The hunting act made it illegal to actively chase and kill foxes and other animals with a pack of hounds.However loopholes in the act made it easy for hunts to circumvent the law and continue this evil slaughter unabated.As Northern Ireland had just agreed a devolved government the act was not brought into law here and I am therefore asking the new environment secretary,Teresa Villiers to close the hunting act loopholes and extend the law to Northern Ireland as well.

This evil practice needs consigned to the history books where it belongs and is a stain on our nation.