§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the fees payable by fox hunts for licences to hunt on Ministry of Defence land were last reviewed; and what plans he has to review them.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonFees payable by fox hunts for licences to hunt on Ministry of Defence land are reviewed at the commencement of each licence period and will continue to be reviewed at such times.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for licences for fox hunts and deer hunts were made in (a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1990 and (d) 1991; how many were accepted; and how many were rejected in each year.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMy noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conditions relating to nature conservation are incorporated in the licence given to fox hunts to hunt on Ministry of Defence land.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Ministry of Defence continually seeks specialist advice regarding conservation on MOD land and takes account of this advice when drawing up licences permitting fox hunting on Ministry of Defence land.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the revenue obtained from the issue of licences to hunts to hunt on Ministry of Defence land covers the administrative costs involved.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 8 March 1991 at column331.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether licences given to fox hunts to hunt on Ministry of Defence land make any specific reference to(a) the digging out of foxes, (b) the blocking up of badger setts or (c) badgers.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonNo. MOD licences do stipulate, however, that the licensed activity must be conducted within the law and in accordance with any regulations or codes of good conduct.
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§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what conditions a licence given to a fox hunt to hunt on Ministry of Defence land would be revoked.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonFailure of a fox hunt to comply with the terms of the licence granted or any MOD regulations would be sufficient grounds on which to revoke the licence.
§ 1991. Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the number of Army horses transported to hunting meets in(a) 1990 and (b)
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonFour hundred Army horses were transported to participate in hunting meets in 1990 and 323 in 1991. These figures count separately horses taken to more than one meet.