Environment Secretary Owen Paterson will take part in a programme of countryside debates at the CLA Game Fair, from 19 July – 21 July, at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.
Paterson will join Shadow Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, CLA President Harry Cotterell and leading Liberal Democrat Roger Williams in the CLA President's Debate at the CLA Game Fair Theatre on Friday, 19 July from 10.30am-11.30am, chaired by Charlotte Smith, presenter of Radio 4's Farming Today.
CLA President Harry Cotterell said: "We will be debating the topic: 'Is the countryside marginalised in party politics?' It is the keynote debate and should be a lively affair.
"The CLA President's Debate is almost always fun to watch. The ministers and leading politicians really express their views to a packed audience in the Theatre."
A full programme of debates is taking place in the CLA Game Fair Theatre, which is sponsored by Strutt & Parker.
The Salmon and Trout Association's Debate, which asks: "Is the Government committed to protecting our rivers and fish?", will take place from 11.30am on Friday, 19 July.
The Country Life Debate – from 2pm on Saturday, 20 July – will consider the subject: "Nature: Should we interfere?" with a prestigious panel including Countryside Alliance Executive Chairman Sir Barney White-Spunner, RSPCA Chief Executive Gavin Grant, and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Chairman Ian Coghill.
The Wildlife Trusts are staging a lecture in the CLA Game Fair Theatre on "Future challenges for managing land for wildlife" from 10.30am on Saturday, 20 July and The Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management is showing a short film on "badgers and bovine TB" from 2pm, also on that Saturday.
