Second free vote for MPs on hunt ban

20 June 2001



Second free vote for MPs on hunt ban

By Fwi staff

THE government has promised to give MPs a second free vote on the issue of hunting with dogs in the Queens speech.

A statement released by the government said hunting was an issue that aroused strong passions among people on both sides of the argument so was rightly a free vote issue.

“So, in accordance with the governments commitment, the new Parliament will be given an opportunity to express its view by a free vote.

We will then enable Parliament to reach a conclusion on this issue. If this issue continues to be blocked we will look at how the disagreement can be resolved.

When the House of Commons was given the chance to vote on the issue in February 2001 it voted overwhelmingly in favour of a complete ban.

The bill then passed to the House of Lords but ran out of parliamentary time after the prime minister called the general election.

• Hunt ban set to be election issue, FWi, 29 November 1999
• Labour to force hunt bill through, FWi, 20 December 2000
• Alliance lining up human rights case, FWi, 13 December 2000