Mr Wilson said that he welcomed the legislation which was supported by 86% of the population and was essential to prevent continued hunting of animals which were close to extinction, especially elephants, lions and leopards.
The number of trophies being brought into the United Kingdom has soared from 17 to 30 annually twenty years ago to 300 annually in the year before covid struck.
He did point out however that the legislation could only apply to Great Britain and not to Northern Ireland because of the Northern Ireland Protocol and raised concerns that Northern Ireland could become the avenue through which trophy hunters could smuggle their trophies in to the rest of the United Kingdom and called upon the Minister to address this issue.
He pointed out that only by addressing the issues of the Protocol could this loophole be closed and it is another reminder of how the Protocol does not only affect Northern Ireland but affects the Government’s ability to pass laws which are effective in the whole of the United Kingdom. He has called on the Government to ensure that sufficient parliamentarytime is given to ensure the passage of the Bill through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.