GOVERNMENT ministers were today hammering the final nails into the coffin of fox-hunting in Hampshire.

Leader of the Commons Peter Hain was set to announce when next week MPs will be handed a free vote on banning hunting with hounds.

MPs are certain to vote to outlaw the traditional pursuit, which has taken place in Hampshire for centuries - yet the ban will not start for two years, probably November 2006.

And in a final insult to hundreds of people whose livelihood depends on hunting, rural affairs minister Alun Michael said the government would not pay them compensation. Mr Michael made clear that the government was prepared to invoke the Parliament Act to force through the Hunting Bill if the House of Lords once again attempted to block it.

He said: "The government has made it clear that the issue does not have as high a priority as issues like jobs and schools and hospitals and transport, to name a few.

"But it is an issue that has absorbed an enormous amount of valuable parliamentary time over several years and before the last election we acknowledged that it was time for Parliament to reach a conclusion."

Special parliamentary legislation will be introduced to delay a ban on fox-hunting.

Mr Michael said the delay would give huntsmen time to get rid of their hounds and shift into other activities, such as drag hunting.

But it is certain to be seen as an attempt to avoid a hunt ban becoming a General Election issue.

At least four hunts in Hampshire - the Hampshire Hunt in Alresford, Hursley Hambledon Hunt in Droxford, New Forest Hunt in Minstead, and the Vine and Craven Hunt in Hennington, near Tadley - will be banned.

Desmond Swayne, Tory MP for New Forest West, said the Bill was "a dog's breakfast".

Because it had been amended by backbenchers from one which licensed fox-hunting to a complete ban, it remained unscrutinised by a committee of MPs, he said.

Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, said: "This will ruin some people's livelihoods. The delay is not a concession to the hunts - it is a device to limit electoral embarrassment."

Sandra Gidley, Liberal Democrat MP for Romsey, said: "If the government has decided to do something, they should get on with it."

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham said: "This is very welcome news."

Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, said: "I'm pleased it will be banned but it is a good idea to have a period before implementation."