Countryside Alliance welcomes parliamentary committee report on Hunting Act amendments

A parliamentary committee has confirmed that the proposed amendments to the Hunting Act due to have been debated by MPs in July were a legitimate use of the Secretary of State's powers.

The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI), which is made up of a cross section of MPs and Peers, reported on 23 October that the amendments to vary the terms of exempt hunting within the Hunting Act were not an "unusual or unexpected use of the powers" of the Defra Secretary of State.

Statutory Instruments are used to amend, update or enforce existing laws and the JCSI has the responsibility to report on all statutory instruments that come before Parliament to ensure that amendments made this way are a correct use of ministerial powers.

The report confirms that the statutory instrument is a legitimate use of the Secretary of State's powers to make amendments to exemptions to the ban on hunting with dogs, to allow pest control, which were agreed by all parties at the time the Act was passed.

The amendments would have made it easier for farmers to protect their livestock but the ban on hunting would not have been changed.

The report would have enabled the amendments to have proceeded to the House of Lords but the Government took the decision to postpone the statutory instrument when Scottish National Party MPs reversed their previous commitment not to vote on legislation that does not affect Scotland.

Countryside Alliance chief executive, Tim Bonner said: "The report from the joint committee confirms that the Secretary of State's proposals were reasonable and sensible amendments to a bad law.

"Whilst this report will be little consolation to farmers, especially in the uplands, who are struggling to control the fox population and protect their livestock from predation, it does vindicate the Government's attempt to respond to their legitimate concerns. The need for proper wildlife management legislation based on principle and evidence, rather than ignorance and bigotry, is as strong now as it ever has been."

For more information, contact the Countryside Alliance press office on 0207 840 9220 or email [email protected]