Government resolute on hunting ban

Wednesday, 17 September 2003 12:00 AM

A Government minister today said that there will be legislation on hunting with dogs by next year.

The Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael this morning told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that there will be 'some form of legislation', although he refused to say whether the government would invoke the Parliament Act, which has been used only three times since 1949, to force it through.

Peers argued for hours in the House of Lords last night over a complete ban on hunting with dogs after MPs voted for it earlier this year. More than 60 peers lined up to speak at the controversial bill's second reading yesterday.

Tory peers want to change the bill to a partial ban while Lord Whitty, the Environment Minister, urged his colleagues to reach a compromise and to take the will of the Commons into account. He added that if the bill could not be resolved then it would become a matter for the Commons and the speaker under the Parliament Act.

'Our attitude to amendments has to be that the government's duty is to facilitate the will of the free vote in the elected House,' he told the House.

The hunting bill initially banned only hare coursing and stag hunting whilst permitting fox hunting under strict regulations. But MPs voted by 362 to 154 for an outright ban.

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