The debate on this issue will take place in Westminster Hall on the 31st October at 1630 hours ( see the Government website for details www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee ). MP's will debate the issue against which evidence was offered on Tuesday last and for which transcripts and other documentation can be read on the above web site. It is important that as many MP's speak as possible and that a wide recognition is gained of the extent and continuation of raptor persecution in England and the means by which this can be combatted, if necessary through imposed regulation. May I encourage everyone to write to their MP, express their personal views on the matter and ask that their MP participates in the debate. Mark Avery, the originator of the current petition, is monitoring the responses received from MP's and would welcome confirmation of people having contacted their MP's and, of course, to have sight of any response received. Full contact details can be found on his Blog www.markavery.info/blog/
Thank you.
Dear Angela Smith, may I take this opportunity to thank you for your continuing efforts relating to eliminating the persecution of raptors in our uplands and for similar support towards the many other conservation topics which are affecting that environment.
We met briefly at the conference event held in
Sheffield recently when I mentioned my return to the area after living on the
Isle of Islay for several years following early retirement. Previous to that ,
and for around twenty years, I managed the RSPB's NW Region, whose offices are
located in Denby Dale, so my interest and concern in the subject is simply a
continuation of what occupied much of the time within those years. Whilst I
doubt the following is needed (!), the debate on the 31st October is clearly an
important occasion for the continuing exposure of what is a routine,
deliberately focussed campaign of persecution of raptors in the uplands. I am
sure you intend making a telling contribution to the debate and wish you every
success. In the year (1981 ) I assumed responsibility for the Forest of
Bowland in my RSPB Region there was 41 nesting attempts by Hen Harriers in that
area, now there are none present and only three pairs present in the whole of
England. Clearly this focussed, deliberate elimination of raptors must stop and
efforts made towards the protection and enhancement of the populations of these
birds which comprise such a prominent aspect of our natural heritage.. Why
should an elitist, privileged minority "play God " for their own vicarious
enjoyment or commercial gain and deny the majority the simple, but pure,
pleasure of drawing satisfaction from observing such wildlife ?
Some little time ago I registered an E-petition
calling for the licencing of grouse moors, which attracted in excess of 10,000
signatures and gained a rather unhelpful Government response.Whilst I know Mark
( Avery ) has reservations about the efficacy of such an approach I still
believe there might still be a role for such a system, although acknowledge that
it doesn't address ( nor did it intend to do so at the time ) the wider
environmental concerns relating to flood risk and carbon capture. I'm fearful
that the shooting lobby will attempt to consign the current concerns to the long
grass, as appeared to be the case at Tuesday's evidence session when more time,
more money, more research appeared to be the clarion call, all set within the
midst of assurances that the system wasn't "broken" anyway !! Ms. Smith, I
have been much involved in raptor conservation issues since within the 1970's
and can truthfully assure you that the situation is worse now that then, is
conveniently referred to by the Countryside Alliance as an "historical problem
", but is as prevalent now as ever with no intention to change being
demonstrated. Self regulation has not worked as there is no desire on the part
of those who have brought about the catastrophic declines to change their ways
! More research, more time, more money is just playing into the hands of those
who have attained the position they now wish to see maintained as a permanence
!
I do hope that the forthcoming debate is successful
in throwing light on the problem and would again thank you for your own efforts
in this regard. Would it be possible for this E-mail to be passed to the
Minister, Ms. Coffey, so that an official response to the above concerns might
be received from the Government ? Thank you.
Sincerely,
John Armitage
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