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Dear Therese Coffey Driven grouse shooting depends on intensive moorland management – which has intensified in recent years see here and here). The primary management actions involve burning of heather, drainage and burning of blanket bogs, culling of native predators and medicating the Red Grouse to combat the impacts of parasites and diseases. These impacts…

Dear Therese Coffey When you close the debate on the future of driven grouse shooting this evening we will listen carefully to your words. Have you listened to the views of the public on this matter?  It would actually be a popular move to ban driven grouse shooting and it will be very unpopular if…

Dear Therese Coffey It is relatively easy for the public to forget that Defra is supposed to be on the side of wildlife when its most public actions are often to support economic activities at the expense of wildlife and to do this without bothering too much with the science. Take badgers, bees and buzzards…

Dear Therese Coffey Today I assume that you will close the Westminster Hall debate on driven grouse shooting. I’m just guessing here, but I’d be surprised if you will be signalling that Defra is asking for parliamentary time for a ban on driven grouse shooting. OK, that time will come eventually. But what you really…