Wednesday 7 May 2008
GOVERNMENT REVEALS THOUSANDS WERE IGNORED IN REACHING CONTROVERSIAL SNARE DECISION
99.9 PER CENT OF CORRESPONDENTS WANTED SNARES BANNED
The Scottish Government has revealed that 99.9 per cent of people who contacted it about snaring in the last year expressed the view that snaring should be banned. However, the Government chose to ignore this, instead deciding to allow this cruel practice to continue under new regulations.
The overwhelming extent to which public opinion was ignored has been revealed in answers to Parliamentary Questions1 when Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart asked the Government how many people had contacted the Minister for Environment since May 2007 in respect to snaring and how many had contacted the Minister in this same time period asking for snares to be made illegal.
Responding to the questions the Minister for Environment, Mike Russell MSP, said he had received 7,192 representations in regard to snaring and a massive 7,182 (99.9%) of these were calling for a ban.
The Government has already been criticised for ignoring a public consultation on snaring in which 70% of respondents called for a ban, and an independent opinion poll2 which showed that three quarters (75%) of people in Scotland want a ban on snares.
In addition, a Freedom of Information request has revealed that, in advance of the Minister’s recent announcement that he intends to allow snaring to continue, the Government was working closely behind the scenes with organisations wanting snaring to continue3.
Advocates for Animals’ Political Director, Libby Anderson added; “We have seen an official consultation ignored, and now we see the extent to which personal messages to the Minister were also ignored. These latest figures demonstrate yet again that there is overwhelming public support for a ban on snaring, and our campaign will continue until these cruel and indiscriminate traps are made illegal in Scotland”.
Scottish Campaigns Manager for the League Against Cruel Sports, Louise Robertson said; “It is absolutely staggering that the will of so many people was clearly ignored in the Government’s decision to allow snaring to continue. It makes a complete mockery of democracy”.
MSP David Stewart added: “The Government has shown a total lack of regard for the feelings of Scots on this issue. It is appalling that so many people have quite simply been ignored in reaching this unpopular decision to allow the practice of snaring to continue.”
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Note to Editors:
For interviews or further information contact:
Advocates for Animals: Libby Anderson, Political Director – Tel: 0131 225 6039, Mob: 07967 839137.
League Against Cruel Sports: Louise Robertson, Scottish Campaigns Manager - Tel: 01383 873461, Mob: 07980 232287
The campaign for a ban on the manufacture, possession and use of snares in Scotland is led by Advocates for Animals and the League Against Cruel Sports, supported by the Hare Preservation Trust, Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust, International Otter Survival Fund and Scottish Badgers and sponsored by the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust. See www.bansnares.com. A ban on all snares is also supported by the Scottish SPCA.
1 David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much correspondence has been received by the Minister for Environment since May 2007 in respect of snaring.
Michael Russell: I have received 7,192 representations since May 2007 in respect of snaring
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have contacted the Minister for Environment by letter, postcard or email since May 2007 to express the view that snaring should be banned outright in Scotland
Michael Russell: I have received 7,182 representations since May 2007 expressing the view that snaring should be banned in Scotland.
2 CommunicateResearch interviewed 1036 Scottish adults 18+ in February 2007 for the League Against Cruel Sports. The questions asked were as follows:
CommunicateResearch found that 19 per cent answered ‘legal’ to question one and 75 per cent supported a ban in question two.
3 http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Animal-activists-accuse-ministers-of.4000868.jp