Hunting Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 11:00 am on 28 October 2004.

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Photo of Lord Whitty Lord Whitty Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (Food, Farming and Sustainable Energy) 11:00, 28 October 2004

As in all instances the police act on information received or perceived breaches of the law. Clearly, no more than they follow people around who might commit some other criminal offence, will they on the off chance follow people around the countryside to see whether they have more than two dogs. However, were a complaint to be made, the police would investigate it, as would be their duty if this Bill is passed.

The offence of having more than two dogs involved in these activities—as my noble friend Lord Hoyle pointed out—results from the new law in Scotland whereby, in effect, there is not a limit on dogs and therefore by default a pack of hounds develops and we are back into a situation where something like the hunting which was intended to be restricted or made illegal takes place. It was for those reasons that these restrictions on the number of dogs involved in these activities were put in place.

Other issues arise under the amendments apart from the limit on numbers. Amendment No. 64 would amend the gamekeeper provision in paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 in relation to terriers, which are exempt for the prevention of damage to game birds as the Bill stands. The amendment would extend the measure to livestock.