HC Deb 06 November 1997 vol 300 cc325-9W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those areas designated as sites of special scientific interest where his Department has issued a licence to hunt; and if he will make a statement. [14443]

Mr. Spellar

Those areas designated as sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) where a licence to hunt has been issued are as follows:

Name of Hunt Name of SSSI
Surrey Union Thursley and Hankley Commons
Woolmer Forest, Bordon
Ash to Brookwood Heaths
Avon Vale Hunt Salisbury Plain
Royal Artillery Hunt Salisbury Plain
South and West Wiltshire Hunt Salisbury Plain
East Kent Hunt Folkestone to Etchinghill Escarpment
Great Shuttlesfield Down
Alkham, Lydden and Swingfield
Woods
Name of Hunt Name of SSSI
Essex and Suffolk Hunt Roman River
Border Hunt Ramsay's Bum Wood
Grasslees Wood
Durtrees Burn
Harbottle Moors
Barrow Meadow
Linbriggs
Barrowburn Meadows
Cottonshopehead Quarry
River Coquet
Simonside Hills
West Percy Hunt Barrowburn Meadows
Linbriggs
Harbottle Moors
Barrow Meadows
River Coquet
Bewcastle Hunt Irthing Gorge
Caudbeck Flow
Spadeadam Mires
River Eden
Bedale Hunt Lower Swaledale Woodland
West of Yore Hunt Stainton Moor
Wensleydale Hunt Bellerby Moor
Lunesdale Hunt Appleby Fell
Ullswater Hunt Appleby Fell
Brecon and Talybont Hunt Blaencilieni
Irfon and Tywi Hunt Blaencilieni
Glyn and Celyn Hunt Blaencilieni
Sennybridge District Hunt Blaencilieni

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which hunts currently have a licence to hunt on his Department's land; to which areas of land licences apply; and if he will make a statement. [14441]

Mr. Spellar

The Foxhunts which currently have a Licence to operate on Ministry of Defence land are set out below.

Area
Surrey Union Hunt Elstead and Hankley Training
Areas
Avon Vale Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
Royal Artillery Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
South and West Wiltshire Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
East Kent Hunt Cinque Ports Training Area
Blankney Hunt Beckingham Training Area
Zetland Hunt Feldom Training Area
Bedale Hunt Dry Training Area, Catterick
West of Yore Hunt Dry Training Area, Catterick
Wensleydale Hunt Bellerby Ranges, Catterick
Lunesdale Foxhounds Warcop Training Area
Ullswater Foxhounds Warcop Training Area
Brecon and Talybont Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
Irfon and Tywi Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
Glyn and Celyn Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
Sennybridge District Hunt Sennybridge Training Area
South Pembrokeshire Hunt Templeton Airfield
Tanatside Hunt Nesscliffe Training Area
North Shropshire Hunt Nesscliffe Training Area
West Percy Hunt Otterburn Training Area
Border Hunt Otterburn Training Area
Bewcastle Hunt RAF Spadeadam
Tynedale Hunt Albermarle Barracks

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the licences granted to hunt on his Department's land in the hunting seasons(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97 broken down into local authority area; and if he will make a statement. [14445]

Mr. Spellar

Those Licences granted to hunts broken down by Local Authority Area for 1995–96 and 1996–97 are as follows:

a. 1995–96
Name of Hunt Local authority
Surrey Union Waverley District
Guildford Borough
Surrey Heath
Taunton Vale Foxhounds South Somerset District
Avon Vale Hunt West Wiltshire District
Royal Artillery Hunt West Wiltshire District
South and West Wiltshire Hunt West Wiltshire District
East Kent Hunt Shepway District Council
Dover District Council
Essex and Suffolk Hunt Colchester Borough Council
Zetland Hunt Richmond District Council
Bedale Hunt Richmond District Council
West of Yore Hunt Richmond District Council
Wensleydale Hunt Richmond District Council
Lunesdale Hunt Eden District Council
Ullswater Hunt Eden District Council
Brecon and Talybont Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
Irfon and Tywi Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
Glyn and Celyn Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
Sennybridge District Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
Tanatside Hunt Shrewsbury and Atcham
Borough Council
North Shropshire Hunt Shrewsbury and Atcham
Borough Council
West Percy Hunt Alnwick District Council
Northumberland National Park
The Border Hunt Alnwick District Council
Tynedale District Council
Northumberland National Park
Bewcastle Hunt City of Carlisle District Council
Tynedale Hunt Castle Morpeth Borough
Council
b. 1996–97
Name of Hunt Local authority
Surrey Union Waverley District
Guildford Borough
Surrey Heath
Avon Vale Hunt West Wiltshire District
Royal Artillery Hunt West Wiltshire District
South and West Wiltshire Hunt West Wiltshire District
East Kent Hunt Shepway District Council
Dover District Council
Blankney Hunt North Kesteven District Council
Zetland Hunt Richmond District Council
Bedale Hunt Richmond District Council
West of Yore Hunt Richmond District Council
Wensleydale Hunt Richmond District Council
Lunesdale Hunt Eden District Council
Ullswater Hunt Eden District Council
Brecon and Talybont Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
Irfon and Tywi Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
b. 1996–97
Name of Hunt Local authority
Glyn and Celyn Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
Sennybridge District Hunt Carmarthen County Council
Powys County Council
South Pembrokeshire Hunt Pembroke County Council
Tanatside Hunt Shrewsbury and Atcham
Borough Council
North Shropshire Hunt Shrewsbury and Atcham
Borough Council
West Percy Hunt Alnwick District Council
Northumberland National
Park
The Border Hunt Alnwick District Council
Tynedale District Council
Northumberland National
Park
Bewcastle Hunt City of Carlisle District Council
Tynedale Hunt Castle Morpeth Borough
Council

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the terms and conditions of hunt licences include a requirement that hunts follow the rules as set out by the Masters of Foxhounds Association; and if he will make a statement. [14447]

Mr. Spellar

Each Licence includes a Schedule of Hunting Rules for the hunt to abide by, one of which is that theMasters of Foxhounds are to conduct their hunting in accordance with the Rules issued by the Masters of Foxhounds Association".

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many licences to hunt on his Department's land have been revoked in each of the last three years, indicating(a) the hunts involved and (b) the reasons for licence withdrawal; and if he will make a statement. [14439]

Mr. Spellar

No Licence for hunting over MOD land have been revoked in the last 3 years.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority licences are issued to hunt on his Department's land; how the terms and conditions are drawn up; and if he will make a statement. [14444]

Mr. Spellar

Licences are issued on the authority of the Secretary of State for Defence. The terms and conditions are agreed between the hunt and the local Defence Land Agent.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances the terms and conditions of hunt licences permit hunts to(a) block up badger setts, (b) dig out and flush foxes and (c) construct or maintain artificial earths on his Department's land; and if he will make a statement. [14446]

Mr. Spellar

Hunting licences do not generally contain clauses prohibiting the stopping up of badger setts, although all contain clauses stating that hunts must not cause damage to land or the woods, banks, fences and crops thereon. It is my Department's policy not to allow the practices of digging out and flushing foxes on its estate. The construction or maintenance of artificial earths on the Defence Estate is not permitted.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which hunts were issued licences to hunt on his Department's land for the(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97 hunting seasons; and if he will make a statement. [14440]

Mr. Spellar

The licences granted to hunts were:

(a). 1995-96

  • Surrey Union
  • Taunton Vale Foxhounds
  • Avon Val Hunt
  • Royal Artillery Hunt.
  • South and West Wiltshire Hunt
  • East Kent Hunt
  • Essex and Suffolk Hunt
  • Zetland Hunt Bedale Hunt
  • West of Yore Hunt
  • Wensleydale Hunt
  • Lunesdale Hunt
  • Ullswater Hunt
  • Brecon and Talybont Hunt
  • Irfon and Tywi Hunt
  • Glyn and Celyn Hunt
  • Sennybridge District Hunt
  • Tanatside Hunt
  • North Shropshire Hunt
  • West Percy Hunt
  • The Border Hunt
  • Bewcastle Hunt
  • Tynedale Hunt

b. 1996–97

  • Surrey Union
  • Avon Vale Hunt
  • Royal Artillery Hunt
  • South and West Wiltshire Hunt
  • East Kent Hunt
  • Blankney Hunt
  • Zetland Hunt
  • Bedale Hunt
  • West of Yore Hunt
  • Wensleydale Hunt
  • Lunesdale Hunt
  • Ullswater Hunt
  • Brecon and Talybont Hunt
  • Irfon and Tywi Hunt
  • Glyn and Celyn Hunt
  • Sennybridge District Hunt
  • South Pembrokeshire Hunt
  • Tanatside Hunt
  • North Shropshire Hunt
  • West Percy Hunt
  • The Border Hunt
  • Bewcastle Hunt
  • Tynedale Hunt