Earlier this week I wrote (here) about how the DEFRA Secretary of State, Therese Coffey, is preparing to make a decision about the phasing out of toxic lead ammunition; a welcome move after years and years of the Westminster Government ignoring the scientific evidence about the poisonous effects of toxic lead ammunition on wildlife, the environment and human health.
Her decision will be based on a dossier of options currently being prepared by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), which was commissioned by DEFRA to undertake this work in Spring 2021.
HSE published its proposals in May 2022 and opened a six-month public consultation. However, in January 2023, HSE announced a six-month extension to its review of the consultation responses, pleading that it needed more time as it had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the number of responses, which I understand included a large volume of objections from those within the game-shooting industry.
As DEFRA Minister and gamebird shooter Richard Benyon told Green peer Natalie Bennett earlier this year in response to a Parliamentary question about the continued use of toxic lead ammunition (here), ‘the HSE’s final opinions are now due by 6th November 2023 and the DEFRA Secretary of State is required to make a decision within three months of receipt of the opinions’.
However, rumour has it that the HSE and DEFRA will not be able to fulfil their legal obligations to deliver this on time.
As I understand it from a well-informed blog reader, HSE is legally obliged to deliver its options by 6th November 2023. HSE is also legally obliged to have published the draft of the opinions and held a 60-day consultation on it before formulating the opinion. They have already done the public consultation on the risk assessment, but were due to publish the draft socio-economic assessment and other parts of the opinion on 6th August 2023. HSE said that this document would be published on 6th August. It hasn’t been published yet. HSE told key stakeholders (i.e. shooters and conservation organisations) in confidence in August that publication had been delayed by unforeseen ‘clearance’ issues. The public consultation cannot begin until the draft is published.
I don’t know what those unforeseen ‘clearance’ issues are, but given that there are only 54 days to go until 6th November, it looks like what DEFRA Minister Richard Benyon told Natalie Bennett is no longer deliverable. Perhaps Natalie will ask him what those ‘unforeseen clearance’ issues are.
It’s anticipated that DEFRA will authorise yet further delay to the process to enable HSE to formulate its final opinions after 6th November 2023. How much of a delay remains to be seen – it depends on what those ‘clearance’ issues are, I guess, but this can-kicking looks likely to extend well into 2024 and perhaps will coincide with a General Election.
That could be interesting.
UPDATE 11.10hrs: Natalie Bennett has now lodged a written Parliamentary question about this.
UPDATE 4th Oct 2023: Minister confirms further delay on making decision whether to phase out use of toxic lead ammunition by gamebird shooters (here).
Raptor Persecution UK 
It might never happen – they won’t let it coincide with a general election. Time to ask Labour what they will do?
This should come as a surprise to no -one… with any awareness of this governments attitude to the environment or anything that may upset the destructive element in the UK. Its ok to complain about Elephants being destroyed and the amount of rainforest disappearing in Brazil and talking positively about climate change but this government is hell bent on destroying and polluting our own wild places and rivers it makes you wonder how the anglers feel about this as they were banned from using lead a long time ago but then again coarse fishing is mainly a working class sport and they dont count do they.
I am not in possession of the exact date and would appreciate input from any member who is better informed.
[a] When was lead shot first identified as a threat to the environment?
[b] When as lead in paint first identified as a threat and when was it banned?
[c] When was lead soldiers and other such toys first identified as threat and when was it banned?
Is DEFRA and the Government/s dragging their feet?? I think the dates relevant to the above will shout “YES” loud and clear.
You missed out When was lead banned in petrol?
It strikes me that this government, knowing that they are likely to lose the next election, are appearing to be doing as much as they can to make opportunities for themselves and their pals to make as much money as possible in the meantime. Easier developments with poorer environmental concerns, oil drilling, not chasing water companies etc. etc. They know it would take a new government quite a while to start to put right their errors later.
We might have hope in Scotland of reforms regarding the shooting industry, but there’s not a fat chance of chance with that lot in.
Should read……We might have hope of reforms in Scotland, but there’s not a fat chance of change down south with that lot in.
While Tories are in power and especially Coffey as Defra Secretary then nothing will improve on persecution and hunting. She is an environmental disaster.