Just as Defra did not submit written evidence to the inquiry into driven grouse shooting – nor did Natural England. The fact that NE have been spending our taxpayers’ money on a detailed study of ranging behaviour and mortality of Hen Harriers since 2002 has not led them to think that they might have anything…
Tag: hen harrier
What Defra would have had to admit
After cogitating (aka as delaying) for a month, Defra finally told me it wouldn’t answer questions about its response to our successful e-petition on banning driven grouse shooting (123,076 signatures). The House of Commons Petitions Committee will hold an evidence session, jointly with the EFRA Committee, on this subject next Tuesday (see here and here)…
West Pennine Moors
Natural England moves with the pace of a snail when it comes to protecting wildlife sites but with that of a cheetah when it comes to issuing licenses to bump off wildlife. Because of NE foot-dragging in the area of Gate Zero there now appears to be a race against time to get the West…
Questions for Defra
I submitted this request for information to Defra on 12 September. I am looking forward to receiving their full response on or before 12 October so that I can refer to it in my oral evidence to the inquiry into grouse shooting. This email is a request for information ahead of an evidence…
HOT expecting a hot AGM on Sunday
It’s not as though the Hawk and Owl Trust is heavily publicising its AGM on Sunday is it? You have to look pretty hard to find any information about it at all on the HoT website. It’s verging on the secretive I’d say. If you put ‘AGM’ into the website’s search engine you find lots…
Lib Dems all bogged down – Firm briefing 20
There are only eight Liberal Democrat MPs in Westminster and I have now been sent responses from six of them to their constituents. They are all over the place! There are more varieties of response from six LibDems than from scores of Conservatives or tens of Labour responses! Here is a composite letter: As a…
What sort of future farming do you want?
A few days ago, four of the UK’s largest wildlife NGOs launched a joint vision for the future of farming and farm payments (because Brexit means Brexit, you know). I find the fact that WWF is paying attention to the UK countryside, and that they have joined RSPB, National Trust and the Wildlife Trusts to…
Last day to voice your views
Today is the last day you can submit evidence to the inquiry into grouse shooting being held by the House of Commons Petitions Committee as a result of our e-petition and ahead of a debate on the subject. When you do, you’ll get a message like the one above. I’ve seen many excellent, short and…
Somewhat typical
Yesterday evening, in response to this blog post, a new commenter, neil p, posted the following comment: ‘You’ve had relative success with your petition in upland rural constituencies because that is where you and your supporters have carried out biased leaflet drops through front doors. That way you can paint the picture, as you are…
I worry about them…
This is Brian – Brian is another Hen Harrier who has gone missing in his first few months of life when travelling around the driven grouse moors of one of our National Parks. You can read about it here and here. I’m a bit worried about some other Hen Harriers. First we have Finn… …no,…