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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research he has commissioned on the effect of the use of lead shot on the environment; and whether he has plans to abolish the use of lead shot.

The Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 already offer protection for waterfowl.

In response to the 2015 report by the independent Lead Ammunition Group, Government concluded there was insufficient evidence to justify a change to the legislation.

The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken for the European Commission by the European Chemicals Agency before deciding if any changes to the current regulations are required.