§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will revoke the licences that allow the Goschen foxhounds, Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray foxhounds, and the Hampshire hunt to hunt on the site of special scientific interest Ministry of Defence training area at Longmoor.
§ Mr. NeubertIt is the Department's policy to permit access to Ministry of Defence land for recreational purposes, including hunting, wherever operational and safety considerations permit, where it is consistent with the interests of tenants and licensees and where it does not unreasonably affect local amenities and the environment. In the case of Longmoor, those criteria, including taking into consideration the site of special scientific interest, have been met.
The site of special scientific interest was designated by the Nature Conservancy Council, whose staff closely monitor the area to ensure that users of the land do not damage the site. As this recreational pursuit is not causing any damage to the site of special scientific interest, we do not propose to revoke the licences that allow the Goschen foxhounds, Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray foxhounds, and the Hampshire hunt to hunt over this area.