Letter: Law is nuts

Published on Monday 21 March 2011 16:19

Under section 10(2) of the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 the grey squirrel qualified on two counts as being the equivalent of "native" to this country. Section 10(2) states: "In this section the expression 'non-indigenous mammalian species' means a mammalian species, which at the date of the commencement of this act was not established in a wild state in Great Britain, or had only become so established during the preceding 50 years."

As the grey squirrel was well established before the commencement of the Act and had become established in the wild in Cheshire prior to 1882, there can be no doubt as to its granted status of being regarded as native to the British Isles.

There then followed The Grey Squirrels (Prohibition of Importation and Keeping) Order 1937 which was made under The Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, both of which blatantly ignored the grey squirrels' status. The former during debate in the House of Lords and the latter by including the grey squirrel in Schedule 9 of non-native species.

Now under pressure from the conservationists, who wish to demonise the grey squirrel at every opportunity, the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill has passed its third reading and conveniently seeks to repeal the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 in Scotland.

This is an abuse of legislative power and is akin to repealing burdens on a property title to suit the latest buyer.

Is there no honesty or integrity left in the legal process?

Angus Macmillan

Near Balloch

Dunbartonshire