The Home Office will provide specific funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit of £136,000 for 2013-14.
This is good news. And some of the credit must go to all those who contacted their MPs on this issue. And some credit must go to those MPs who responded by signing EDM 603 and by raising the matter in other ways.
Some credit, too, must go to the Government, particularly the Home Office, for making the right decision over this rather small amount of money (in the big scheme of things).
But it’s a strange system of funding that goes from year to year and is split between several funders so that the jigsaw has to be assembled every year.
Good news.
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Seems a ridiculously small amount and shows how the politicians value it.
Suspect adding up a couple of MPs forged expenses comes to a similar amount.Absolutely disgusting that we have to ask and fight for no reduction.
Dennis, well said!
Let’s face it, this just aint a priority for this government. There are issues here concerning protection (of wildlife, a natural asset) lawfulness, and morality where they have failed to show any leadership or sometimes even interest. Is it any wonder folk (me included) join the mental dots that lead from complacency to perennial corruption of duty
It’s great that they have funding for another year… but presumably we have to do all this again next year! Not a good situation.
Mark, I’m disappointed that James Gray MP for North Wiltshire didn’t even reply to me, let alone sign the petition.
He was totally ‘on the ball’ over ‘Buzzard-gate’, but sorely lacking on this issue. I expect better next time, Mr Gray!
Nick – email him and tell him! And Mr Gray does sign a lot of EDMs so he can’t hide behind the ‘I don’t sign EDMs’ non-argument. Suggests he really didn’t want to maintain the NWCU?
James Gray update: I received a reply in the post this morning. He didn’t hide behind the ‘I don’t sign EDM’s’ argument. He just didn’t want to sign this one based on the stock argument given in a previous post. Basically, he states that it may be better for the Police to allocate funding at a local level. I’m going to write him a reply based on your argument in the previous post. That aside I’m glad he did finally reply, and it wasn’t the stock answer, word for word.
Nick – better than nothing, I agree
Mark I’m confused over the £136,000 is that on top of the existing budget for last year i.e. an increase of £136,000 or is that the budget the NWCU gets in total? If it’s the total budget then I can’t see this a victory, after all how much was spent in costs by the RSPCA to bring the Oxford Hunt to court?
I think I would like to see a Guest Blog from someone from the NWCU if thats possible.
Douglas – it’s the Home Office contribution to funding. Money also comes from devolved administrations, ACPO and Defra.