Pressure mounts to ease the hunting ban Rules already in place allow farmers to flush foxes out of their dens and shoot them in order to protect flocks but it is a criminal offence to use more than two dogs. However MPs from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Labour and Plaid Cymru parties, are joining farmers groups in pressing the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson to scrap the limit. The change, which is likely to require a vote in Parliament but not a fresh bill, would bring the law in England and Wales into line with that in Scotland. It comes after a study demonstrated for the first time that deploying a full pack of hounds to flush foxes from cover can be almost twice as effective as using a pair of dogs. The study also concluded that it could even improve animal welfare, because using a full pack of hounds can draw foxes out of their dens to be shot much more quickly rather than enduring a lengthy pursuit. More effective shooting could also reduce the use of snares, which have been condemned as cruel. Last night the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that it had been receiving evidence of an apparent growing threat to flocks from foxes and would study the research "with interest." Although Mr Paterson, a long term supporter of lifting the hunting ban, has made no commitment to the change, a spokeswoman said he was "aware" of the calls from farmers. The Coalition Agreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats contains a commitment to giving MPs a free vote on repealing the Act which was introduced by Tony Blair in 2004 after a gruelling stand-off between Commons and Lords. But many Conservatives accept that they might not have enough support to secure a repeal and see amending the pest control provision as a way of helping farmers. It could also help firm up Conservative support in rural areas affected by the HS2 rail plans. But it comes at a time when Defra is already facing anger from animal rights protesters over the badger cull. Farmers backing the calls said the losses last spring were the "last straw" and a spur for action. In addition to the thousands of newborn lambs which became stranded and froze to death amid the late snow, some farmers lost up to 50 to foxes, which were themselves short of food because of the deep drifts. The Federation of Welsh Farmers" Packs - a group representing huntsmen who shoot foxes under the current law - commissioned the study to assess whether lifting the limit on dogs would make a difference. A team led by Dr Jeremy Naylor, a vet and racehorse trainer, spent four months comparing the effects of pairs of hounds and full pack at 80 sites in Scotland. David Thomas, the federation's secretary, said that while many still hoped for a full repeal, the amendment could ease pressure. "We feel that this is something that could be very easily done," he said. It is necessary for sheep farmers, it is not going to cost the Government or the country any money at all, it is just a win-win situation. Roger Williams, the Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, said: "This is a debate that must be had. I hope that they take it seriously ... I have received letters from constituents and across Wales about this. Glyn Davis, the Tory MP for Montgomeryshire, and himself a former farmer, said: "Whether you are in favour of a ban on hunting or not, if you accept that you can have dogs to flush foxes out, to limit it to two has no logic." Kate Hoey, the Labour MP for Vauxhall in London, said: "I think what this deserves is a very sensible and dispassionate look at the research and for some way of being able to allow the extra number of hounds to be used. Unless you are someone who does not believe that a fox should ever be killed I cannot understand why in terms of welfare this is not something that could be supported by a broad range of opinion. Jonathan Edwards, of Plaid Cymru, said: "I am very much on the left of the political spectrum, I don't see this as a left-right fight. We have a duty as politicians to have laws that work. It seems common sense to me that we would use best practice. We need a reasonable debate rather than reacting gung-ho. Derek Morgan, chairman of the Farmers" Union of Wales's hill farming committee, added: "The hunting ban was aimed at what Labour saw as posh people on horses, but the people who have suffered most are working class hill farmers whose incomes are already well below the UK average. If Government increased the number of hounds we are allowed to use it would significantly reduce the number of lambs we lose. It's a small step the Government can take to show they really support hill farmers and it would not change the basic principles of the hunting act. A spokeswoman for Defra said: "We have been receiving reports on increased predation of lambs by foxes and the burden this has placed on hillfarmers in what has already been a tough year. We will look at all research into this with interest. A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said that while it would continue to campaign for a repeal, it understood the "urgent need for the only effective method of fox control in many upland areas to be reinstated." A spokeswoman for the League Against Cruel Sports said: "The Hunting Act is a successful piece of legislation and it works - ultimately we do not want to see it weakened. "If the Farmers" Union of Wales are supporting this do they not have anything better to do with their time? This would ultimately be changing the legislation quite considerably.