GREEN Party
MP Caroline Lucas (pictured) has called for a ban on lead being used in gunshot and
bullets because of potential health risks to humans (for instance in shot
game), animals and birds.
She has
tabled an Early Day Motion for debate by fellow MPs.
It states:
That this House notes that even low
levels of lead are toxic to humans and other animals and that in the UK, lead
was banned from use in petrol, paint and water pipes decades ago, with most
other uses strictly controlled; further notes that lead ammunition (gunshot and
bullets) remains a glaring and largely unregulated exception; expresses concern
that at least 5000 tonnes of lead ammunition is deposited into the UK
environment annually, accumulating a toxic legacy and causing suffering and
death to large numbers of birds; is alarmed that in England, even the limited
restrictions from 1999 banning certain uses of lead gunshot are largely ignored;
is deeply concerned that an estimated 50,000 - 100,000 wildfowl die of lead
poisoning each winter in the UK; firmly believes that individuals, NGOs and
statutory agencies that manage land must ensure that any shooting that takes
place on their land uses non-toxic ammunition; and calls on the Government to
put the UK on the front foot by introducing a ban on the sale, possession and
use of all lead ammunition across the UK.
The motion has also been signed by fellow
MPs Alex Cunningham, Dr Lisa Cameron(SNP), Alex Sobel (Lab), Roger Godsiff
(Lab), and Kelvin Hopkins (Ind).
In
addition, the following MPs have agreed to support it: Mike Gapes (Lab),Ronnie Campbell (Lab) and Chris
Stephens (SNP).
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