I’m thinking of how to respond to the Defra call for evidence – click here – on gamebird shooting (as readers of my monthly newsblast will know). I’ve already penned something on the overall death toll of the tens of millions of released birds – click here. Here are some words on distribution, numbers and…
Category: THE POLITICS: Ministers, MPs, government policy
What a rollicking good read! Cool Coul!
This is the type of thing that happens if I wake up ridiculously early – I’ve read the 164 pages, 593 paragraphs and four appendices of the Reporters’ report to Scottish Ministers which formed the basis of the rejection of planning permission for a golf course at Coul Links. And I attach the report below…
This is evidence (1)
I’m thinking of how to respond to the Defra call for evidence on gamebird shooting (as readers of my monthly newsblast will know). Although BASC has told its members to ignore all that stuff about evidence and just send their thoughts to Defra (what a horrific image that brings up) we can do better than…
Watershed and catchments for the public good
I’ve promoted this petition in my newsletters, on social media and in my Birdwatch column as I think it is a clever move, a timely move and a well-managed campaign so I am delighted that Ash Smith’s petition did so well. The 100,000+ signatures, in fact 200,000+ signatures, generated a debate in Westminster Hall and…
Public consultation on Norfolk environment plan
I was alerted to the existence of this consultation by a press release from the RSPB which praised it thus: Carl Bunnage, the RSPB’s head of nature policy in England, said: “The UK Government’s commitment that addressing the housing crisis and delivering new infrastructure shouldn’t come at nature’s expense is a positive step forward. It’s…
Is this the way to run the Environment Department?
The new SoS at Defra, Angela Eagle I wish Angela Eagle well in her new role as Secretary of State at Defra. She has the experience of being a junior minister in Defra and a range of other departments that will equip her for this important role. The eagle has landed. Not that most Prime…
A post about inefficient government
This is my Mum, who died two years ago today in her 98th year. But this blog post is about the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). I’ll be sending a copy of this blog post to my MP. When someone dies there is a fair amount of ‘sadmin’, sad administration, to do. There are…
Government to consult on changes to shooting seasons
Governments in Britain are to consult on shooting seasons for Woodcock, Snipe, Golden Plover, White-fronted Geese, Goldeneye, Pintail and Pochard (with different packages of proposals for each of Scotland, Wales and England) but it is proposed that Pochard should be removed from Schedule 2.1 across Britain. Consultation – click here. These proposals emanate from correspondence…
Land Use Framework for England
I’ve read this document – click here – several times, and I’ll need to read it several times more to get the most out of it. But my initial rating of it is 6.5/10 which is quite a bit higher than I expected. I’d be very interested in others’ views on this document and I’d…
England Land Use Framework – a textual analysis
Comments Off on England Land Use Framework – a textual analysis
I read a lot of words (and I write quite a few too). I try to take care to understand what the writer intended me to think so I read the words, think about them, and put together in my head what the passages mean. I’m also long-practiced in reading words from government departments and…