Clause 8 - Tests for registration:
Hunting Bill
5:00 pm
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough, Conservative)
Sometimes they are. I shall continue to make the arguments in favour of the continuation of hunting, the sensible governance of hunting by, for example, those who govern the sports of coursing, foxhunting, stag hunting and all other forms of hunting, even though numbers may be against me and the arguments deployed by the Minister and his hon. Friends are not wholly or even partly convincing. Having said that, I do not want to try the patience of some personal friends on the Labour Benches, still less my personal friends on the Opposition Benches. I shall not embarrass any hon. Member on the Labour Benches by identifying those whom I like to think of as personal friends. I shall not even excite the Committee by saying who are not my personal friends because there is plenty to discuss concerning the amendment of my hon. Friend the Member for North Wiltshire.
I shall conclude by asking the Minister to put a little flesh on his assertion—it is no more than that and I would not dignify it with the word ''argument''—that, in doing what he intends in clauses 7 and clause 8 to ban hare coursing, he will make the life of rural police officers easier rather than more difficult. His assertion is extremely difficult to comprehend, which may be a failure on my part, so I would like to give the Minister an opportunity, either this evening or on another occasion, to explain his case coherently and convincingly.
Debate adjourned.—[Mr. Ainger.]
Adjourned accordingly at six minutes past Five o'clock till Thursday 16 January at five minutes to Nine o'clock.