Minister voices hunt bill fears

Hunting with dogs could be banned under the bill

Sports Minister Kate Hoey has voiced concern that a government bill on hunting will be time consuming and distract MPs from "issues that matter" such as education and the health service.

Ms Hoey, who favours regulatory controls rather than an all-out ban on fox hunting, also questioned whether Parliament was the right place for a decision on the matter.

On Monday, Home Secretary Jack Straw is to outline the government's position on hunting with hounds as he publishes the independent Burns Inquiry report into the potential impact a ban would have on rural life in England and Wales.

He is also expected to announce a bill on the issue which will offer MPs a free vote on a range of options from maintaining the status quo to an outright ban.

Kate Hoey will not drop her opposition to an all-out ban

Most Labour back-benchers are said to support a total ban but Ms Hoey told BBC One's Breakfast with Frost that MPs would have to compromise on the issue otherwise "we will be in for a very long battle on this".

She warned: "It's getting us away from the issues that matter - on the health service, on education on jobs."

Ms Hoey said she favoured the setting up of a regulatory body controlling blood sport "excesses".

"I think if this was really about animal welfare I would think differently because I very strongly support animal welfare.

"I think there are a lot more important issues on animal welfare that people should concentrate on."

Ms Hoey continued: "There is a need, and everyone accepts there is a need, to control the numbers of foxes and therefore we get into the judgment about what is the best way of doing that."

We have to be very careful when we are making something criminal

Kate Hoey

She said she was looking forward to reading the Burns report's conclusions on whether hunting foxes with hounds was any more cruel than exterminating them by poison or gassing.

The minister warned that Parliament could find itself on shaky ground if it tried to outlaw blood sports.

"I'm not sure it's the government's job, or even MPs' jobs, to actually make those sorts of decisions.

"I think when you are looking at what is a very important issue for perhaps a minority of people, then we have to be very careful when we are making something criminal," she said.