Burns Inquiry
The Burns Inquiry is a commission set up on behalf of the British government to collect a basis for parliamentary decision-making on hunting dogs for foxes and other animals such as rabbits .
Establishment
In December 1999, the then British Home Secretary Jack Straw announced that he would appoint a government commission to investigate the forms of hunting with dogs, including in particular chase. The British economist Lord Terence Burns has been appointed to head this commission. In detail, this should investigate:
- the different aspects of dog hunting and its impact on the rural economy, agriculture, pest control, rural social and cultural life, animal welfare and wildlife management in different regions of England and Wales
- the effects of banning hunting with dogs
- how such a ban could be implemented.
The Ministry of the Interior should be the recipient of the investigation.
The commission commissioned a series of scientific investigations and visited several hunts itself. and held a number of hearings. However, the commission indicated that it would not deal with the ethical aspects of this issue.
In addition to Lord Terence Burns, Victoria Edwar , John Marsh, Lawson Soulsby of Swaffham Prior and Michael Winter were also members of the commission. The British League Against Cruel Sports criticized this appointment, however, because, in their opinion, several members had a family background that made them close to hunting dogs.
Result
One of the conclusions most frequently cited as a result after the Commission's work was over was the view that hunting with dogs in the form of chase seriously harms the welfare of the prey. However, the Commission made no recommendation whether this form of hunting should continue to be allowed or whether it should be discontinued. In a later debate in the House of Lords, the head of the commission, Lord Burns, also noted that the committee had not concluded that this form of hunting was cruel. They would not have found sufficient scientific evidence to conclude such a result. Lord Burns pointed out during the debate that it was a very complex issue.
The result of the Burns Inquiry was welcomed by both hunters and opponents of the hunt.
aftermath
Following the publication of the results of the Burns Inquiry, the British government submitted a draft decision to both Houses of Parliament, leaving the houses free to choose between prohibiting, limiting these forms of hunting or self-regulation. The House of Commons decided to ban hunting. The House of Lords, traditionally associated with these forms of hunting, for self-regulation. The British government took this result as an opportunity to introduce its own bill, the Hunting Act 2004 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs: background to the inquiry . 1999. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved February 12, 2008.
- ^ O, Brien, M .: Hansard, Commons Written Answers . House of Commons. May 23, 2000. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
- ↑ a b Clover, C .: 'MPs will rule if hunting is cruel' , Telegraph. 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
- ↑ R (oao Countryside Alliance and others and others (Appellants)) v Her Majesty's Attorney General and another (Respondents); R (oao Countryside Alliance and others (Appellants) and others) v Her Majesty's Attorney General and another (Respondents) [2007 UKHL 52] . House of Lords. December 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ^ A b Hencke, D .: Row over hunting inquiry 'bias' , Guardian. January 4, 2000. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
- ^ The Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales . Her Majesty's Stationery Office. June 9, 2000. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved on February 10, 2008.
- ^ Burns, T .: Lords Hansard . House of Lords. March 12, 2001. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ↑ Our hunting campaign . Countryside Alliance. 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2008. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
- ↑ The Burns Inquiry . League Against Cruel Sports. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
Web links
- The Burns Inquiry - The Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales (UK Government Inquiry), 2000.
- The report of the Burns Inquiry.