Hunt Supporters Left In Limbo

9:30am Thursday 28th March 2002

HUNT supporters in South Lakeland have been left in limbo for a further six months after the Government's decision to delay a decision on the centuries old sport until autumn, reports Victoria Clark.

Last Thursday rural affairs minister Alun Michael told the Commons that he wanted to carry out six months of public consultation before he brought a new hunting bill before Parliament.

His statement said the consultation would be the based on the findings of the Burns Inquiry - which concluded hunting was the best form of controlling foxes in upland areas - and also referred to the countryside's legitimate concerns about

land management, and pest control.

This has prompted speculation that Cumbria's fell packs could be made exempt from any possible ban if it could be proved hunting was necessary for pest control, although any suggestion of this was this week denied by DEFRA officials.

Mr Michael's press secretary Gary Clarke told the Gazette: "No details have been given about what sort of hunting could continue or which areas of the country it would affect.

There is going to be consultation for the next six months and there won't be any further announcements about the detail of the consultation until that process has been completed."

Last Thursday's announcement, which followed a vote by MPs for an outright ban followed by the Lords voting for the sport to continue under licence, has left hunt supporters in South Lakeland facing further uncertainty.

Doreen Westmoreland, of Coniston Foxhounds, said: "We have got this six months consultation and it is quite worrying what will happen after that.

We've just got to hope that at the end of the consultation that we will be allowed to continue in some form."

David Stocker, of the Countryside Alliance, said he really had no idea what would be contained in the bill the government put forward in six months time.

He said the alliance was keen to be involved in the consultation, which he hoped would be as public as

possible, although added that in six months time the polit-ical situation, and the Government's priorities, could have changed totally.

Mr Stocker said that although there was no suggestion from the ministers statement that there would be any special exemption for Cumbrian fell packs, he added: "The key thing is that in a National Park that is visited by the sort of number of people who come to the Lakes, the idea of shooting foxes with high-powered rifles is not something that could even be contemplated."

Meanwhile, the Campaign to Protect Hunted Animals - a coalition of the RSPCA, the League Against Cruel Sports and the International Fund for Animal Welfare - has strongly criticised the decision to hold further consultation and introduce a new bill.

John Rolls, of the RSPCA, said: "The issue has been endlessly debated.

A further six months of debate will do nothing to find common ground that just does not exist."