Tony Blair is preparing to introduce a Bill banning hunting to the House
of Commons before Easter after unexpectedly dropping it from the Queen's
Speech last year.

The move, described as a "matter of trust" between the Prime Minister and
Labour MPs, will disappoint hunting enthusiasts who assumed that the
issue had been moved off the Government's agenda. But it will delight his
own party and animal welfare groups who have criticised the Government
for continually refusing to resolve the issue.

Ministers are determined to finalise the Bill before the end of the
parliamentary session after six years of deadlock between the House of
Commons and the House of Lords.

They want to give MPs the chance to vote for a full ban by Easter but are
considering delaying its introduction to the House of Lords until after
the summer. That would stop peers spending so much time discussing the
hunting Bill that they deliberately wreck the progress of other bills on
the Government's agenda.

The House of Lords, which has consistently opposed a hunting ban and has
stopped other bills progressing, is expected to block the hunting Bill
again by voting against it.

But ministers have discussed employing an infrequently used device called
the Parliament Act to push the Bill past the House of Lords and on to the
statute books.

It could then become law in England and Wales before the next election. A
ban has already been introduced in Scotland.

Government sources said that the decision not to delay the Bill further
was now a "matter of trust" with Labour MPs. Environment ministers met
this week to discuss the agenda.

"We are looking at introducing it in February, March or April and then
delaying its introduction to the Lords until after the summer," one
Government source said. "We can use the Parliament Act after the Bill has
been in the Lords for a month. That will enable its passage before the
next general election."

The decision to reintroduce the Bill comes as Tony Blair faces the
prospect of defeat at the hands of Labour backbenchers over tuition fees.

Westminster observers will interpret the Government's decision to press
ahead with a hunting ban as an attempt to win back the confidence of
Labour backbenchers.

Last night, animal welfare groups said that failure to bring back the
Bill would pose huge problems for Labour at the next election because the
Government has repeatedly promised to do so.

"A ban on hunting has become a matter of trust between Parliament and the
people following the promises made by Tony Blair, Labour ministers and
MPs," said Douglas Batchelor of the League against Cruel Sports. "While
we understand the Government's problems, no one would forgive any further
delay."

Labour MPs made their wish for a complete ban on hunting clear last year
when they voted overwhelmingly to throw out a Government proposal to
licence hunting in England and Wales and to outlaw the sport it
completely.

A minority of MPs want to introduce a licensing system for hunts in a bid
to find a compromise. They will have a chance to discuss the proposal
next month when Lembit Opik, a Liberal Democrat MP, introduces a private
member's Bill on this option. But it has no chance of becoming law.

Taken from:
 http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=479422