Would the Minister give us an explanation of the section?
SECTION 31.
Question proposed: " That section 31 stand part of the Bill."
Subsection (1) makes it an offence for anyone to sell, purchase or have in his possession, any live perching bird—defined in subsection (2)—other than a close-ringed specimen bred in captivity. Subsection (2) identifies the birds to which subsection (1) applies—" any live perching bird (order Passeriformes) ” other than a pest species listed in the Third Schedule. The order Passeriformes includes such species as larks, swallows, pipits, wagtails, the wren—only one species—warblers, thrushes, finches and buntings. The application of this section to perching birds which occur in the wild in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man reflects the movement of such birds between those places and Ireland.
Subsection (3) provides an exemption for possession of any such birds held before the section comes into operation. In the absence of such exemption the birds would have to be killed or released to the wild: neither of these courses would be justifiable. Subsection (4) defines close ringing. The object is to prevent the capturing of wild birds and keeping them in captivity.
Many birds are both wild and domestic.
Tame wild ducks.
Birds that are already in cages and those bred in captivity are excluded.
We have a few wild birds on this Committee.
We will have to ring a few of them, or better still cage them.
What is the meaning of " perch " in this context?
Perching birds.
Question put and agreed to.