No exemption for shooting

Nicola Sturgeon has said there is no exemption to the so-called “rule of six” gathering rules for grouse shooting or other hunting sports in Scotland.

Social media reacted with shock after it was revealed the latest health protection regulations – published by the UK government earlier this week – provided a exemption for hunting and shooting.

There were also reports an internal government row had taken place about whether bloodsports such as grouse shooting should be included which allegedly delayed the release of the regulations.

Within the regulations, a mention of shooting is accompanied with a footnote which states that the exemption covers “hunting and paintball that requires a shotgun or firearms certificate licence” and links to the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, the Guardian reported.

The First Minister, responding to a question from the Scottish Green’s health spokesperson Alison Johnstone during First Minister ’s Questions in Holyrood, said there was no “specific exemption” for shooting in Scotland and that she had held no meetings with anyone about the subject during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Johnstone said the exemption in England was a “shock” considering the sacrifices many families have had to make over the last few months and at the moment with the new rules.

She said: “It is really vital that the public have complete confidence in the system and public buy-in is key to suppressing the virus.

“That’s why there was shock across the UK earlier this week when it emerged that the Tory government had convened an emergency meeting of senior cabinet ministers to exempt hunting and shooting from coronavirus restrictions.”