§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons he rejected the proposal to appoint(a) AJF Webster, (b) Piran White, (c) Donald Broom, (d) Stephen Harris and (e) Baroness Young to the Burns Inquiry into hunting; and if he will make a statement. [108181]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienIt would be invidious to give details of the merits of any person not appointed to the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he made of the personal views of the members appointed to serve on the Burns Inquiry; and if he will make a statement. [108227]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI set out any association which each member of the Inquiry Team has had with hunting in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Dr. Gibson) on 1 February 2000,Official Report, columns 504–06W.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is satisfied that any personal and private views, one way or the other, will not prevent any of them from providing an informative view on the issues before the Committee.