Rural Affairs Committee, 03 Dec 1999
Meeting date: Friday, December 3, 1999
Official Report 234KB pdf
Contents
- Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs Committee Friday 3 December 1999 (Morning)
- Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme
- Sea Fishing Grants (Charges) Bill 1999
- Petition (Homing Pigeons)
- Petition (Pesticide Tax)
- Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Report
- Correspondence
- Rural Employment
Petition (Homing Pigeons)
The next item on the agenda is the Scottish Homing Union petition on pigeons. We addressed the issue before and deferred initial consideration while we awaited information from SPICe. All members should now have a copy of the research note on racing pigeons and birds of prey. The petition requests that the Government review the operation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, especially with regard to the status of racing pigeons and the balance of population levels with other species of birds. Having taken into account the SPICe research note, the committee is invited to express a view as to whether that would be appropriate.
I have read the SPICe research note, but I still think that—after the years of neglect and the time it has taken to establish the current number of birds—it would be difficult to agree to any proposal that would reduce the number of birds of prey. I understand the concerns of people who raise pigeons. However, I must say that some of the proposals made me giggle and I cannot see them being taken seriously.
When the matter was first raised, I said that we should wait for the raptor working group's report, which will not come out until next year. There is no point in progressing without the scientific evidence.
A commission for the Hawk and Owl Trust is also researching the issue of pigeons and birds of prey and is due to report early next year. It would be precipitate to reach a conclusion before the two reports are available.
In that case, shall we await further information?
We should wait for the reports.