Clause 8 - Tests for registration: utility and least suffering
Hunting Bill
8:55 am
Hon. Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative)
The hon. Member for Weaver Vale finds it very difficult to be quiet—the animal noises come naturally.
The rules of hare coursing state clearly that the hare must be given 80 to 100 yards law—for those who do not understand the term, that is a space, or a gap—before the greyhounds are slipped. That rule, which extends the law and is enforced ruthlessly, was in fact instigated by the National Coursing Club entirely of its own volition.
I am not sure whether Government Members have any idea how many days of coursing there are a year or how the sport is organised. There are 23 coursing clubs in the country. They provide 90 to 100 days of coursing each year and only about 200 hares are actually killed. The object of coursing is not to kill the hare. I say that emphatically. The object is to test the skill of the dogs.
In many ways, coursing is similar to horse racing. Competitive coursing, as opposed to other types of coursing, is not a form of pest control. Every effort is made to prevent the death of the hare. It causes minimal, if any, suffering because the vast majority of hares escape and it has enormous utility in terms of conservation and the welfare of the hare as a species. Competitive coursing should be likened to horse racing: people assemble to observe marvellous animals compete, a social ambiance is established and enjoyed and every effort is made to prevent any injury to animal or human alike.
The Burns report clearly pointed out that coursing does not involve a long chase; the hare will normally escape after an average of about 40 seconds. From the welfare perspective, the Minister should compare coursing to field trials. I wonder whether he is aware what a field trial is. Will he tell me?