Clause 43 - Possession of pesticides harmful to wildlife
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill
12:00 pm
James Paice (Shadow Minister (Agriculture), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
“Don’t print that,” as they say.
More to the point is the image of the old-fashioned gamekeeper’s gibbet, with pests and vermin hanging on barbed wire and things like that. Of course, there is also the image that grouse moors are the preserve of the very wealthy and rich. Yes, they are. Few people can afford to go shooting grouse, and I am not one of them. Nevertheless, as my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Goodwill) will vouchsafe from his constituency, it is terribly important economically in such areas. There is ample evidence that the prosperity of some rural communities goes hand in hand with the prosperity of the shooting community, particularly where grouse moors are concerned.