Natural England: Gamebird Release Licensing Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Baroness Grender
Main Page: Baroness Grender (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Grender's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Natural England: Gamebird Release Licensing
Baroness Grender Excerpts(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
I am very aware that there is information about the importance to the rural economy of the shooting industry. That is why the Government support well-managed shooting estates.
Baroness Grender (LD)
Given that the avian influenza risk has been rated high or very high continuously since October 2024 and that licensing conditions were designed specifically to limit transmission to protected birds, can the Minister confirm that the Government feel that this approach is working given that, currently, as I understand it, only one special protection area is expected to receive standard approval this season? Perhaps I may just say that I am very much looking forward to continuing to do lots of Defra Oral Questions with the noble Baroness in September and hopeful that we will do so.
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
I thank the noble Baroness. I jolly well hope that too; I am waiting to find out. She raised the important issue of avian influenza. It has caused some serious problems. This year was worse than last year—not as bad as a few years ago—and it is not going to go away, so the way we manage avian influenza is incredibly important. That has to include the way that we manage and release game birds.