Bills Tracker
Bill page
Hares (Close Season) Bill [HL]
Hares (Close Season) Bill [HL] has completed 1st reading on 21 Jul 2026 in the House of Lords. Parliament currently lists 2nd reading as its current stage.
Current position
- Latest completed stage
- 1st reading21 Jul 2026
- Current stage
- 2nd reading
- House
- House of Lords
- Bill type
- Private Members' Bill (Starting in the House of Lords)
- Last updated
- 22 Jul 2026
- Proposer / sponsor
- Baroness Helic Proposer / sponsor · Conservative · House of Lords
Parliamentary Calendar
Next scheduled stage
No future stage is currently scheduled in the Parliamentary Calendar.
Parliament can add or change future business at short notice.
View Parliamentary CalendarWhat this bill is about
The Hares (Close Season) Bill [HL] would set out a seasonal “close season” for hares. According to the bill’s long title, it aims to prohibit the killing or taking of brown hares from the start of February to the end of September, and to protect mountain hares. It would also repeal a seasonal prohibition on the sale of hares in the Hares Preservation Act 1892, and makes provision for connected purposes.
What it would do
- Create a close season running from 1 February to 30 September.
- During that period, prohibit killing or taking of brown hares.
- Include measures intended to protect mountain hares.
- Would repeal the seasonal prohibition of the sale of hares in the 1892 Hares Preservation Act, plus related provisions.
Bill journey
Matched Commons vote groups are shown inside the relevant stage where the stored dates allow a match.
-
1st reading 21 Jul 2026 · House of Lords
Related daily summaries
Published daily summaries where this bill appears in the day’s parliamentary or government business.