This petition was submitted during the 2015-2017 parliament

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Petition Protect grouse Moors and grouse shooting

Grouse moors and grouse shooting are an integral part of moorland management both for the grouse and other native wildlife such as lapwing and curlew it also helps support of local businesses and jobs in the local areas this cannot be banned

More details

Here is a link to the Countryside Alliance website for more information on how grouse moors benefit the environment and the facts behind it:

http://www.countryside-alliance.org/ca-flatcap/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Grouse-Shooting-The-Facts-10-Key-Questions-Answered-July-2016.pdf

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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Parliament debated this topic

This topic was debated on 31 October 2016

Government responded

This response was given on 10 October 2016

Grouse shooting is a legitimate activity that provides economic benefits, jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas and can offer important benefits for wildlife and habitat conservation.

Read the response in full

A report by the UK shooting community (Public & Corporate Economic Consultants report 2014: The Value of Shooting) concludes that the overall environmental and economic impact of game bird shooting is positive; the industry has estimated that £250 million per year is spent on management activities substantially benefiting conservation. For grouse shooting in particular, according to the Moorland Association, estates in England and Wales spent £52.5 million on managing 149 grouse moors for shooting in 2010. Scottish landowners manage a further 150 moors for shooting grouse. The industry also supports 1,520 full time equivalent jobs and is worth £97.7 million across Great Britain.

Grouse shooting takes place in upland areas, which are important for delivering a range of valuable “ecosystem services”, including food and fibre, water regulation, carbon storage, biodiversity and recreational opportunities for health and wellbeing. The Government is committed to helping create a more sustainable future for the English uplands, including by protecting peatlands through measures such as the Peatland Code.

The Government welcomes the proactive approach taken by game keeping organisations to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation, for example through the British Association for Shooting and Conservation’s green shoots initiative.

The Government recognises the benefits that grouse shooting, and shooting more widely, bring to individuals, the environment and the rural economy. It is for these reasons that the Government believes shooting and other country pursuits such as hunting and fishing should be protected.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

MPs to investigate and debate petitions about grouse shooting

This petition will be debated alongside e-petition 125003, which calls for a ban on grouse shooting. We will let you know the date of the debate as soon as it has been decided.

You can read e-petition 125003 on the petitions site:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125003

Committee session:

Before scheduling the debate, the Petitions Committee decided that MPs should have the chance to hear evidence on grouse shooting.

On Tuesday 18 October at 2.15pm, MPs will hear from Mark Avery, the creator of e-petition 125003, and representatives from the RSPB, the Moorland Association and the Countryside Alliance.

You can watch the session on Parliament TV: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Guide

You can find out more information about the session on the Petitions Committee website: http://www.parliament.uk/grouse-shooting-evidence-session?utm_source=petition164851

The transcript of what is said will help inform MPs taking part in the House of Commons debate.

Get involved:

The Committee also welcomes written contributions from people who
want to share their expertise on this subject. In particular, the Committee
would welcome contributions on the following points:

  • Should the law on grouse shooting be changed? If so, how?
  • What effect does grouse shooting have on wildlife and the environment?
  • What role does grouse shooting play in rural life, especially the rural economy?

The deadline for submissions is 5 October.

You can find out more and submit your contributions on the inquiry page: http://www.parliament.uk/grouse-shooting-inquiry?utm_source=petition164851

The written submissions will be used to help inform the Committee session.

The Petitions Committee is a cross-party group of MPs. It is independent from Government. You can find out more about the Committee on its website: http://www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee/role

You can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter: @HoCpetitions