BANNING fox hunting is a waste of government time, according to Wyre Forest's MP.

Dr Richard Taylor, who voted against the anti-fox hunting Bill pushed through Parliament last week, said the Government should be dealing with more important issues such as education and social services.

He described hunting as a "time-honoured tradition" and said arguments about animal cruelty had not been completely proven.

"Country types" had suffered enough from foot and mouth, he added, and should not be dictated by townspeople.

"I think it's one of the least important issues that the Government want to be coping with when you compare it with Iraq, world poverty, social services, education or the NHS," he told the Shuttle/Times & News. "During one of the debates we learnt that 100 hours of Parliament's time had been spent on it."

The retired doctor said he had never hunted himself but did not think the sport should be banned when the anti-hunting lobby had failed to prove its animal cruelty arguments.

"OK, they can show you a pictures of a fox that has been torn to bits, but that fox was killed the instant it was caught,"he said.

"They don't show you pictures of a fox shot and wounded that has limped away to its pit to die.

"I think when the proof of harm is not utterly complete people should be left with freedom of choice."

He added he had received no reaction from Wyre Forest groups after voting against the ban and did not expect to.

"It's been known since I was elected that I was not going to vote against hunting," he said.