Trail hunting ban will result in dog deaths, says Shropshire MP
Mark Pritchard says it will 'likely result in 300 dog deaths' in a singly county
Banning trail hunting will result in 300 dog deaths in a single county, an MP has claimed after a senior Conservative said Labour MPs failed to "understand the quintessential quality of rural life".
Mark Pritchard said he raised the figure in an effort to "stand up for all of those people in the hunts who do not want to destroy all of those dogs".
Labour committed in its manifesto to "ban" trail hunting - where packs of hounds follow a scent laid for them - and the pledge featured in the Government's new animal welfare strategy, unveiled last month.
A consultation is due to open in "early 2026".
Conservative shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins told the Commons: "Labour MPs need to be able to justify why a blanket ban should be imposed instead of tackling those who actually break the law.
"If they are to have intellectual consistency, do they advocate the banning of driving on the basis that some people speed?
"Of course not."
Opening an opposition day debate about rural communities, Ms Atkins said trail hunting was "long established and specifically permitted by the last Labour government in the Hunting Act as a humane alternative to fox hunting".
She added it was "rightly a criminal offence" for participants to break the Hunting Act rules, which would include hunting a wild mammal with dogs.
The frontbencher warned Labour MPs did not "understand the quintessential quality of rural life - that sense of belonging, that sense of being part of a community".
She continued: "From the parish church, to the local riding stables, to our local pubs, it is about people coming together.
"And rural sports is an example of this. They are a key part of the rural way of life for participants and non-participants alike.
"They're responsible for 26,000 full-time equivalent jobs and perform vital conservation work across the countryside.
"Wander down a rural high street and you will see shops selling clothing and equipment for rural sports, as well as farriers, gun-makers, saddlers and others dotted around the countryside.
"A careless policy on rural sports will have wide-reaching impacts across our rural communities."
As rural affairs minister Dame Angela Eagle spoke, Conservative MP Mr Pritchard intervened in her speech to ask: "Why is it that the Government are going to spend so much time on banning trail hunting?
"And is she aware that in Shropshire alone, if that goes through, we're likely to see the death of 300 dogs - 300 hounds - at least?
"And that will impact on many, many rural SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises)."
Mr Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin in Shropshire, also said: "I today stand up for all of those people in the hunts who do not want to destroy all of those dogs as well as jobs."
Dame Angela paid tribute to Mr Pritchard's "record on animal welfare" in her reply.
She said: "The ban on trail hunting was in our manifesto, and we are consulting on how to put it into effect, and I certainly hope that (Mr Pritchard) will take part in in that consultation.
"He may vote any way he likes but I hope he'll take part in the consultation."