§ 25 and 26. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many of the 21,000 foxes killed between 1st January, 1959, and 31st January this year were destroyed by hunts; and how many were shot or gassed;
(2) how many foxes were killed in England and Wales in 1959; how many of these were destroyed by his Department's pest destruction officers; how many by the Forestry Commission; how many by individual farmers not belonging to any society: and how many by other means.
§ Mr. GodberI do not know the total number of foxes killed in any particular period, but from information I have received I can account for about 32,000 between 1st January, 1959, and 31st January, 1960. As stated in the reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 14th March, about 2,000 foxes were destroyed by my Ministry pests officers or in drives organised by them; about 2,500 were killed by the Forestry Commission: and about 6,500 by fox destruction societies. The remaining 21,000 is the best estimate available of the number killed by hunts and by individual farmers, gamekeepers and others.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes not the Joint Parliamentary Secretary think that his right hon. Friend was more than a little naughty when, in answer to Questions on 14th March, he gave the impression that these foxes were killed by hounds, with people in red jackets on horses? Is not he aware that many farmers have complained that it would be very much better if pest officers were used instead of these hunts, which recklessly ride over the growing crops?
§ Mr. GodberOn the first point raised by the hon. Member's supplementary question, I do not think that my right hon. Friend was in the least unfair. I have his Answer in front of me. He referred to this number, and then he said that they were killed by hunts, and so on. He did not specify. As to the second part of the supplementary question, I would say that farmers in general do not seem to object in any way to these proceedings. I should have thought that, in general, hunts perform a very good function in killing the foxes they do.
§ Sir T. MooreCan my hon. Friend say—
§ Mr. ManuelFlog the foxes!
§ Sir T. Moore—can my hon. Friend say how many foxes were destroyed by the League Against Cruel Sports?
§ Mr. GodberI am afraid that I have no information on that point.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes the Joint Parliamentary Secretary agree that, in reply to a Question with regard to foxes in North-West Kent, his right hon. Friend said:
I think that they"—the pest control officers—are the best people to deal with these animals humanely"?—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 14th March. 1960; Vol. 619, c. 912.]In view of that statement, if that is what is best for the foxes of north-west Kent is it not also best for the foxes in the rest of the country?
§ Mr. GodberI agree that in certain localities it is perhaps not quite so easy for a hunt to function. In built-up areas such as the hon. Member has in mind there is very great difficulty. It is far better to leave it to the discretion of those who take an interest in this form of activity.