Thank you for contacting me about catapults.
I am aware that under the provisions in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, The Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and Animal Welfare Act 2006, there are a range of offences around injuring and inflicting unnecessary suffering on wildlife and in the event that a member of the public believes that such an event has taken place, they are encouraged to report the matter to the police so they can investigate.
The misuse of catapults may also constitute anti-social behaviour. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 already provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to anti-social behaviour.
However, I am aware that catapults do have some legitimate uses, for example when fishing and at present the Government considers that existing legislation provides the correct balance between protecting the public from the small number of individuals who misuse catapults, while also allowing the public to enjoy legitimate pastimes. As such, the Government does not have any plans to prevent the possession in public of catapults at this time, however, it continues to keep all relevant legislation under review in the interests of public safety.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
