Paying by results

Your money is not being spent well in funding English agri-environment schemes.  This used to be what the current Defra Ministers, James Paice and Richard Benyon, said while they were in Opposition but precious little has changed since they came into positions of being able to influence things. The agri-environment programme is voluntary for farmers…

Habs Regs Review

Defra is carrying out a review of the regulations that implement the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. They’d like to hear from you at [email protected] . I’m glad to say that they have already heard from a large group of wildlife NGOs who have submitted their views on the nature directives – good for them!…

Biggest flock of linnets in Northants?

I have been more than usually aware of the cold weather this week – for several reasons. I had been looking forward to the fact that there was racing at Newbury as I had a friend’s member’s badge as he was in Rome watching the rugby – but Newbury was off because of the weather…

Osborne says…

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne issued a heart-felt cry for help when he warned against allowing his “anti-environment culture” to take hold in Britain. “There are those of us who are trying to create an anti-environment culture in Britain – and we have to be stopped. At stake are not pay packages for a…

A reply – but not an answer

You may remember that I met my MP, Louise Mensch, before Christmas, and she agreed to write to The Treasury asking for the reasons why The Chancellor, George Osborne, announced a review of the Habitats Regulations in his Autumn Statement. Ms Mensch, being an author of some repute (whether good or ill is up to…