Many readers will be aware of the recent scrutiny facing grouse shooting. At the start of the year Wild Justice once again launched a petition calling for the ban of driven grouse shooting, and in May this petition gained the 100,000 signatures necessary for the topic to be debated by Parliament. Yesterday evening MPs gathered in Westminster Hall to debate the issue.
Fourteen MPs from four political parties and regions across the UK attended alongside the Minister of State for DEFRA, Daniel Zeichner MP, to discuss the petition and their views on the topic. The majority argued against a ban and cited the scientific evidence showing the benefits of grouse moor management to biodiversity, flood risk mitigation, peatland restoration, and wildfire risk mitigation.
John Lamont MP opened the debate and reassured colleagues he had spoken with several groups on both side of the topic. He reminded attendees that this petition was the third raised by Wild Justice on the topic, and stated that while he recognised the strength of feeling on the topic, he wanted to “probe the validity of many of their conclusions” and was “pleased to have the opportunity today to set the record straight on the realities of grouse shooting”.
A number of MPs referenced the fact that grouse moors contribute significantly to both the local and national economy, sustain rural jobs and small businesses, and support tourism and wider associated industries. Several members also directly challenged the suggestion that grouse shooting is “economically insignificant”, pointing to the circa 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs and the millions of pounds generated from grouse moors, asking where that funding would come from if grouse shooting was banned.
GWCT was particularly reassured to see members for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, Richmond and Northallerton, Thirsk and Malton, Strangford, Mid Buckinghamshire, and Keighley and Ilkley bringing GWCT science to the debate. These MPs helped to highlight the wide biodiversity supported by grouse moor management, including species like merlin, hen harriers and black grouse alongside wader species of conservation concern like lapwing, curlew, and golden plover. Several of our studies were referenced during the session, including the case study on Berwyn SPA, our recent return to the Uplands Predation Experiment, the comparison of managed and unmanaged moors for waders, and the Langholm Project. Additionally, we were delighted that former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, highlighted that “a recent study by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust in Northumberland reveals the devastating ecological impact on plover, snipe, lapwing and curlew populations of the withdrawal of predator control carried out by moor owners”.
In addition, we were pleased to see members recognise that wildlife crimes against raptors are committed only by a minority, whose actions do not reflect the wider community that takes great pride in the wildlife they support. GWCT has always, and will continue to condemn any form of illegal disturbance or killing of raptors and other wildlife crimes, and welcomes the additional funding the DEFRA Minister is providing to the National Wildlife Crime Unit in 2025-26.
The debate concluded with acknowledgement of the range of views, and reiteration that the Government has no plans to ban driven grouse shooting given its contribution to the environment, economy, and local communities.
Watch the debate or read the full debate transcript.