As promised on 26 March I will be seeing my English Constituency MP about the effect of the legislation as it applies to England. Here is the letter I am taking to him. I hope SD members in England and Wales might wish to use this as a cut and paste or as a draft outline also for them to write to their MPs?
I have made one for those SD members in Scotland and have posted that too in "Legal Issues". This is the England and Wales use one.
Dear XXX,
I hope that you will not mind me writing to you? For I am concerned of the unintended effects of a recent Westminster proposed SI.
The REACH (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/195) is the Statutory Instrument (SI) that legalizes the ban on lead ammunition in England and Wales (and Scotland). Laid before Parliament on 3 March 2026, it comes into force on 1 April 2026, initiating a phased transition period leading to full restrictions on the sale and use of most lead ammunition by 2029.
This SI is in fact not a "done deal" and can still be stopped coming into force if MPs object by what I am told is known a laying a prayer. There is thirty days to do this from when the SI is laid before Parliament.
Many owners and occupiers of enclosed land may rely on the one and only firearm that they have...a 12 bore shotgun...to protect the crops, foodstuffs or plantings from damage by deer.
The law specifically recognises that they need to do this and therefore allows them to use a shotgun exceptionally because of their unique position and sets out the rules applying as here below.
In England and Wales the relevant law is the section 7 of the Deer Act 1991
On any cultivated land, pasture or enclosedwoodland, deer may be shot during the close seasonand a shotgun can be used in certain circumstances [see below] in order to prevent damage. This action may be taken by the occupier of the land in person and with his written permission by:
Any member of the occupier’s household normally resident on the land;
Any person in ordinary service of the occupier of the land;
Any person having the right to take or kill dee ron the land;
Any person acting with written authority of a person having that right.
If a shotgun is to be used, the following conditions apply
It must be not smaller than a 12 bore;
AAA shot ONLY may be used, or
A single non-spherical projectile weighing not less than 22.68 grammes (350 grains)
There is no suitable non-lead ammunition of any of the types commonly referred to as "slug" ammunition after the often used "Brenneke slug" or "Forster slug" and of the types that are commonly referred to as "buckshot" or by older users the now archaic name "lettered shot" from those letters AAA in the relevant law.
Thus the SI if not opposed by the threat of laying of a prayer which it is hoped will force the Government to amend the SI to allow the continued used past April 2029 of "slug" and "buckshot" will remove the ability of those with enclosed land who own only 12 bore shotguns to control deer.
I hope that there might be a consensus of MPs of all parties who can be asked to "lay a prayer" against the SI unless the Government takes account of the need for farmers and smallholders on "enclosed land" to still be able to purchase, possess and use such lead ammunition.
Also avoiding an otherwise unintended consequence that those then being unable to use shotguns past April 2029 will the seek authority to acquire rifles and ammunition for rifles that otherwise they would not need to have and be burdened also with all the associated expense of such.
So yes the SI is now laid before Parliament but not...if a prayer is laid...yet passed into law. I hope that there can be a call through yourself for a rally of MPs of all parties to consider such action?
Yours sincerely.
I have made one for those SD members in Scotland and have posted that too in "Legal Issues". This is the England and Wales use one.
Dear XXX,
I hope that you will not mind me writing to you? For I am concerned of the unintended effects of a recent Westminster proposed SI.
The REACH (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/195) is the Statutory Instrument (SI) that legalizes the ban on lead ammunition in England and Wales (and Scotland). Laid before Parliament on 3 March 2026, it comes into force on 1 April 2026, initiating a phased transition period leading to full restrictions on the sale and use of most lead ammunition by 2029.
This SI is in fact not a "done deal" and can still be stopped coming into force if MPs object by what I am told is known a laying a prayer. There is thirty days to do this from when the SI is laid before Parliament.
Many owners and occupiers of enclosed land may rely on the one and only firearm that they have...a 12 bore shotgun...to protect the crops, foodstuffs or plantings from damage by deer.
The law specifically recognises that they need to do this and therefore allows them to use a shotgun exceptionally because of their unique position and sets out the rules applying as here below.
In England and Wales the relevant law is the section 7 of the Deer Act 1991
On any cultivated land, pasture or enclosedwoodland, deer may be shot during the close seasonand a shotgun can be used in certain circumstances [see below] in order to prevent damage. This action may be taken by the occupier of the land in person and with his written permission by:
Any member of the occupier’s household normally resident on the land;
Any person in ordinary service of the occupier of the land;
Any person having the right to take or kill dee ron the land;
Any person acting with written authority of a person having that right.
If a shotgun is to be used, the following conditions apply
It must be not smaller than a 12 bore;
AAA shot ONLY may be used, or
A single non-spherical projectile weighing not less than 22.68 grammes (350 grains)
There is no suitable non-lead ammunition of any of the types commonly referred to as "slug" ammunition after the often used "Brenneke slug" or "Forster slug" and of the types that are commonly referred to as "buckshot" or by older users the now archaic name "lettered shot" from those letters AAA in the relevant law.
Thus the SI if not opposed by the threat of laying of a prayer which it is hoped will force the Government to amend the SI to allow the continued used past April 2029 of "slug" and "buckshot" will remove the ability of those with enclosed land who own only 12 bore shotguns to control deer.
I hope that there might be a consensus of MPs of all parties who can be asked to "lay a prayer" against the SI unless the Government takes account of the need for farmers and smallholders on "enclosed land" to still be able to purchase, possess and use such lead ammunition.
Also avoiding an otherwise unintended consequence that those then being unable to use shotguns past April 2029 will the seek authority to acquire rifles and ammunition for rifles that otherwise they would not need to have and be burdened also with all the associated expense of such.
So yes the SI is now laid before Parliament but not...if a prayer is laid...yet passed into law. I hope that there can be a call through yourself for a rally of MPs of all parties to consider such action?
Yours sincerely.
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