§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food what role is played by Forestry Commission employees in identifying the whereabouts of deer or any other activities in support of deer hunting in the New forest.
§ Mr. JackThe Forestry Commission keeper selects the animal to be hunted on each occasion. The animals selected are those which would have been culled by the Commission during its normal management operations.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Forestry Commission's keeper in the killing of a deer by the New forest buckhounds on 13 January;
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the inspection of the carcase of the deer killed in Dames Slough enclosure in the New forest on 13 January.
§ Mr. JackA copy of the duty keeper's report on the hunt by the New forest buckhounds on 13 January has been placed in the Library of the House. The duty keeper does not prepare a separate report of his inspection of the carcase. He would have recorded the details in his report if he had found that the animal had sustained injuries which indicated that the hunt had not been conducted in accordance with the conditions set out in the licence.