Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps in his Department's forthcoming national deer management strategy to help ensure the adequacy of (a) capacity to process deer carcasses if culling levels increase and (b) the supply of venison to the (i) private and (ii) public sector in the next five years.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is working with stakeholders including Grown in Britain, game dealers and shooting and conservation associations to support development of the wild venison supply chain.
This includes facilitating an industry GB Wild Venison Working Group to improve sector resilience, develop branding, traceability and promote the British Quality Wild Venison Standard and exploring opportunities for more public procurement of wild venison, with the aim of increasing overall demand for wild venison. We are also providing funding towards wild venison related projects in a number of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, through the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme.
The forthcoming deer management strategy will set out actions that will go further in supporting domestic wild venison.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many domestically reared ducks have been released for the shooting industry; what assessment they have made of the conditions in which such birds live; what assessment they have made of the risk of avian flu and other diseases following these releases; what drug treatments are used for these diseases; and what assessment they have made of the risks these treatments represent.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Defra does not hold data on the number of ducks released for shooting. Defra publishes all its risk assessments on GOV.UK as part of the ‘Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring’ collection and continues to monitor the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in both wild and kept birds, working with the game farming sector and conservation bodies, and will keep the need for further risk assessments under review. No products have a market authorisation for treatment of HPAI in poultry (including ducks reared for shooting) and vaccination of poultry against avian influenza is not permitted.
No recent assessment has been made of the conditions in which such birds live. The welfare of ducks while they are being reared for shooting is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (until such time as they are released in the wild), which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. In addition, the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes provides advice on husbandry, housing and management.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
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 statutory guidance entitled GL43: licence to release common pheasants or red-legged partridges on certain European sites or within 500m of their boundary published on 31 May 2023, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that statutory guidance on (a) gamekeepers' jobs, (b) the rural economy and (c) conservation.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government supports gamebird shooting for all the benefits it brings to individuals, the environment and the rural economy. The Government wants to see a vibrant working countryside that is enhanced by a biodiverse environment. We recognise the valuable role gamekeepers play in protecting and enhancing biodiversity through habitat management and predation control and we support the valuable role shooting provides to the rural economy. We monitor the impacts of many different rural businesses have on the rural economy and factor that into decision making whenever possible. We recognise the challenges that avian influenza presents and are considering how we can mitigate the impact on the shooting interests and the wider community.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a comparative assessment of the potential benefits of grouse moor management on the (a) abundance and (b) breeding success of (i) grouse and (ii) hen harriers.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Shooting sports bring a range of conservation and economic benefits to rural communities and we therefore continue to support shooting as a legitimate activity, which provides jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas.
There is evidence that sustainable control of predators on shooting estates can play a role in the recovery of rare or declining species, particularly ground nesting birds, such as lapwing and curlew.
We take the decline in the hen harrier population in England seriously and we are committed to securing the future of this bird. That is why we took the lead on the Hen Harrier Action Plan. The plan sets out what will be done to increase hen harrier numbers in England and aims to restore hen harrier populations alongside the continuation of driven grouse shooting. The 2022 breeding season was the first time in over 100 years that more than 100 hen harrier chicks successfully fledged in England, showing real progress in efforts to protect and restore their numbers.
We recognise that it is vital that wildlife and habitats are respected and protected, and we will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the paper by R E Green, M A Taggart, D J Pain, et al ‘Voluntary transition by hunters and game meat suppliers from lead to non-lead shotgun ammunition: changes in practice after three years’, published in the Conservation Evidence Journal in February, which found that three years into the five year voluntary phase-out programme, 94 per cent of pheasants sold in supermarkets were killed with lead shot, what steps they plan to take to end the use of lead shot in hunting in England.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2020, nine high-profile shooting organisations released a joint statement calling for an end to lead in ammunition used for taking live quarry with shotguns within five years. We welcomed this move away from lead and are committed to ensuring a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.
In Spring 2021, Defra asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency to prepare a UK REACH restriction dossier for lead in ammunition. This required both organisations to consider the evidence of risk posed by lead in ammunition on human health and the environment, and therefore, the case for introducing a restriction on lead in ammunition. HSE published restriction proposals in May 2022, setting out a range of options for introducing restrictions on lead in ammunition, and opened a six-month consultation. In January 2023, due to the large volume of consultation responses, HSE announced a six-month extension to its review process, to allow for due consideration of responses to inform the development of its final recommendation. The HSE final opinions are now expected by 6 November 2023. The Defra Secretary of State will be required to make a decision within three months of receipt of the opinions, with the consent of Welsh and Scottish Ministers.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of supertrawlers on Marine Protected Areas.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Marine Management Organisation and the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities assess on a site-by-site basis which fishing activities could prevent them from achieving their conservation objectives.
'Supertrawlers' generally target pelagic species of fish within the water column and are unlikely to interact with the seabed habitats, such as reef and sediment habitats, for which most MPAs are designated. Some other types of fishing such as bottom trawling and fly-shooting interact with the seabed and are therefore likely to impact seabed habitats. The compatibility of these activities will depend on the features protected in each site. If the site assessments conclude that a certain type of fishing poses a risk to the conservation objectives of a MPA, the relevant regulator would implement management measures.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ban (a) supertrawlers, (b) fly shooters and (c) all other types of destructive fishing in Marine Protected Areas.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Marine Management Organisation and the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities assess on a site-by-site basis which fishing activities could prevent them from achieving their conservation objectives.
'Supertrawlers' generally target pelagic species of fish within the water column and are unlikely to interact with the seabed habitats, such as reef and sediment habitats, for which most MPAs are designated. Some other types of fishing such as bottom trawling and fly-shooting interact with the seabed and are therefore likely to impact seabed habitats. The compatibility of these activities will depend on the features protected in each site. If the site assessments conclude that this type of fishing poses a risk to the conservation objectives of a MPA, the relevant regulator would implement management measures.
Regulators follow an evidence-led process to determine what management is required to protect sites and to not unduly restrict legitimate fishing activity. 98 MPAs in English inshore waters already have byelaws in place to protect sensitive features from damaging fishing activities and the first four English offshore byelaws have now been established. A Call for Evidence on byelaws in 13 more MPAs has recently closed. We aim to have protection in place for all our English offshore MPAs by 2024.
In July, we launched a consultation on five candidate Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters. With the highest level of protection in England's seas to enable the ecosystem to fully recover, many activities including commercial and recreational fishing would be prohibited. HPMAs would complement the existing MPA network. Any HPMAs that HM Government decides to designate following the consultation would be designated by July 2023.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the number of woodcock shot annually in each of the last 10 years; and what discussions they have held, if any, with Natural England in relation to the effect of shooting woodcock on the status of woodcock.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data for the number of woodcock shot in each of the last ten years has not been collated. However, there are publicly available game bag returns for the period 1961-2005 through the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust website (https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/long-term-monitoring/national-gamebag-census/bird-bags-summary-trends/woodcock/). Where shooting occurs on protected sites, some bag return reports may be requirements of consent by Natural England.
In response to a request from Defra, Natural England has submitted a briefing to Defra which considered woodcock ecology, population status and possible drivers of woodcock decline (including hunting).
Defra intends to review Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which lists species of birds which may be killed or taken outside a close season. In particular, consideration will be given to the evidence underpinning the listing of species such as woodcock so that we can ensure that recreational shooting is sustainable and does not undermine species recovery. This may include a review of the evidence for the timing and duration of the close season.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the joint statement by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and other rural organisations requesting a five year transition away from the use of lead ammunition in game shooting; what assessment he has made of the potential merits of such a transition period; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We welcome the joint statement made in 2020 by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and other rural organisations requesting a transition away from lead and confirming their commitment to ensuring a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.
In Spring 2021, Defra asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA) to prepare a UK REACH restriction dossier for lead in ammunition. In producing the dossier, both organisations considered the evidence of risk posed by lead in ammunition on human health and the environment, and therefore, the case for phasing out most uses of lead in ammunition, including potential derogations for use in strictly controlled environments such as target shooting, where control measures are in place. HSE published the dossier on 6 May 2022 and a consultation is currently open until 6 November 2022.
Following this, HSE will finalise its opinion and the final decision for any restriction will be made by the Secretary of State, with the consent of Welsh and Scottish Ministers. It is expected that the full process will take approximately two years (from Spring 2021).
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 26 July (HL1705), what plans they have to review the close season for woodcock; and what representations they have received from (1) conservation organisations, (2) game shooting organisations, in relation to any such review.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Secretary of State has received representations from Wild Justice and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust regarding reviewing the close season for woodcock.
In their representation, dated 21 March 2022, Wild Justice requested that the Secretary of State use their power under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to vary the close season for woodcock, as they believe this would be beneficial to the recovery of the native woodcock population. In response to the letter from Wild Justice, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust wrote to the Secretary of State on 4 April 2022, setting out their view that restrictions to the close season could be counterproductive and that more research is needed to understand the reasons for the decline of native woodcock and the effects of shooting on their populations.
Defra intends to review Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which lists species of birds which may be killed or taken outside a close season. In particular, consideration will be given to the evidence underpinning the listing of species such as woodcock so that we can ensure that recreational shooting is sustainable and does not undermine species recovery. This may include a review of the evidence for the timing and duration of the close season.