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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with national park authorities where trail hunting takes place.

This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only.

The Government committed to enacting a ban on Trail Hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing and is at a very early stage. Initial discussions have been held with officials from other departments but, to date, none have taken place with the National Parks Authorities.