Public Petitions Committee, 27 Feb 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 27, 2001

Official Report 173KB pdf

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New Petition

We return to petition PE339. We hoped that the petitioner, Mr John Lyon, would turn up in the course of the morning. He does not appear to have made it, so we will have to consider the petition in his absence.

Mr Lyon calls on the Parliament to introduce provisions that would restrict hedge trimming and heavy rolling of pastures and fields during certain periods of the year, in order to protect wildlife. The protection of wildlife is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. We could agree to seek SNH's views or to take no further action. I favour seeking the views of SNH.

One of the tragedies in our rural areas has been the replacement of hedges by fencing, as it has taken away the habitat of little birds. All over the country, we can see that where hedges have been kept, there are far more little birds. I am sympathetic to the petition—we should seek the views of SNH.

Do we agree to seek the views of SNH, and to then bring the petition back before the committee?

Members indicated agreement.