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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the illegal hunting of mammals with dogs in the UK.

Hunting is devolved in Scotland. The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 bans hunting with dogs in Scotland.

In England and Wales, the Hunting Act 2004 bans all hunting of wild mammals with dogs, except where it is carried out in accordance with the exemptions set out in Schedule 1 to the Act.

The Home Office has the lead departmental responsibility for the enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004. Anyone who believes an offence is taking place, or has taken place, under the Act should report the matter to the Police, who are the law enforcement authority and deal with complaints of illegal hunting.