miss this. Thank you for everything you have done for Back Benchers.

The Secretary of State says that the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill is going to come back to the House as soon as possible; that could be Monday. There is cross-party agreement on this short Bill, and as the Labour DEFRA Whip I have the permission of our shadow Secretary of State to say that we support the Bill, we could crack on, and it could be done and on the statute book before Dissolution. Even at this late stage, why will she not put it on the Order Paper for Monday or Tuesday?

[Theresa Villiers]

I can reassure the hon. Lady that a Conservative Government will put this Bill on the Order Paper very soon after we are re-elected to serve this country.