Ten days ago the Rural Affairs & Islands Committee published its Stage 1 report on the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill (here).
The Committee’s report contained requests for further detail / clarification from the Scottish Government on many aspects of the Bill, prior to today’s Stage 1 debate in the Scottish Parliament.
Those information requests included more information on the level of threat to raptors on grouse moors and the levels of ‘recovery’ of raptor populations, the provisions of NatureScot to suspend / revoke a grouse shooting licence, the range of relevant offences that would trigger a suspension / revocation, various questions about muirburn, various questions about the proposed ban on snares, and various questions about the proposed extension of powers for the SSPCA.
Yesterday, Environment Minister Gillian Martin MSP responded to the Committee with the following letter (see below), in which she provides a summary of the status of several raptor species whose populations have been affected by ongoing illegal persecution on grouse moors (regular blog readers won’t learn anything new – it’s all information that’s been in the public domain for some time). She also answers the unfounded and arrogant criticism from some in the grouse shooting industry that her speedy decision to ban snares was made fast because (a) the Committee had pushed her for a speedy response ahead of its deliberations for the Stage 1 report and (b) because the grouse shooting industry’s proposals for a licensing scheme for snare use didn’t contain any evidence that the Government hadn’t heard before.
Here’s her letter – well worth a read. She’s standing firm on the fundamental issues of importance but is prepared to consider her position on some of what I would consider minor, less important issues such as potentially changing the length of the licence period from an annual licence to one that is issued for a three to five year period. It’s also worth noting her cover letter to the Committee in which she points out that, unusually, the Committee’s Stage 1 report does not indicate whether the Committee supports or rejects the general principles of the Bill!
It’ll be all eyes on the Scottish Parliament this afternoon as the Stage 1 report is debated in the main Chamber, followed by a vote on whether the Bill can progress to Stage 2.
You can watch live on Scottish Parliament TV from 2.30pm HERE
Thank you to all of you who sent emails to your MSPs and to the three Ministers ahead of this debate, urging their attendance and support of the Bill following the news that one of the South Scotland golden eagles has ‘disappeared’ and which Police Scotland ‘believe has come to harm‘. It’s been important for MSPs to understand ahead of this debate the extent of public anger that these criminal atrocities against birds of prey continue.
Let’s see which MSPs agree.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Well done minister and thank you Ruth for keeping us so well informed. They are in their death throes
May I recommend a wee look at an item in the Scottish Daily Express, which is a pure diatribe against the whole effort to install a more humane way of managing our countryside. The usual claims from those organisations representing “country sports” are all vibrantly presented, along with the prophesy of complete collapse of the rural economy, if what is being recommended is passed. What young person wants to fester in a rural environment, mainly offering occasional/seasonal work, when the need is for pertinent instruction in economic activities offering higher remuneration. At the same time, we are witnessing the re-application to develop a golf course at Coul Sands, which would lead to damaging what is supposed to be a protected site for non-destructive recreation; rambling and wildlife spotting. Again, with that proposal, comes the promise of a large number of jobs, without a byreakdown of what they would be, along with income derived and permanency on completion. Nobody should ever be fooled by such specious arguments to create a feature that would contradict the urgency of protecting biodiversity. What is needed is a simplified explanation of what is adverse to saving this planet and its inter-acting life forms. The venture capitalists with their roving, looking to use the funds of others for investing in supposedly profitable, and sometimes environmentally destructive, activities. The shooting industry has the taint of allegedly existing under the aegis of compliant members of the political, judicial and law enforcement setups. Owners of certain newspapers print items articulating all the propaganda necessary to belittle those humane individuals, who wish to see a completely new regime that would bring a more scientifically and compassionately based management, with the various rural economies being intimately involved in Africa and South America. Armageddon is not going to descend on Scottish rural areas if the measures under review in this Bill are eventually passed, as the moans and tearing of hair in the article in the Daily Express would suggest. Cruel privilege is under the microscope, and being challenged after centuries of abuse of human communities, the loss of native forest cover and the extinction/near extinction of birds of prey and other creatures.
A thought struck me that the Minister might consider a licencing period of one year, extending to two and later three, in recognition of absence of persecution. Though it’s probably too late to ask.
There appears to be scant regard to wildlife and the environment shown in the ‘concerns’ expressed by the Rural Affairs & Islands Committee….
There seems to be scant regard for any wildlife or birds of prey in Scotland and England and what young person wants to fester in such a corrupt cruel environment. Grouse shooting,hunting needs to be banned and jobs to promote wildlife management and protection created in there place .