Do Kingswood People care about hunting with dogs?

It's been announced today that MPs are to have a free vote on whether the Hunting Act should be scrapped - so which way would Kingswood people vote?

Is it a big issue for us? Our nearest hunt, the Beaufort, meets several miles away after all.

The ban was bought in by the Labour government in 2005, and Kingswood's MP Roger Berry was passionately against hunting with dogs.

But the legislation has been widely criticised by many including our new MP Chris Skidmore, who today called it a "drain on police resources" and not an issue that Kingswood constituents were overly concerned with.

The Government's new Coalition Document of priorities, published today, says there will be a free vote enabling the House of Commons to express its view on the repeal of the Hunting Act.

New Prime Minister David Cameron has been quoted as saying that he has always thought the ban was a mistake because it is difficult to enforce, while Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, although personally against fox hunting, has agreed to the vote being held.

Mr Skidmore said hunting with dogs was not an issue widely raised on the doorstep during his pre-election campaign.

He said: "I've always been open with people and stated that I believe that there should be a free vote and that the Hunting Act has been a drain on police resources which I believe would be better spent in Kingswood.

"Speaking to thousands of local people during the election, this issue was only brought up a few times. The major issues that mattered to local people were the issues on which I fought my campaign - saving the green belt from Labour's plans to build 10,000 homes across Oldland Common, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield and Siston Common, having a cap on immigration and introducing an immigration system like they have in Australia, fighting for the maximum possible facilities at Frenchay Hospital after Labour's disastrous downgrading of its A&E facilities, and keeping as many community facilities as possible when we have seen Kingswood police station bulldozed to make way for houses.

"These were the issues raised on the doorstep, and what people in Kingswood voted for."