To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations exist to control the meat fed to hounds; and if he will make a statement.

There is no legislation which specifically controls meat fed to hounds. Hunt kennels may accept whole carcases, but they must not take unfit meat or specified bovine offal unless it has been sterilised. They may not of course receive carcases of animals suspected of having BSE, as these must be buried or incinerated.