SURPLUS Scottish horses could end up on French dinner tables after a fox hunting ban, ministers were warned, according to a newly released archives.
In a memo to the Scottish cabinet in January 2002 ahead of a crunch Holyrood vote, the environment minister said large numbers of redundant hounds could also be destroyed.
LibDem Ross Finnie raised the prospect amid backbench calls for compensation to be paid to those losing jobs and animals when the Protection of Wild Mammals Bill became law.
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The brainchild of former Glasgow Labour MSP Mike Watson, the Bill made it illegal to hunt wild mammals, including foxes and hares, with dogs.
As the Scottish Executive resisted compensation payments, Mr Finnie’s memo said there were 10 hunts in Scotland and around 200 jobs - some with tied homes - could be lost.
“Another difficult area is the possibility that sizeable numbers of pack hounds and horses may need to be destroyed if hunts do not turn to alternative sports such as drag hunting.
“Supporters of the Bill suggest that alternative use of the animals in this manner is the way forward, but this seems unlikely in Scotland.
“If this does not happen, the prospect is that some horses will be used for other equestrian purposes, whilst others may either be destroyed or exported to the Continent for meat.
“Pack hounds would serve no other useful purpose than that for which they are bred. Inevitably compensation issues may arise around the effects of the Bill on horses and dogs.”
MSPs later backed a ban without any compensation.