Here are two answers to questions from Defra in response to questions from Kerry McCarthy MP: On subsidies for grouse shooting: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-20/49693/ On the financial contribution of driven grouse shooting: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-20/49691/ Defra doesn’t know how much of your money it pays to grouse moors. Defra hasn’t a clue whether driven grouse shooting contributes anything to…
Tag: grouse shooting
Gems from the written evidence 9 – Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group
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More extracts from evidence from the Peak District – the Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group; In the Dark Peak area, Goshawk declined from 11 pairs in 2000 (23 in 1994) to just 1 successful nest from 3 pairs in 2015; the other 2 pairs both failed due to confirmed illegal persecution. Without immigration of…
Gems from the written evidence 7 – the grouse moor owners, manager, gamekeepers
It may not come as a surprise that those engaged in grouse shooting do not want any change to their hobby, sport or business. Here are some examples: Dawnay Estates, North York Moors: any introduction of further regulation or laws does not seem to serve any useful purpose Weardale Estates: The law on grouse shooting…
A day to speak up for Hen Harriers
There should be over 300 nesting pairs of Hen Harrier in northern England – this year there were three (and none on driven grouse moors). The government doesn’t have a feasible plan to end persecution of Hen Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, Goshawks or Red Kites in the English uplands. We do – ban driven grouse shooting….
Gems from the written evidence 6 – the raptor workers (1)
Raptor workers give up their time voluntarily to monitor the numbers of these fabulous birds. Their evidence on raptor numbers and raptor persecution should carry considerable weight. Here are some extracts from the evidence that has appeared so far (more is to come I am sure) and from a professional academic too: North of England…
Gems from the written evidence 4 – Michael Whitehouse
Here are a couple of extracts from the written evidence submitted by Michael Whitehouse. ‘I have lived in Yorkshire for over 43 years during which time I very regularly walk in the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors and less so in the Peak District and the Lake District. I am a keen…
Gems from the written evidence 2 – the not-so-talented Viscount Ridley
Viscount Ridley has a DPhil from Oxford University in zoology, experience of working on wildlife conservation projects in the UK, India and Pakistan, and a 33-year career as a journalist covering environmental and scientific debates. He is also a member of the science and technology select committee of the House of Lords. So, despite previous…
Gems from the written evidence 1 – Alan Stewart
The written evidence to the inquiry into driven grouse shooting has started to be published – but there are, I am told, hundreds more examples to come. I’ll be quoting from and commenting on some of them here over the next week or so – although my ability to get connected to the internet may…
You can’t ignore 123,076 signatures
The shooting community lacks good losers – but they had better get better at it. One of their current bugbears is the wave of public opinion that has carried the subject of driven grouse shooting into the Westminster parliament. The simple fact is that only 38 petitions have been debated in this session of parliament…
An interesting session
Well that was interesting! The evidence session yesterday took something like twice as long as the time for which it was scheduled because of the interest from MPs. That’s a good thing. The transcript of the session should be available later today, I guess (which is remarkably quick). I’ll look forward to reading it as…