Thank you for your statement, Minister, and for providing us with advanced copy of the Bill and explanatory memorandum. Putting an end to the exploitation of wild animals for the pleasure of the viewing public is well overdue and I thank the Minister for introducing legislation to achieve this in relation to travelling circuses. Wales will soon be joining a growing list of countries that ban acts that force wild animals to perform for entertainment. Unlike one of the candidates to be our next Prime Minister, Jeremy Hunt, who wants to take out time from negotiating our orderly exit from the EU in order to lift the ban on fox hunting, as someone who abhors animal exploitation and cruelty, I welcome this legislation.

However, I do ask why it hasn't gone just that one step further, Minister. This legislation does not cover wild animals being used for entertainment in other settings, and, as such, does not cover some mobile animal exhibits. I say 'some' because some mobile coverage of animals is obviously not abusive or insensitive. So, can you outline why you opted to stick to travelling circuses, and when can we expect to see some measures to safeguard wild animals in some mobile exhibits?

Minister, do you agree that the welfare of animals should be paramount and that the exploitation of wild animals simply for profit should be banned in any circumstances? If so, can you expand upon any other actions your Government will be taking to safeguard both wild and domestic animals being used for entertainment purposes? Finally, Minister, what discussions have you had with UK Ministers about stronger licensing regimes covering the use of domesticated animals in travelling shows? Because some domesticated animals have been known to die through heat exhaustion and so on, whilst travelling. So, I look forward to the swift passage of the Bill through the Assembly and to the day that wild animals cannot be exploited on Welsh soil. Diolch yn fawr.