§ Sir J. Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will examine measures to improve the alignment of footpaths and the streamlining of the procedures for temporarily diverting footpaths ;
(2) what representations he has had that bulls should be forbidden in fields in which there are public footpaths ; and if he will make a statement on his policy in this matter.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe Second Report on Sport and Leisure by the Select Committee in another place makes recommendations concerning the rationalisation of the footpath system. In October my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food asked the Advisory Council for Agriculture and Horticulture to review his Department's policy in relation to the law regulating the presence of bulls in fields crossed by public rights of way, and its report is awaited.
The matters raised by my hon. Friend will be considered in the light of the reports of these two bodies. My right hon. and learned Friend has received few representations concerning bulls but two national amenity bodies have written to him on the subject.