Government amendments to take account of the Commons vote to ban hunting wild mammals with dogs were tabled today.
All references to the hunting registrar and tribunal are being stripped from the Bill. And an addition to the schedule of exemptions will ensure protection of birds for shooting.
Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael commented:
"As I told the House yesterday, amendments must be made in Committee to the Hunting Bill as a consequence of the addition of new clause 11
- which bans hunting wild mammals with dogs.
"The amendments tabled today delete the registration and tribunal requirements originally set out in the Bill. Now that all hunting is to be banned, apart from the exemptions already agreed, there is no practical or economic case for establishing a registration system.
"The House will be able to debate these changes very soon, and put the Bill into good order, so that it provides good legislation which will do what Parliament intends".