Clause 8 - Tests for registration: utility and least suffering
Hunting Bill
9:15 am
Hon. Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative)
I congratulate the Minister on the way that he is sticking to his principles like a leech, and
quite right too. What weight does he give in utility to one of the factors on which his Department is extremely hot—and very good in many ways—which is, the important question of conservation? Does he accept that it is beyond doubt that where there is hare hunting and coursing, strong, vigorous and large numbers of the species are retained? They are kept for coursing, but are part of a conservation and management programme. Surely that is part of utility.