Should foxhunting be banned nationwide?
Has fox, game and wild animal hunting had it's day?

I have never hunted foxes in my life, but I do have strong views on the issue. That seems to be the position of most people, whether or not they are in favour of hunting.

The fox has no natural predator - but many enemies. In the past foxes have killed my own chickens - they kill for fun as well as for food so if they kill one for food, they might kill ten in all. Only the badger is crueller than the fox when it comes to killing not only chickens, but lambs.

Most people concede that the fox population needs to be controlled, so if foxes are going to be killed, the issue of cruelty must be faced on two levels. First, is the death of a fox by hounds 'cruel'? In his report at no point did Lord Burns conclude that hunting was 'cruel'. His report notes that there is a lack of scientific evidence about the effect of hunting on the welfare of the fox. Burns noted that 'insensibility and death will normally follow within a matter of seconds once the fox is caught'. We then need to compare hunting with other methods of control. Lord Burns concluded, 'None of the legal methods of fox control is without difficulty from an animal welfare perspective. Their snaring and shooting can have serious welfare implications'. Shooting can be dangerous for fox and human alike. People out shooting pigeons or rabbits with a 12 bore shotgun may come across a fox and wound it, condemning it to a lingering death. People out 'lamping' at night with high power rifles can be dangerous both to the fox and to other people in the countryside.

If we are talking about the general issue of cruelty to animals, then I believe foxhunting is nowhere near the top of the list. Fishing for sport is 'cruel' in that the fish is played on a line for some time, hook in mouth, before being netted. Even if it is put back, the experience must have been traumatic. Shooting for sport of pheasants or grouse ends up with a popular food product but birds which are 'winged' may live a long time as a 'runner'.

Next time you eat fish and chips, just think of the whole process. We have harnessed technology to locate shoals of fish using radar, we guide the boats to the shoals using satellite navigation then scoop up the fish by the ton. Those fish die either from suffocation by weight of numbers or suffocation packed in ice. There is no question of stunning the fish when they are brought out of the water.

Chickens are naturally jungle birds even though they have been domesticated for centuries. Chickens reared in broiler houses whether for meat or for eggs are leading a very unnatural life. Free-range chicken and free-range eggs are increasing popular - and increasingly expensive. Most chickens and most eggs are mass-produced in 'cruel' circumstances.

Then there is the whole question of zoos and performing animals in circuses. The fox certainly has a far happier life than wild animals caged for life or kept in transportable cages and trained to perform for man's pleasure. Why are so few people interested in the welfare of zoo and circus animals?

Thousands of animals every day are slaughtered by having their throats cut whilst conscious, thus bleeding to death. The majority of people in our country tolerate this because it is a matter of religious and cultural tradition. No one has ever written to me or asked me to campaign to outlaw Halal butchery. Few would argue that it was not 'cruel'.

There are those who argue that foxhunting should be banned on the grounds that they could not possibly consider it to be a 'sport' because it is so cruel. Surely boxing is much crueller? It is the only sport when the sole objective is to do the maximum possible damage to the other man's body and brain. Many would argue that in terms of social harm, football does far more damage than foxhunting in terms of the thug violence which accompanies it and the disrepute into which the whole nation falls as a result. Football can be a matter of national shame in a way foxhunting is not.

Then there are those who argue that since such large numbers of people want to ban foxhunting, then the wish of the majority should prevail. This is a specious argument. If Parliament were to go down that road, then execution by hanging would be reintroduced and tax abolished.

There is another more important argument. Not only is tolerance a great British virtue, but one of the most important democratic values is to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority. The absolute power of a dictator has its parallel in the abuse of democracy when it fails to protect minorities.

Other arguments can be deployed in support of hunting. The Burns Report found that between 6,000 and 8,000 full-time equivalents presently depend on hunting. He went on to note that 'applying the principle that two part-time or part-year employees equates to one FTE, the total number of people employed by hunts followers may be some 70% higher than the number of FTEs. This would equate to between 10,000 and 13,000 people deriving a living from hunting.' That is a lot of families.

The Burns Report also noted that, 'We do not underestimate the importance, for those who take part, of the opportunities for social interaction provided by hunting.' He went on, 'The social activities organised by the hunts form an important feature of the social life of those communities in which hunting is actively pursued.'

This is important. Whether we live in cities, towns or rural Britain, we all participate in activities which we would defend, but which are not widely understood or enjoyed by others. This is where tolerance comes in. I do not really understand the fascination of greyhound racing, boxing, pigeon fancying and many other activities - yet I do not seek to deride them, let alone ban them.

For many objectors, and for many of those who really don't know much about it, the fox-hunting debate is about doing down toffs in red coats prancing about on expensive horses. They see it as a socially divisive issue. Just one visit to a local hunt would introduce them to the reality of hunt life - which is about the cooperation of all generations from all walks of life and of different means in a common pursuit which knits together the rural community.

I have already pointed out that I have never hunted foxes in my life. However, foxhunting has been part of my life in that for as long as I can remember, from my childhood, I have supported the local South Wiltshire hunts - particularly the Boxing Day hunt when some hundreds of people gather in festive mode to see off 80 or 90 huntsmen and women of all ages and generations, none of them wearing hunting pink!

Members of Parliament are not delegates. It is a great and good tradition of British politics that Members of Parliament listen to their constituents, listen to pressure groups, weigh the evidence of informed advice - and then come to a judgement. That is what I shall do in this case. When this matter has been debated and voted on in the House of Commons before, I have supported the liberty of our citizens to hunt foxes if they so wish. This time, I currently see no reason to change my mind.