The citation on the President`s Award for politician of the Year reads "In recognition of his work championing animal welfare and for regularly speaking out against hunting." Accepting the Award Sir Roger, who is a Life Member of The Leaguer and also a Patron of Blue Fox and Chairman of the Trustees of SPANA said:

"While the (Hunting) Act is not perfect it has achieved much of what it set out to do and fox hunting and hare coursing ought, by now, to have been consigned to the dustbin of history along with bear-baiting and cock fighting. Parliament has spent more than 700 hours debating this issue and it cannot be right that it should be revisited again. Nevertheless, I am pleased to know that there is now a significant number of new Conservative MPs who will join us in the voting lobbies, if it becomes necessary, to oppose a repeal of the Act. We know that we have public support on our side, that many more people now enjoy drag-hunting (following a laid scent) then ever enjoyed watching live animals torn to pieces and that the "disastrous consequences" for the countryside predicted by the Countryside Alliance following a ban have simply not materialised. Those who want to turn the clock back have a fight on their hands - and it is a fight that I hope and believe that they will lose. This is not a party-political issue and it has nothing to do with "class warfare". It is about animal welfare in a civilized society."