asked Her Majesty's Government:

With reference to the Regulatory Reform (Deer) (England and Wales) Order 2007 (SI 2007/2183), why the Deer Act 1991 has been amended in Section 6 by a new subsection (6) creating a permission to injure Chinese water deer or muntjac provided a certain type of rifle and bullet is used. [HL913]

The purpose of Section 6(6) of the Deer Act 1991, introduced by the Regulatory Reform (Deer) (England and Wales) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/2183) is to provide a defence, in the case of Chinese water deer or muntjac and provided the specified types of rifle and bullet are used, to the offence contained in Section 4(2)(a) of taking, killing or injuring deer by means, inter alia, of a firearm or ammunition described in Schedule 2. Its effect is to specify, as minima, a slightly less powerful rifle and the weight of soft or hollow-nosed bullets that may be used against these smaller types of deer, as compared with those specified for larger types of deer.