RUTH Kelly is urging the Government to introduce legislation to ban fox hunting in next month's Queen's Speech.

The Bolton West MP has told ministers her postbag is full of letters from constituents sickened by the blood sport.

The Labour backbencher -- a long-term opponent of hunting -- wants to see a Bill included in the Government's programme for the final session of this Parliament leading up to a General Election next year.

She said that the Government is proposing to give MPs the chance to vote on three options -- a total ban, licensed hunting or the current unrestricted status quo.

Ministers will make clear that a total ban is the preferred option and that anyone found breaking such a law would be liable to prosecution, fines and the confiscation of vehicles and property involved in hunting.

She said: "I want MPs to be given the right to ban hunting and ensure there is enough time to push legislation through.

"We will face severe opposition from Pro-Hunting Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, as we did last time -- but this should not deter us.

"Fox hunting has no place in a modern, civilised country.

"I agree measures must be put in place to ensure those involved in hunts are retrained, but, at the end of the day, my postbag is full of people sickened by fox hunting, and very little of them are in favour

"Polls of people living in rural areas reveal they are against it.

"I will doi all I can between now and the Queen's Speech to get a legislative commitment to outlaw hunting."