Schedule 1 - Exempt Hunting
Hunting Bill
2:30 pm
Mr Alun Michael (Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Cardiff South and Penarth, Labour/Co-operative)
I endorse the concern that you and the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) have expressed, Mr. Stevenson. I am pleased to hear your assurance about our remaining sittings.
When moving the amendment, the hon. Gentleman gave a somewhat convoluted explanation and I had the impression that he wished that he had not tabled it because he had had second thoughts. He told the Committee that he does not want to be consistent in his approach. He quoted Professor Harris with approval, suggesting that there should be a uniform approach in all circumstances but said that he would not be so consistent as to press the amendment to a vote.
The right hon. Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) then rode to the hon. Gentleman's rescue, but missed his point. The point is not of prejudice for or against a particular species; it is a question of the evidence in specific circumstances or in relation to a particular species. He rushes to use the ''m'' word on every occasion.
The amendment would remove the exemptions provided in the Bill for the hunting of rats and rabbits, although I am pleased to hear that the hon. Gentleman does not want to take them out of the Bill. He asked why an exemption should be made for rats. Rats are a health hazard and a pest and dogs are an effective means of keeping numbers down. The
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 places an obligation on local authorities and occupiers of land to take steps to ensure that, as far as practicable, land is kept free of rats. On the basis of evidence from the methods available it seems clear that the use of dogs to control rat populations will always satisfy the utility and cruelty tests and for that reason the Bill includes ratting as a class of exempt hunting provided, of course, that the prior permission of the occupier of the land is obtained.
That is my conclusion and I hope that the Committee, in the light of the evidence, will agree with it.