The Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill aims to make it an offence in Wales to operate a stadium (or similar venue) for greyhound racing, or to be involved in organising greyhound racing.
The Senedd’s Culture Committee (the Committee) scrutinised the Bill at Stage 1 of the legislative process and was unable to come to an agreed position on the Bill. Key issues arising at Stage 1 are discussed in another Senedd Research article.
The Senedd, as a whole, agreed the general principles of the Bill on 16 December and the Committee held Stage 2 proceedings to consider amendments to the Bill on 28 January.
This article outlines key developments at Stage 2.
The marshalled list of amendments and voting record provide a comprehensive list of the Stage 2 amendments and their fate. An updated version of the Bill, as amended, has been published.
The Committee considered 20 amendments. The Welsh Government tabled one amendment, which was agreed by the Committee. The remaining 19 were tabled either by Rhys ab Owen MS or James Evans MS, and were not agreed.
Offences
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS (the Cabinet Secretary), tabled amendment 1 for the Welsh Government.
The amendment sought to clarify the scope of the offence of being involved in organising greyhound racing in Wales; that it relates to the organising of greyhound racing that takes place in Wales or is intended to take place in Wales.
This was the only amendment agreed by the Committee.
Rhys ab Owen aimed to widen the scope of those liable for an offence under section 1 of the Bill to owners, co-owners or trainers of greyhounds who use or knowingly permit them to be used for racing in Wales, and also attendees of greyhound racing in Wales. The Cabinet Secretary didn’t support these amendments arguing that, as drafted, the approach laid out in the Bill is “proportionate, practical and enforceable”. He referenced the Committee’s Stage 1 report which concluded that widening liability could introduce more complexity and consequences without clear evidence of need.
Definition of greyhound racing
Rhys ab Owen also aimed to amend the type of track covered by the offences in section 1 of the Bill, so that any track would be included, regardless of its shape. He argued that, as drafted, the Bill provides a “clear loophole” – that racing could continue on a linear track.
He also aimed to remove specific reference to a mechanical lure in the definition of greyhound racing, arguing that, as drafted, the Bill would not stop impromptu racing in a field around a temporary track with a different type of lure.
The Cabinet Secretary could not support the amendments stating the ban is intended to capture the curved nature of conventional greyhound racing, to reflect industry norms. He said the risk of harm to greyhounds is most prevalent on oval tracks. He considered the risk of straight tracks emerging to be low.
The Cabinet Secretary also said a lure activated by mechanical means provides a distinction between formal racing or training environments (which he said cause harm to greyhounds) and informal or recreational activities that may use a different method of lure (which the government doesn’t wish to ban).
Review of the operation and effect of the Act
Rhys ab Owen tabled an amendment to require Welsh Ministers to carry out a review of the operation and effect of the Act no later than 5 years after the ban on greyhound racing comes into force and to report on the review. He argued there is currently no guarantee a future government would carry out post-implementation review.
The Cabinet Secretary didn’t support these amendments instead highlighting that the Bill's Explanatory Memorandum includes a commitment to review the Act no later than five years after the legislation comes into force.
Transitional arrangements
James Evans aimed to amend the Bill to include transitional arrangements for the regulation of greyhound racing in Wales during an interim period, before a prohibition on racing comes into force. He argued “without a transitional framework, the Bill risks creating a regulatory gap at precisely the point when oversight is needed the most.”
In a further amendment he aimed to require Welsh Ministers to review the effectiveness of these regulations within two years of their coming into effect.
The Cabinet Secretary didn’t support these amendments saying regulating greyhound racing detracts from the government's intent to bring forward a ban as soon as practically possible. He emphasised that the one stadium in Wales is currently regulated through industry standards.
Impact assessments
James Evans aimed to introduce a requirement for Welsh Ministers to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the economic and social impact of prohibiting greyhound racing in Wales before appointing a commencement date. He also tabled an amendment to require the Welsh Ministers to undertake a human rights assessment of the impact the Act will have on persons affected by it.
He argued these amendments would ensure that the decision to commence prohibition “is taken on a sound evidential and legal footing”.
The Cabinet Secretary did not support these amendments, referring to the Bill’s Explanatory Memorandum, regulatory impact assessment, and the integrated impact assessments. He said a “detailed socioeconomic duty assessment has been completed” and that these assessments will be updated ahead of Stage 3. He went on to say Bill provisions are always subject to a thorough assessment of convention rights, before introduction, and he was satisfied that this Bill is compatible with the European convention on human rights.
Coming into force
Rhys ab Owen aimed to bring forward the commencement of the ban to no later than 1 April 2027. As drafted the Bill provides that the ban would take effect no sooner than 1 April 2027, but no later than 1 April 2030. Rhys ab Owen argued that the three year commencement window is “unnecessary” saying that re-homing centres have capacity to take the greyhounds. He also pointed to closure of the Swindon track over a nine month period.
He concluded “ending greyhound racing within a year will give both the rescue sector and the industry a definitive and realistic deadline to work towards.”
The Cabinet Secretary didn’t support the amendment maintaining that the Bill’s lead-in time would allow stakeholders to:
… adjust to mitigate the impact of the prohibition on the rehoming and the welfare sector, on the greyhounds and their owners and trainers, and on the racing industry, and also the wider community and, of course, the purposeful future use of that site.
Next steps
The Bill is now at Stage 3 of the legislative process where Members of the Senedd can table further amendments. These will be debated, and voted on, during Stage 3 proceedings in Plenary.
For further background see our Bill resource page.
Article by Dr Katy Orford, Senedd Research, Welsh Parliament
