§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of all sentenced prisoners who (i) emanated from an ethnic minority and (ii) are white were sentenced by(a) a Crown court and (b) a magistrates court during 1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Mellor[holding answer 25 January 1990]The information is given in the table:
recent year for which figures are available, in connection with badger baiting; what was the maximum penalty levied; if he plans to introduce any further controls; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 2 February 1990]In 1988, the last year for which information is available, there were 74 prosecutions under the Badgers Act 1973. There were convictions in 41 cases and the largest fine was for £700. It is not possible to say how many of these cases involved badger baiting.
Badger baiting may lead to an offence also under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, although no separate records are kept of such cases.
I am considering sympathetically a proposal by the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale) and my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) to provide that a person convicted under the Badgers Act 1973 may be disqualified from keeping a dog. Otherwise there are no plans for further legislation relating to badger baiting.