David Norris (Independent)

Since the Senator brought up the issue of hunting and all the rest, I accept that it is a wonderful pageant. My mother adored the hunt. My uncle retired to Rutland, principally because he was surrounded by the Quorn, the Pytchley, the Belvoir and the Cottesmore. I have seen it and listened to talk of the bell-mouthed hounds. I can understand there is an argument in terms of fox hunting, perhaps, that a cull in the natural way is more decent than gassing or shooting them, that it is a tradition and so on and so forth.