Part of Oral Answers to Questions — National Heritage – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 3 March 1997.
Mr Tom Pendry
, Stalybridge and Hyde
12:00,
3 March 1997
Is the Minister aware that my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth) is absolutely right about the fact that anglers are furious with the Government for ignoring their legitimate claims to recognise angling as a major sport? Is it any wonder that the president of the National Federation of Anglers wrote to the Prime Minister to bemoan the fact that the Government had no policy on angling, in contrast with the Labour party, which has a clearly defined charter for angling? The NFA president concluded by stating the obvious—that anglers are coming to the view that Labour cares about angling but the Government do not. Will the Minister, at the very least, dissociate himself from those in his party who claim that Labour will ban angling after we win the General Election? Furthermore, on behalf of the Government, will he match our firm commitment to the sport?
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