§ Mr. JamiesonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on how many occasions personnel from the Britannia royal naval college in Dartmouth have hunted with the Britannia Beagles Association during duty hours for each year since 1989;
(2) if he will make a statement about the benefits to officers' training of hunting with dogs;
(3) if he will list the number of officers of each rank who have hunted with the Britannia Beagles Association during duty hours, in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. HanleyHunting with dogs, either on foot or on horseback, promotes physical fitness and good tactical ground appreciation, both of which are of great value to military training.
Although beagliing, like all other recreational activities, is not part of the BRNC Dartmouth training curriculum, and is not therefore undertaken by personnel while on normal duty, members of the Britannia Beagle Association may, if they wish, run with the beagles during compulsory sports afternoons, which are aimed at developing character and promoting fitness, or during off-duty hours.
Records are not maintained by my Department of the number of officers who have hunted with the Britannia Beagles Association, whether during compulsory sports afternoons or during off-duty hours.