Business of the House

Roger Gale Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend; she has been an assiduous and tireless campaigner on this matter, and she rightly continues to raise it. As I said to the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis), I appreciate the frustration in this regard and the time that it has taken. I do not know why it has taken so long, but rather than meet me, I think it would be more useful if she and perhaps the right hon. Gentleman met Ministers to see whether this can be sorted out.

[Sir Roger Gale (Herne Bay and Sandwich) (Con)]

I associate myself with the remarks that have already been made about the murder of Sir David Amess five years ago to the day. David was a dear personal friend. He came into the House on the same day as myself and the Father of the House, my right hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh), in 1983. I think I am right in saying that had David lived, as he should have done, it would have been he who was Father of the House today.

David was a passionate supporter of animal welfare. Earlier this week, my friend the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) introduced a ten-minute rule Bill to create a close season for the killing of hares. I lent my name to that Bill, and I know David would have done so had he been here. That Bill is due to have its Second Reading on 19 March 2027. As a ten-minute rule Bill, ordinarily it would not go very far, but will the Leader of the House see whether he can find his way to ensuring that it has Government support?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I pay tribute to the right hon. Gentleman, who has also been a passionate and consistent supporter of animal welfare, and echo his words about Sir David Amess. I will look out for the ten-minute rule Bill, and I hope the House gives it support. I will give some thought to what the Government might do to assist it, but without giving the right hon. Gentleman any false hope, I will say that we are looking at whether there is scope for addressing wildlife issues in a third Session. Even if the Government do not bring forward something on this topic, I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will find a way of attaching it to anything that has the word “wildlife” in it.