Following on from earlier blog posts about SNH’s latest baffling decision to authorise the use of clam-type traps in the 2013 General Licences (see here), a well-informed MSP has now asked the following excellent parliamentary questions:
Claire Baker (Scottish Labour, Mid-Scotland and Fife), Date lodged 7/12/2012
Question S4W-11729 To ask the Scottish Government what independent testing has been carried out to evaluate the risk of injury to birds and other animals from (a) Larsen Mate and (b) Elgeeco cage traps.
Question S4W-11730 To ask the Scottish Government what independent testing has been carried out to evaluate the impact of (a) Larsen Mate and (b) Elgeeco cage traps on (i) protected species and (ii) species not targeted by the devices.
Question S4W-11731 To ask the Scottish Government what provision must be made for (a) food, (b) water and (c) shelter for (i) birds and (ii) other animals caught by a (A) Larsen Mate and (B) Elgeeco cage trap before a general licence for its use can be granted.
Question S4W-11732 To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on issuing general licences for untested cage traps.
Question S4W-11733 To ask the Scottish Government whether independent evidence establishing a need to supplement a trap with a (a) Larsen Mate and (b) Elgeeco cage trap is required before a general licence for its use can be granted.
Expected answer date: 21/12/2012
Those answers should make for interesting reading. Well done Claire Baker MSP.
Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for SNH to publish ALL the responses they received on their 2013 General Licence consultation. They told us last Thursday that they were “currently preparing the information for publication” (see here).
Raptor Persecution UK 
Well done that MSP, we could be doing with a load (120- ish) more like her.
Given the SG’s well documented reluctance to adhere to any FOI requests where an inconvenient truth may make for their uncomfortable reading, I’m not hopeful that we’ll see these published any time soon. They have a track record of suppressing information even remotely critical of the SNP’s actions, and that includes cases where the Information Commissioner (who they are meant to obey) has instructed them to. We may get some leaked, maybe, if there’s someone courageous and scunnered enough in SNH, but actually published? The black felt tip pens will be working overtime to redact anything that could be used to identify any individual or organisation.
I’m not sure there needs to be great secrecy around who wrote what in the consultation. While waiting for the responses to be published you can read the BASC submission here http://www.basc.org.uk/en/utilities/document-summary.cfm/docid/F400519E-966F-4779-83D60A8748FF34F6
and the Scottish Association for Country Sports (SACS) here http://www.sacs.org.uk/sacs-triumph-in-scottish-general-licence-consultation-i846.html
SACS refers on its website to its “delight” and “triumph” and “the excellent, well-considered and balanced response from SNH” where “many of the points we made have been accepted.”
SACS also opined in its submission:
“We do not think that SNH currently strikes the correct balance between the legitimate needs of land managers and the obsessions of the animal rights activists and pro-raptor groups.”
The SGA Chairman’s blog tells us: “Last week we had a very encouraging meeting with SNH regarding licensing and managing species. In recent times, engagement between the SGA and SNH has improved greatly and we felt very positive when we came out of the meeting and I hope we can come up with some new ideas which can benefit the Scottish countryside.”
So, no great detective work required. What is really mysterious is the decision to reward illegal behaviour (using clam traps) by simply legalising it. Solved at a stroke!
Have written congratulating her -the links between the landowning groups and SNH is far too close.