Hunting Bill
5:30 pm
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough, Conservative)
I have had this argument with the Minister before and it does not stand up to examination. If illegal hare coursing takes place, the problem is not in asking the owner, manager or farmer of the land whether he permitted it. One just knocks on his kitchen door and says, ''Did you give permission?'' The answer is yes or no. The difficulty is in catching the people who are doing the illegal coursing. The Bill will simply add to the number of people who will fall outside the law. Finding evidence of whether the person or persons had permission to course on the land is a matter of the greatest simplicity, subject to police numbers.