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The Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales was set up by the Government and began work in 1999. Its terms of reference were to enquire into:
- the practical aspects of different types of hunting with dogs and its impact on the rural economy, agriculture and pest control, the social and cultural life of the countryside, the management and conservation of wildlife, and animal welfare in particular areas of England and Wales - the consequences for these issues of any ban on hunting with dogs - how any ban might be implemented The Final Report of the Committee was published in June 2000. In a subsequent House of Lords debate on the Government's 'options' Bill in March 2001 Lord Burns said: "Naturally, people ask whether we were implying that hunting is cruel... The short answer to that question is no. There was not sufficient verifiable evidence or data safely to reach views about cruelty." The report and all evidence submitted can be found at the inquiry's website or read on for our summary of what the Burns Inquiry said about: |