Press Release - New legislative recommendations to strengthen hunting law launched in Westminster
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP confirms work underway on a Private Members’ Bill.
The New Hunting Ban has formally published its Legislative Recommendations for strengthening hunting law, launching them yesterday at an event in Westminster.
The event was hosted by comedian, writer and broadcaster Stewart Lee and attended by MPs, campaigners, animal welfare organisations and activists. The recommendations set out a comprehensive framework for reforming the Hunting Act 2004, addressing loopholes that have allowed hunting with hounds to continue more than two decades after it was banned.
At the event, Neil Duncan-Jordan MP announced that he has begun the process of using the recommendations as the basis for a new Private Members’ Bill, to be titled the Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill.
The legislative recommendations propose a package of reforms designed to make the ban on hunting with hounds enforceable in practice. Key measures include:
Replacing the current intent-based offence with an objective foreseeability test
Introducing a “going equipped” offence to allow earlier police intervention
Removing all existing exemptions that have been repeatedly exploited
Making trail hunting an offence, while clearly protecting legitimate drag hunting through regulated exemptions
Expanding liability to include those who facilitate or fail to prevent illegal hunting
Strengthening penalties, extending prosecution time limits, and improving powers to recover enforcement costs
Removing provisions allowing for the destruction of seized hounds
The recommendations are informed by a large-scale open consultation with more than 2,200 responses, Parliamentary briefings involving senior police leaders and legal experts, and submissions from campaigners and enforcement professionals across the country.
The full legislative recommendations are now available to download at:
https://thenewhuntingban.com/legislative-recommendations
Rhys Giles, Director of The New Hunting Ban said:
“These recommendations reflect what police, prosecutors and campaigners have been saying for years: the current law is not working. This is a clear, practical framework for delivering what Parliament intended in 2004 — an effective end to hunting with hounds.
Our recommendations for legislative reform are comprehensive yet straightforward, and they will now be the benchmark against which the government’s own proposals will be measured.
I’m confident in calling them the new gold standard in hunting law.”
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP commented:
"I am delighted the Government has announced a consultation to strengthen the Hunting Act, following the joint letter from over 60 MPs and Peers which I led.
However, we have been here before with the Hunting Act - the crucial test will be whether new legislation is truly watertight.
That is precisely why I am already working with legal experts on a Private Member’s Bill.
I announced to fellow MPs, hunt saboteurs and animal welfare campaigners on Monday evening, my aim is to draft the gold-standard that any legislation will be held against.
I want to work constructively with the Government and experts to ensure we get this right.”
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP’s announcement marks the first step towards translating the proposals into legislation. Further updates on the progress of the Bill will be shared in the coming months.
