Thank you for contacting me about the 7th Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
I understand that schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 focuses on deliberate harm against species. Although I agree that we must protect our hedgehogs alongside native reptiles and amphibians, it is not clear that the species are being threatened in that way. Therefore, the protection under the Act would not currently address the main challenges they face.
The data-gathering phase of this year’s review of schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act will run until 7th July 2021 and through this process Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are able to propose additional endangered species for inclusion on the schedules, propose species for removal from the schedules, and/or propose a change in protection status of a species on the schedules. It is worth noting that any proposal submitted must include evidence that an endangered species would actually benefit from the additional protection and increase its chances of survival. Once the data-gathering phase of the review has taken place, interested organisations and individuals will then be invited to comment on proposed amendments through a formal consultation phase in the autumn. Following this phase, recommendations will be provided to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the devolved administrations in Great Britain for changes to the schedules. I understand that the Secretary of State will consider these recommendations, before laying this advice before Parliament.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
