The BBC's Rory Maclean: "In Scotland there is to be a new attempt at the ban"

The schemes use hounds to track foxes but the animals are shot rather than torn to pieces by dogs.

The practice was set up in the 1970s after the use of leg traps to kill foxes was banned as it was considered too cruel.

Hunting on foot

A member of the Three Straths Fox Control Association, Paul Croft, told the BBC: "The public perception of hunting is Lord Snooty sat on his horse in a red coat, a glass of whisky in his hands just about to run the peasants into the ground.

"But I'm a working class man, I'm hunting in the hills on foot and we're killing the foxes as humanely as possible. People come out with guns and rifles and we try and shoot foxes as they run past."

Previous attempts to ban fox-hunting in the UK Parliament have exempted such schemes and it is likely that when the issue comes before the Scottish Parliament, probably in September, it will follow suit.

Pest control

The schemes are considered a legitimate form of pest control, hence their public subsidy.

Labour MSP Mike Watson said the intention of the bill in Scotland was likely to be the banning of fox hunting with dogs and horses where the animal was torn limb-from-limb, as he said "there's nothing humane about that".

Michael Foster, the Labour MP behind the last attempt to ban fox hunting with dogs and horses at Westminster is also in favour of keeping the fox control associations.

Jailing red coats

But pro-hunt Conservative MP Paul Atkinson told the BBC that the government moves to ban fox hunting while exempting the destruction schemes was both "hypocritical" and "illogical".

He added: "What they want to do is put people in prison who ride around on horses with red coats."

Further problems with a ban on hunting seem likely if Scotland moves to ban hunting with horses and hounds before a similar ban is in force in England as some border hunts regularly pursue foxes from England into Scotland.

Hunters urged not to travel to Tuscany

Meanwhile, the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance has urged its supporters not to travel to Tuscany in order to disrupt the prime minister's holiday in protest at his support for a ban on the sport.

The recent resurgence of the political row over hunting sparked back into life when Prime Minister Tony Blair announced two weeks ago that the government would support moves to bring in a bill banning hunting with horses.