Ban on hunting out of Queen’s Speech
Prime Minister Tony Blair survived the knife-edge vote on foundation hospitals last week by enticing anti-hunting Labour MPs with future legislation banning foxhunting, according to reports.
Labour MPs heard from Mr Blair that the Government would introduce a new bill to ban hunting with dogs, possibly in the form of a private member’s bill (PMB).
The Government survived the vote last week on foundation hospitals, with a slim majority of just 17.
Although the MPs were told legislation to ban foxhunting would be excluded from the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday, they were given assurances that a bill would be reintroduced next year.
In July, the Commons supported a total ban on hunting with dogs after rejecting the Government’s “third way” option of allowing some form of hunting under licence.
But the bill was later blocked by peers.
The House of Lords is up in arms over an array of Government of legislation including top-up fees for university students, the ban on hunting, and plans to abolish the remaining 92 hereditary peers.
The Queen’s Speech is likely to include 25 bills.
Among the measures include a bill granting education authorities the power to clamp down on traffic congestion during the morning school run.
Bills will cover on immigration and asylum seekers, domestic violence, child trust funds and a bill allowing homosexual couples the right to register their relationships, granting them the same tax and inheritance rights as heterosexuals.
Draft bills on the euro referendum and identity cards are also to receive a mention in the Queen’s Speech.
