Regular blog readers will know that the Scottish Parliament voted through a complete ban on the use of all snares (and so-called ‘humane cable restraints’) as part of the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Scotland Act 2024 earlier this year (here).
It was announced in September that the ban will commence with immediate effect on 25 November 2024.
However, last month I blogged (here) about how the game shooting industry a appeared to be attempting to disrupt the commencement of the ban.
A consortium of the usual suspects (Scottish Land & Estates, Scottish Gamekeepers Association, Scottish Countryside Alliance, BASC Scotland, Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups and the Scottish Association for Country Sports), joined by the National Farmers Union of Scotland, had written an overly-dramatic letter to the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs & Islands Committee to complain about the commencement of the ban.
They suggested that the principles behind the snare ban had ‘not been afforded the customary levels of parliamentary scrutiny’ (even though this subject has been a topic of political debate and public consultation for at least 15 years!), and they complained that Ministers hadn’t conducted a Business & Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) prior to the commencement of the snare ban, and they strongly suggested that this should afford a delay to the commencement of the ban.
Imagine arguing that your business can’t function without the ability to asphyxiate wildlife with a wire noose.
The Convenor of the Rural Affairs & Islands Committee, Finlay Carson MSP, wrote to the Minister to ask for some clarification, in advance of the Committee’s consideration of the legislation behind the commencement of the ban.
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie has now responded to Mr Carson, with a ‘nothing to see here’ letter:
The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee will consider this issue at its next meeting on Wednesday (6th November), starting at 9am. You can watch live on Scottish Parliament TV (here) and I’ll publish the transcript when it becomes available.
So far, there hasn’t been a recommendation for an annulment of the ban’s starting date of 25th November 2024 but this Committee has the power to make such a recommendation if it chooses.
I realise this is all quite turgid legalese but the consequences could result in a delay to the commencement date, which would mean that the use of snares would still be lawful after 25th November 2024 instead of being banned.
Definitely one to watch.
UPDATE 25th November 2024: A landmark day in Scotland as snare ban commences (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
How much ‘scrutiny’ is required to determine that an instrument of torture such as a snare has no place in the 21st century…..presumably a great deal if those wishing to delay such an overdue ban are cruel haters of wildlife. Starting to be reminiscent of the Hunting Act that was delayed, fillibustered and finally watered down so as to be meaningless in reality. For sure it is a disgusting bunch of people that are involved in so called ‘country pursuits’.
Jim Fairlie missed out the bit where breeding artificially high numbers of Red Grouse (and Pheasant and Red-legged Partridges, come to that) naturally attract high numbers of predators.
If the people complaining about the constraints on the permitted methods for the control of predators stopped ruining the natural environment, there wouldn’t be so many predators in the first place.
I take it the public can attend , if we apply to Holyrood today or tomorrow?
https://www.parliament.scot/visit/tickets-for-debates-and-meetings/committee-meetings/request-committee-tickets-via-email
This is absolutely ridiculous what was SUPPOSED to be a done deal is now on hold for a few bloodthirsty cruel people when will the government actually start to govern and not be held up by these cruel people who are stuck with their cruel habits of the past its 2025 soon NOT 1825.
Hi alsere32,
Important to note the commencement date of the ban (25 Nov 2024) is NOT currently on hold. The Committee has to scrutinise the instrument prior to the commencement (and it would be doing this as a matter of due process regardless of the letter from the game shooting lobby) but the point of the blog was to alert people to the possibility of an annulment being proposed. It hasn’t happened yet!
very well said. Snares banned in most of Europe many years ago , as I believe
These so called lovers of the countryside drive enormous 4 X 4 monsters, wear ardour pretend country clothes and have only one thing on their minds.
Slaughter everything in their way.
Pass the no trapping bill now
these blood junkies are simply not used to having to justify their actions, snares are not an issue,they have been rightly banned, not befor time.those trying to overturn this decision should be named and shamed👏
The letter is pathetic and does not justify torture and cruelty by any means or instrument of blatant disregard for welfare traps snares as for the old excuses lambs hens blah blah I’ve had experience of more incompetent farmers than good my ownership of a horse for 40 years stabled on many establishments where land is rented for sheep covered in maggots lambs dead one winter at the back of my house no sign of a fox to clear up the carnage I can’t tell you how much I’ve witnessed how many times I’ve reported cruelty and neglect and removed maggots myself and my hobby which should be enjoyable causes me distress and heartbreak but I also know some excellent farmers. As you said Greynblue there is no place in the 21 st century .
The rural affairs bunch should hang their heads in shame.
they wist to continue the most brutal killing methods ever devised by so called human kind.
niw us the time to stop it 100% but the moneyed owners of massive killing grounds which rich mates want to continue to wantonly kill lovey birds for fun not for food.
they also breed them specially to be shot to make more money. And they want to kill anything that can catch their expensive game for food.
they are a sick and sad bunch out to fill their pockets at the expense of slaughter.
they need stopping and forced to give up any type of snare or injuring and animal or bird.
Hi muller1943,
‘The Rural Affairs bunch’ are simply carrying out their duties as a Parliamentary Committee, i.e. scrutinising the information and evidence that’s been brought to their attention before making a recommendation based on their assessment. They haven’t yet made any recommendations (but I expect them to at this morning’s meeting).
It’s also inaccurate to accuse them of ‘wishing to continue the most brutal killing methods ever devised by so called human kind’. This is a cross-party Committee and certainly not all of its members support snaring.