BASC seeks meeting with new Welsh environment minister following Hannah Blythyn’s departure

BASC is seeking a meeting with new Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths AM following a restructure of the Welsh Government cabinet.

New First Minister Mark Drakeford has unveiled his cabinet after abolishing the old title of cabinet secretary.

He has installed Mrs Griffiths into the key environmental role and moved Hannah Blythyn into housing and local government. Mrs Griffiths was previously cabinet secretary for energy, planning and rural affairs.

BASC has written to Mrs Griffiths to outline the association’s concerns about the Welsh government’s recent public position on shooting and is hopeful of building a constructive working relationship.

BASC Wales director Steve Griffiths said: “After this restructure, Lesley Griffiths has a clear day-to-day responsibility for the environment in Wales and the decisions will clearly stop with her.

“We are looking forward to working with Mrs Griffiths on the key issues which affect people who shoot in Wales.

“We will be seeking a meeting at the earliest opportunity to talk through and work to resolve the issues affecting sporting shooting in the country.

“Shooting is a major positive story for the success of Wales and its iconic countryside and we will be highlighting this to the new minister at the earliest opportunity.

“Damage has been done to the relationship between the Welsh government and the shooting community in recent months, but we sincerely hope Mrs Griffiths can give a clear signal that she wants to start redressing the balance.

“In our letter to her we have outlined that shooting is vital to conservation and the environment in Wales. It is estimated that around 120,000 conservation-related work days take place on Wales each year and 380,000 hectares of land are influenced by shooting in Wales.”