Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 5 June 2023 on General licensing, UIN HCWS820, how many applications to release gamebirds (a) on and (b) within) 500 metres of Special Protection Areas has her Department (i) received, (ii) approved and (iii) sought advice from Natural England.

Please find below a breakdown of applications received by Defra to release gamebirds within a Special Protection Area or within 500 metres of such an area: