Henry Smith MP leads call on the Prime Minister to deliver on trophy hunting import ban pledge

Henry Smith MP is leading 66 parliamentarians in an open letter to the Prime Minister, calling on the Government to enact the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto commitment to ban trophy hunting imports.

The Crawley MP determined that this approach became necessary following his Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill falling in the House of Lords as a result of delaying tactics from a number of Peers.

Henry said: “I’m grateful for the continued engagement of the Government including ministers and officials at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

“It has been made clear at the despatch box in the House of Commons that banning trophy hunting imports is Government policy and I encourage the Prime Minister to take action to ensure that this pledge, which we both stood on at the last General Election, becomes a reality.

“The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill was approved by the House of Commons earlier this year. It was not in fact defeated in the House of Lords – rather it fell as a result of parliamentary procedure following the use of delaying tactics.

“Alongside the Coalition on Banning Trophy Hunting Imports (CATCH), led by the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, we urge Government to live up to its pledge to introduce this ban.

“Let us do right by our constituents, have the debate in both Houses, and work to get this manifesto commitment on the statute book.”

The Bill passed second reading in the House of Commons in November 2022, and passed committee stage in January 2023. On 17th March 2023 the Bill passed third reading, completing its passage through the Commons. On 16th June, the Bill passed second reading in the House of Lords, with committee stage commencing on 12th September.

Given there will be no further parliamentary time for this Private Members’ Bill, it will fall when Parliament is prorogued ahead of the State Opening on 7th November; leading to Henry Smith MP calling on ministers to go further and introduce a Government bill.

Dr Jane Washington-Evans from the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting added;

“The bringing back of body parts, so hunters can glory in their cruel sports is morally and ethically unacceptable. Animal abuse and kills for thrills is out of another century and it’s time to end the sick sports. Parliament as well as the British public overwhelmingly support a ban. This is why we are calling on the Prime Minister to honour the manifesto commitment and Her Majesty’s speech of 2019 and bring back the bill to ban trophy hunting imports immediately after the King’s Speech.”