Written question asked by Andrew George (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 10 February 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 February 2004. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 February 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) the impact of the UK Raptor Working Group and (b) the health of the raptor population; and what plans she has to reconvene the working group.

Answer: Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) the impact of the UK Raptor Working Group and (b) the health of the raptor population; and what plans she has to reconvene the working group. [155177] Mr. Bradshaw: Ministers welcomed the final report of the Raptor Working Group, in 2000, as providing Government a consensus view from organisations representing statutory and non-governmental conservation, game-management and racing pigeon interests as to desirable actions to reduce conflicts with birds of prey. The statutory nature conservation agencies and others, co-ordinated through various fora, are taking the detailed recommendations of the Working Group forward. Monitoring of raptor populations provides feedback as to the status of different populations. To this end, the extent and scale of illegal persecution of birds of prey continues to give cause for concern, as does, in particular, the population status of the hen harrier in the UK. There are no immediate plans to reconvene the Working Group.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 155177; 418 c426W;418 c446W
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Birds Protection Nature conservation Wildlife Birds of prey Raptor Working Group
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk