Hunting (Hansard, 11 January 2002)

§ Alun Michael

This answer should be read against the background to the arrangements which I set out fully in an answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 10 January 2002,Official report, column 905W, for allowing the controlled resumption of hunting.

A permit for hunting with dogs in foot and mouth disease free counties is issued to the hunt organisers and contains the following conditions which they must observe: The date, time and location of each hunt meet, together with details of the likely area to be covered by the hunt and the likely number of participants, must be notified by fax, e-mail or in writing to the local DEFRA Animal Health Divisional Office, so as to be received at least two complete working days before the day of each meet; A permanent record is maintained by the hunt master, chairman or other responsible person as any of them may designate until at least six months after the expiry of the validity of the permit of the date and location of every hunt, and of any unusual incidents occurring during the hunt, and that this record is made available on demand to an inspector; All necessary precautions are taken to avoid any possibility of incursions in the course of the hunt by participants or by any dogs or horse into an at risk or high risk county or onto premises subject to Form A or D restrictions or any like restrictions 1044W imposed under Article 38 of the Foot and Mouth Disease Order and that the hunt is planned to take place in an area that will avoid the likelihood of any such incursions; Best endeavours are used to encourage spectators to follow the progress of the hunt from public roads or from footpaths or bridleways which are not subject to FMD restrictions; No dogs are used in the hunt if within the past 56 days they have been kennelled or fed at premises which receive or collect fallen stock from premises outside the county in which the hunt takes place or from an adjoining FMD free county; Prior to hunting every participant has signed and dated a certificate of compliance with these conditions in the form required by DEFRA in respect of himself and any horse, quad bike, bicycle or other vehicle which he proposes to be used in the hunt and this certificate has been passed to the hunt chairman, master or other responsible person for the retention for at least six months after the expiry of the permit and that all such certificates shall be made available on demand to an inspector; A certificate of compliance for each hunt in the form required by DEFRA is delivered to the Divisional Veterinary Manager at the local DEFRA Animal Health Divisional Office not later than three working days after the day of the hunt.

In addition, the following conditions apply to hunt participants. No person shall: participate in a hunt authorised by a permit: (i) if their main dwelling is not in an FMD free county; or (ii) if they have visited any relevant premises situated in an at risk county or a high risk county in the period of seven days prior to the hunt. Use any dog or horse in a hunt unless it has been kept for at least the preceding 30 days exclusively at premises in the county where the hunt is to take place or at premises in an adjoining county which is also a FMD free county. Use a vehicle to transport horse or dogs for the purpose of a hunt, where that vehicle has previously been used to transport cattle, sheep, goats or other ruminating animals, pigs or deer unless it has been thoroughly cleansed and disinfected in accordance with schedule 2 of the foot and Mouth Disease Order and any other requirements applying in relation to such transportation since the last occasion on which it was so used. Participate in a hunt authorised by a permit unless they are wearing clean outer clothing and footwear, and cleanse and disinfect the outer surfaces of their footwear before and after the hunt. Use any bicycle, quad bike, or other vehicle in a hunt authorised by a permit unless the same has been thoroughly cleansed and disinfected before and after the hunt.

These conditions are designed to manage the disease control risks associated with hunting with dogs and to implement the recommendations of the veterinary risk assessment into these activities. Some conditions are necessary to ensure the efficient administration of the permit scheme.

Full details of the temporary system of permits for hunting with dogs, including the veterinary risk assessment, applications forms and certificates of compliance are available on the DEFRA website http: //www.defra.gov. uk/.