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Guy Opperman MP
Working hard for Tynedale and Ponteland

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Guy Opperman MP
Working hard for Tynedale and Ponteland

Driven Grouse Shooting and the Protection of Hen Harriers

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Thank you for contacting me about driven grouse shooting.

I understand that many people have strongly held views about this subject. I want to see a vibrant, working countryside enhanced by a diverse environment. I believe it is vital that wildlife and habitats are respected and protected, and that the country’s conservation laws are observed, which are among the toughest in the world.

It is important to recognise that the conservation and economic benefits that shooting sports bring to rural communities. It is estimated that shooting as a whole is worth about £2 billion a year to the economy, much of it in some of our remotest communities, and supports thousands of jobs.

I know that one of the ways in which moorlands have been managed for grouse shooting is by burning vegetation. The Government have always been clear about the need to phase out rotational burning on protected blanket bog and to move to a regime of cutting. There is also established scientific consensus that burning of vegetation on such sites damages the environment in a variety of ways. The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations  came into force on 1st May banning the burning, without a licence, of specified vegetation on protected blanket bog habitats. This represents a crucial step in meeting the Government’s nature and climate change mitigation and adaptation targets, including the legally binding commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Finally, it is worth noting that all wild birds are protected from illegal killing by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Raptor persecution, including of hen harriers, is a national wildlife crime priority and there are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey, as well as other wildlife. I know that most wildlife crimes carry up to an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence.

I am frequently in touch with ministers on this subject to ensure constituent’s concerns are heard at the highest level. I know that ministers will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.

My Views

  • Agriculture Bill
  • HS2 and the North
  • The Trade Bill and New Clause 17
  • Support for Pubs and Alcohol Duties
  • Driven Grouse Shooting and the Protection of Hen Harriers
  • Assisted Dying
  • TV Licences
  • Future NHS Funding
  • Proportional Representation
  • Trade & Global Poverty Reduction
  • Acid Attacks
  • Animal Sentience
  • Animal Testing & Cosmetics
  • European Health Insurance Card scheme (EHIC)
  • Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs)
  • Foreign Aid
  • Future agricultural policy
  • Future fisheries policy
  • Health Education Funding Reform
  • Leasehold Reform
  • Lymphoedema Services Funding
  • MPs' Pension Scheme and Climate Change
  • Mental Health Policy
  • Online Gambling
  • Open University & Cuban Students
  • Organ Donation
  • Overseas voters
  • Private Parking Companies
  • Relocation of Unaccompanied Children from Europe
  • Sky and 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid
  • Sodium Valproate (Epilim) and Birth Defects
  • Stem Cell Donation (Anthony Nolan)
  • Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)
  • Tax Avoidance (Corporate)
  • Tax Avoidance (Individuals)
  • Vet bills
  • Climate Change
  • Brexit
  • New refugee resettlement scheme
  • Immigration Bill
  • Hong Kong
  • The killing of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, Policing, Protests, Statues, Public Health Report, and Amnesty International
  • Wood burners and open fires
  • Australia Trade Deal
  • Internal Markets Bill
  • NHS Pay
  • Plastic Waste
  • Reform of the Electoral Commission
  • The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill

Guy Opperman MP for Tynedale and Ponteland

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ConservativesPromoted by G Stewart on behalf of G Opperman, both at 4 Meal Market, Hexham, NE46 1NF.
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