REVIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT'S BIRD REGISTRATION SCHEME

Early day motion 423, tabled 18 December 2002 by Lord Mann (Labour). Signed by 84 members.

That this House notes the Government's review of its Bird Registration Scheme; believes that the current scheme allows the origin and parentage of birds kept by birdkeepers to be traced; further believes that this has acted as a successful deterrent to taking some of the UK's rarest birds from the wild, aiding the recovery of populations of species such as the goshawk and peregrine falcon; notes with concern that the consultation includes options to abolish the Bird Registration Scheme or scale it back significantly; believes that such change would save only a small amount of money while potentially threatening the continued recovery of populations of some rare bird species; further believes that changes can be made to the Bird Registration Scheme which would make it cheaper to administer without undermining its central purpose; and calls on the Government, in its consideration of the response to its consultation, to retain the Bird Registration Scheme in its current form, and look at the scope for extending its provisions to better protect a number of rare European and globally endangered species threatened by trade and inadequately protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Signatures by party: Labour 52, Liberal Democrat 19, Conservative 8, Labour/Co-operative 2, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.