Holyrood pigeons could have gone for nothing

The Scotsman revealed yesterday that the Scottish Parliament had agreed to pay a private contractor 250 to transfer a baby pigeon 100 miles away to Ayrshire - if the company decided the bird needed to be rescued from the ledge at the parliament in Edinburgh where it is nesting.

But the Pigeon Control Advisory Service intervened last night to lambast the parliamentary authorities for agreeing to such an expensive deal.

Emma Haskell, of the advisory service, said her organisation would have transferred the baby pigeon to the wildlife sanctuary for free, if only the parliamentary authorities had asked.

The PCAS has already been employed by the parliament. Its experts were commissioned to compile a report on the Holyrood pigeons two years ago.

But the parliamentary authorities instead recently brought in a pest control company, Ecolab, to put spikes and nets around the building to keep the birds out.

It is Ecolab that has suggested moving the one rogue pigeon chick to Ayrshire at a cost of 250, if that becomes necessary.

Ms Haskell said: "I cannot believe they would pay 250 to transfer it to Hessilhead. We would have done it for free but this is what happens when you go to a commercial pest control company."

A Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said: "No pigeon nests have been relocated since we moved into Holyrood two years ago, as none of them has caused us undue concern - so there has been no cost to the taxpayer.

"Following a competitive tendering process, Ecolab were appointed as the parliament's pest control experts and continue to advise us on how best to manage the small pigeon population that visits Holyrood."

But Alex Johnstone, a Conservative MSP, said: "A silly story just got ridiculous. If this can be done for free then it should be. It's not too late for a change of heart."