Clause 13 - Application by individual
Hunting Bill
3:30 pm
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton, Conservative)
I will deal with the hon. Gentleman's intervention in a moment, but the answer to his question is yes. In fact, what he describes already goes on in many places. He may not know from his experience in Wolverhampton that there are a number of school packs of hounds, with which young gentlemen invariably go out hunting. I should like that to continue.
In the same way that no one can be forced on to a horse or to control more than two dogs, people cannot be forced to go hunting. Individuals of 15, 16 or 17 may wish to be registered to go hunting, yet the Bill demands that they be 18. There is no age limit on being a student, however. As we have been discussing at great length in the House and outside it, from 2006 someone under 18 can be a university student, can be subject to a £3,000 contractual obligation to pay that university, and can run up substantial bills.
As I said, the Bill requires people to be 18, but we allow individuals of 16 and 17 to join the Army, handle weapons, go on live-firing exercises and be trained to kill—admittedly, they cannot go to war. I am not sure whether this is a nanny state that has gone too far, or whether the measure is being introduced in ignorance of hunting, as the hon. Gentleman suggested in his intervention.
Many groups of people will be adversely affected by restricting the Bill to those who are 18 and over. For instance, it will affect the gamekeeping profession. Many children leave school at 16 and go on to do youth training—that is a given—but many in rural areas such as Exmoor leave school to do youth training or go to college to become gamekeepers or be involved in related activities. I therefore commend amendment No. 277.
Young people on such courses are not old enough to be registered to hunt, but are considered by society to be old enough to learn and practise pest control—which generally involves the use of dogs, to respond further to the hon. Gentleman. For example, Sparsholt college in Hampshire offers a one-year course for a national award certificate in gamekeeping. It is open to 16-years-olds who have taken their GCSEs, but the Government are keen that people who are not academically gifted should take vocational qualifications from the age of 14. Gaining a certificate in gamekeeping at the age of 16 makes eminent sense; some say that it would make eminent sense at the age of 14. It would be in keeping with the Government's policy that those who are not particularly good at science or other academic subjects should go into gamekeeping.