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		Circuses and hunting are part of European culture Plenary Speech - Wednesday 12th October 2005 Mr. President It is entirely appropriate that we should be debating the circus in this House, considering that the European parliament is the biggest travelling circus in the world -- although I fear that many of my constituents in the British East Midlands may wonder if we do not have bigger issues to address. I have been approached by members of the public who worry about the use of animals in circuses, and the possibility of cruel or harmful treatment. I share their concern. I urge member state governments to ensure that circus animals are subject to appropriate regulation and inspection. However I believe that the proposal to ban animals from circuses goes too far. It is one thing to support animal welfare. It is quite another to ban a much-loved and traditional feature of the circus, which as this report rightly says, is a recognised and ancient part of European culture. There is a close parallel with the issue of hunting, another target of the animal rights movement. The same criteria apply. Hunting should be, and normally is, conducted with due attention to animal welfare issues. But English fox-hunting, like the circus, is a vital part of the English cultural heritage, and especially so in the East Midlands which I represent. I would oppose any move to ban all animals from circuses. And I oppose the unjust and counter-productive ban on fox-hunting recently introduced in my own country.