Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward reforms to the Hunting Act 2004 beyond a ban on trail hunting; and whether she has consulted (a) police forces, (b) prosecutors and (c) animal welfare organisations on potential reforms to the Hunting Act 2004.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans in a generation to improve animal welfare and that is exactly what we will do.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting, that truly protects our countryside, wildlife and rural communities. On 26 March, Defra launched a consultation seeking views on how best to deliver an effective and enforceable ban in England and Wales and on any potential social, community, economic, business or environmental impacts. The consultation will be open until 18 June and all responses to it will be considered carefully in developing our proposals.