Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about trophy hunting.

The Government is committed to doing all it can to support wildlife and the environment, both in the UK and internationally, and Ministers will be delivering on the manifesto commitment to ban the import of hunting trophies from endangered species.

The consultation on controls on the import and export of hunting trophies, which closed in February 2020, was the first step in fulfilling this commitment and provided an opportunity for respondents to provide views on which species they considered needed further restrictions. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the publication of the Government response to the recent consultation and call for evidence on controls on the import and export of hunting trophies. Ministers are, however, continuing to work on this important area and will publish a response as soon as they are able to do so.

Biodiversity is declining at a dangerous and unprecedented speed, and species extinction rates are accelerating, with up to 1 million species threatened. Overexploitation is one of the drivers of species extinction and additional pressures on vulnerable species can result from unsustainable or inappropriately managed activity. I believe that transformative changes are needed to restore and protect nature.

In the 25 Year Environment Plan, the UK Government committed to providing international leadership in protecting and improving international biodiversity and undertaking international action to protect endangered species. This international leadership is underpinned by a strong commitment to ensuring that the UK’s domestic policy does not threaten the conservation of species abroad. While I recognise that some conservationists believe trophy hunting can be an effective conservation tool, supporting local livelihoods and attracting revenues for other conservation activities, it is also important to acknowledge concerns around the practice of trophy hunting. I look forward to seeing the results of the consultation and the proposed action required by the Government to address these concerns.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours,

EDWARD LEIGH MP