PUBLIC hearings on the future of fox hunting are due to be held in London next month.

The Government has announced the next phase in consultation will be held in Westminster from Monday, September 9, to Wednesday, September 11.

Expert witnesses have been called to the hearings, which will follow the findings of the Burns Committee of Enquiry into Hunting with Dogs.

They will give evidence on the effectiveness of hunting with dogs and how a new law would affect pest control and related jobs.

The key principles of preventing cruelty and recognising utility will be at the heart of the consultation, which is trying to reach a compromise between the main interest groups, which include the Campaign for the Protection of Hunted Animals, the Countryside Alliance and the Middle Way Group.

It is hoped the consultation will help develop a new law on hunting which is acceptable to all.

Bob Brierley, spokesman for the Worcestershire Hunt, said fox hunting was the least cruel way of controlling foxes and everyone involved in hunting would welcome any publicity that exposed the truth about it.

"If they ban hunting, the life of not one fox will be spared," he said.

"Farmers will have to resort to other methods, such as snaring, gassing, shooting or even poisoning, although that is illegal.

Gassing

"Gassing is totally indiscriminate and will kill anything down a hole, whether it is a fox, badger, rabbit or hare, while a fox caught in a snare may be slowly strangled to death for up to 24 hours.

"Very few people are good enough to shoot a fox and kill it outright, but there will be more farmers applying for firearms licences."

Fox hunting was also the most cost-effective way of controlling foxes, because there were no costs at all to the public purse, said Mr Brierley.

"They see us as a lot of Yahoo Henrys, but in fact we are doing a lot of valuable work at our own expense," he said.

The hearings will be chaired by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael, who said the Government had a commitment to resolving the contentious issue of hunting.

Full details of the timetable for the hearings are available by visiting the Government website at www.defra.gov.uk/ erdp/hunting.htm