'Agreed Findings' on lead ammunition

The Countryside Alliance warmly welcomes the publication, as a result of a Freedom of Information request, of the 'Agreed findings of the Lead Ammunition Group'.

This report was agreed by members of the Lead Ammunition Group (LAG) that resigned due to "abuses of process", including the Countryside Alliance, CLA, Gun Trade Association and the National Game Dealers Association, with assistance from BASC. It evaluates all the agreed findings from the LAG, but differs significantly from the conclusions generated by the remaining members.

The executive summary of the report in fact mirrors the government's recent letter to LAG chairman John Swift, in which they rejected his calls for further restrictions on lead ammunition and re-stated support for the current status quo- a strict enforcement of the current restrictions on lead ammunition and continued evidence gathering.

Liam Stokes, Head of Shooting at the Countryside Alliance, said: "The government's rejection of the report generated by the remaining members of the LAG underlines the lack of evidence supporting further restrictions. The publication of the 'Agreed findings of the Lead Ammunition Group" highlights why the government responded in this way. The government has formally brought the Lead Ammunition Group to an end, but the Countryside Alliance will continue to work with partner organisations to monitor UK-relevant evidence on the use of lead ammunition and to argue strenuously for proportionate and reasonable legislation."

This report has been authored by John Batley, Stephen Crouch, Mark Tufnell and Barney White-Spunner, ex-members of the Lead Ammunition Group, with support from Richard Ali, British Association for Shooting and Conservation. It has been produced separately from any produced by the Chairman of the LAG because of our significant concerns over the LAG process.

This report reviews evidence provided to the LAG and makes recommendations to address existing and new potential risks identified.

Click here to read the Executive Summary of the report.