To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department has taken following the incident on 31 December 2009 in which six foxhounds belonging to the Duke of Beaufort's hunt were killed by a high-speed passenger train near Wootton Bassett; and if he will make a statement.

The day-to-day running of the railways, and their safety is a matter for rail operators and the Office of Rail Regulation as the independent rail safety regulator.

The incident was included in the daily performance log submitted to the Department by the train operator involved. Aside from this, the Department is not involved in operational incidents of this nature (animals on the line).