Farmers seek end to hunting curbs,

Farmers seek end to hunting curbs, Charles Clover, The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday, 23rd October, 2001

Farmers want to restart hunting in the wake of FMD to cope with the growing fox population. They accused ministers yesterday of failing to publish a veterinary assessment of the risks of hunting spreading the disease and of failing to reach a decision on whether the sport should resume. But their attempts to force a resumption, subject to the permission of individual landowners, have been countered by a plea by animal welfare groups to bring forward a Bill banning hunting altogether.

Hunting was voluntarily suspended on 22nd February to assist controls aimed at halting the spread of foot and mouth. Ministers subsequently banned the sport under controlled area restrictions.

Members of the Welsh National Farmers' Union now say all Welsh counties report an increase in fox numbers and predation. Farmers say the right balance needs to be struck between the need to control foxes before next year's lambing season and eliminating the risk of any potential spread of FMD by hunt activities.

However, a coalition of the RSPCA., International Fund for Animal Welfare and the League Against Cruel Sports is urging the Government to act on its undertaking to put a hunting Bill back on to the parliamentary agenda.

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