Hunt: ban on the way?

Another intense battle over hunting with hounds faces MPs and peers during the forthcoming session.

The government announced on Wednesday that rural affairs minister, Alun Michael, will introduce legislation to "enable parliament to reach a conclusion" on hunting with dogs in England and Wales.

Legislation has already been passed by the Scottish parliament banning hunting with dogs.

DEFRA, the department overseeing the bill, admitted the issue was "contentious" - but hinted that the final vote will be on a compromise deal.

Michael is still reviewing the evidence from consultation meetings he held with interested groups in September.

The department said the minister would "build on the work of the Burns report on hunting with dogs and identify as much common ground as possible".

The final bill would be "based on evidence and principle".

It is thought that hunts will continue in areas where it can be proved that the alternative would prove less humane.

Shadow environment secretary, David Lidington, argued that there were more pressing matters to address in rural Britain today.

"Poor public transport, inadequate broadband communications, the pressures on village shops, pubs and sub-post offices - all affect people's ability to find work and to enjoy an acceptable quality of life in the countryside," he said.

"We are in the middle of the worst agricultural recession since the 1930s. To concentrate on hunting when there are so many other problems besetting the countryside betrays a lunatic sense of priorities."

But the government is treading carefully and hopes to secure closure on an issue which has dogged ministers since Labour came to power in 1997.

Most Labour backbenchers want an outright ban but, as September's countryside march showed, there will be strong resistance from hunting supporters.

Pro-hunting campaigners signalled they would oppose anything that amounted to an outright ban.

Countryside Alliance chairman John Jackson said: "The Alliance looks forward to seeing the actual shape of the forthcoming legislation, which today's announcement leaves unclear.

"We expect the government to keep its word and make proposals which are fair and based on principle and evidence. Any departure from this would result in resistance not only by rural people but by all who value social justice."

The anti-hunt coalition Campaigning to Protect Hunted Animals said they hoped MPs would carry out their pledge to amend the legislation to include a total ban.

The group - which includes the League Against Cruel Sports, the RSPCA and the International Fund for Animal Welfare - welcomed the fact that the bill was returning to the Commons.

"We welcome today's announcement but we'd like to remind the government that any compromise remains unacceptable," said a spokesman.

"When the bill is published in full it must resolve the issue once and for all, it must ban fox hunting and all parties must allow their MPs to have a free vote on what is a moral issue."