Alun Michael is today expected to tell MPs that the government ready to bring forward legislation to introduce tough new controls over fox hunting and will be prepared to use the Parliament Act should the House of Lords oppose the legislation.

Whilst he will stop short of backing a total ban, he will say that the government will introduce a bill containing measures much tougher than those proposed by the "middle way" groups.

The new bill will outlaw stag hunting and restrict fox hunting to a very limited number of upland areas where other forms of pest control are not effective.

It will effectively end fox hunting in most parts of the UK before the next general election.