Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help reduce crimes committed with catapults, especially against animals.

The Government shares concerns over the misuse of catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.

There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs). The Prevention of Crime Act 1953 creates the offence of carrying an offensive weapon in a public place and there are significant penalties under the Offences against the Person Act 1861 if a person is deliberately harmed.

Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. It is illegal under this Act to deliberately attempt to kill, injure, or harm protected species of wild birds. There are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Significant sanctions are available to judges to hand down to those convicted of crimes under these Acts.

We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done around enforcement.