Latest news with #ArianeBurgess
Scotsman
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
The Glorious Twelfth: Is it time to end the Scottish grouse shooting season?
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... This week has seen the Glorious Twelfth, marked every August 12 to celebrate the start of Scotland's grouse shooting season. Official celebrations were held in West Glenalmond in Perthshire, despite some moorland estates having to cancel or scale back their shooting days this year to protect the surviving wild population. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Two very poor red grouse shooting seasons, coupled with last year's cold and wet weather, has led to 'dangerously low stock levels', according to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation. A shooting party on West Glenalmond moors on the Glorious Twelfth. | Jane Barlow/Press Association According to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, which monitors 24 sites across Scotland, this year's pre-breeding densities of grouse were 34 per cent lower than in 2024. So is it time to end the annual shooting season? The Scottish Greens certainly think so - they say the Scottish Government needs to be more vigilant in making sure regulations are followed during the season after the passing of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ariane Burgess, MSP for the Highlands and Islands and the Scottish Greens' rural affairs spokeswoman, has branded grouse shooting a 'bloodsport' with the 'ritualistic killing of animals'. Ms Burgess said: 'There is nothing glorious about the mass killing of animals for entertainment, but that is what was allowed to take place across our communities for far too long. Ariane Burgess MSP | Fraser Bremner/Press Association 'The new protections have been a big step forward in curbing the cruel sport, but there are real concerns about loopholes in the licensing. 'We need to ensure that the system is as robust as possible. That means identifying any gaps in the legislation and ensuring that they are closed as soon as possible and that we do not undermine the intention of the act that was passed.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She added ending grouse shooting also presents a 'big opportunity' to invest in green jobs that boost nature in rural areas. Ms Burgess says the 'extremely skilled' land managers should instead be working on regenerating degraded biodiversity. A dog retrieves a shot bird on the Glorious Twelfth. | Jane Barlow/Press Association Those directly involved in grouse shooting disagree with this - Ross Ewing, director of moorland at Scottish Land and Estates, says opposing game shooting is 'short sighted'. Speaking to Scotland on Sunday, Mr Ewing, who is based in Perthshire, said: 'From our point of view, this is an extension to the tourism season. Most conventional tourism peters out at the end of summer, but this carries on spending in local businesses. Ross Ewing 'It is so important economically and there are conservation benefits too - it is actively underpinned by sound environmental credentials. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Objections are quite often based on misunderstandings. I understand people object to killing, but at the end of the day everything shot on a grouse moor is taken away and eaten for food. 'It supports jobs in rural areas like gamekeepers, land managers and shepherds who are skilled in wildlife management. To take that away because people object to it is short sighted.' A shooting party out on the moors on the Glorious Twelfth to mark the start of the grouse shooting season. | Jane Barlow/Press Association Mr Ewing says there is a careful balancing act at play on managing predators like foxes, weasels and stoats while also protecting threatened species like curlews and lapwings. He says none of this would be possible without grouse moor management. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Ewing said not having the shooting season would have a 'catastrophic impact'. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation is also warning that new muirburn licensing rules could 'jeopardise' effective moorland management. Muirburn is the controlled burning of heather which enhances biodiversity, promotes fresh plant growth, supports species such as deer and grouse and reduces the risk of wildfire, but there are warnings the new system is overly complex. A shot bird is collected by a shooting party on the moors of West Glenalmond. | Jane Barlow/Press Association Peter Clark, Scotland director at BASC, said: 'This is an integral part of the Scottish rural economy. 'Moorland management is an enormous part of protecting and enhancing Scotland's uplands, delivering both economic and environmental benefits. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Yet the new muirburn licensing regime, in its current form, hinders moorland managers in their efforts to reduce wildfire risk and provide habitats for grouse.'
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Coul Links plans in doubt as new report calls for 'outright rejection'
The final decision on proposals for an 18-hole course at Coul Links – a dune system near Embo in Sutherland – will be taken by SNP ministers after they 'called in' the plans following approval from Highland Council last year. Coul Links is a triple-protected site, forming part of the Loch Fleet Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet Special Protection Area (SPA), and the Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet Ramsar site – meaning it is protected under the 1971 international Convention on Wetlands. READ MORE: Photos show flooding on planned site of Coul Links golf course Last month, consideration of the plans was put 'on hold' after the Scottish Government published a new policy stepping up protections for Ramsar sites, including by mandating a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) for any developments affecting one. The new policy states: 'If the HRA concludes that adverse impact on integrity [of notified natural features] would take place, the application would not be supported … unless there are Imperative Reasons of Over-riding Public Interest.' NatureScot, a Scottish Government agency, has now conducted a 'shadow HRA', which concludes that the development would 'undermine' conservation objectives. It also found that assessments have 'not demonstrated that there will not be an adverse effect' on the integrity of the sand dunes or the population of Baltic rush (a type of plant). File photo of the dune system at Coul Links (Image: Getty) The report states that, following a scientific appraisal, there is 'likely significant effect and probable adverse effect on integrity', adding: 'Development management response type: outright objection'. The findings mean that SNP ministers would have to believe there is an 'Imperative Reason of Over-riding Public Interest' in order to let the golf course development go ahead. Ariane Burgess, a Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said NatureScot's shadow HRA was a 'really important analysis'. 'It should mark the end of the saga and a rejection of this totally inappropriate and destructive development,' she added. The Conservation Coalition – a group of charities arguing against the development which includes National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust – welcomed NatureScot's 'comprehensive' work and undertaking of a shadow HRA. The charities added: 'We note that the appropriate assessment could not conclude that there will not be an adverse effect on the integrity of the site for sand dune and Baltic Rush, resulting in an outright objection.' READ MORE: Cross-party MSPs back golf course development at Coul Links However, Communities for Coul (C4C), a locally led group lobbying for US billionaire Mike Keiser to be allowed to build the course, dismissed NatureScot's report as 'based on their highly contested approach to impact on sand dunes'. 'The suggestion that Scottish ministers cannot now approve the Coul Links development without going against their own policy is not correct,' a spokesperson said. 'NatureScot's shadow HRA is based on their highly contested approach to impact on sand dunes. "It is entirely possible that the reporters will find in C4C's favour after assessing the evidence presented and then a different assessment would be undertaken with, we hope, a different outcome. 'However, should Scottish ministers rule against the development, that decision would fly in the face of several Scottish Government policies with which many elements of the Coul Links project are aligned, including the National Strategy for Economic Transformation. 'The proposed development is also closely aligned with the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill currently going through Parliament." Burgess (above), however, said that the developers' proposals 'fall badly short in terms of our efforts to protect our planet and improve our biodiversity'. 'Coul Links sand dunes are very rare habitats, with a variety of vegetation and species dependent on them for their survival,' she said. "East Sutherland is already well served by high-quality golf courses. Coul Links must be protected by the Scottish Government, and marked safe from these destructive plans for yet another private golf course. 'We must not prioritise profits over public use of these beautiful spaces that are becoming few and far between in our country.' READ MORE: SNP ministers call in Glasgow Sauchiehall Street O2 ABC plans A petition calling on the Scottish Government to block the golf course development has passed 25,000 signatures. It is not the first time that proposals to build at Coul Links have been considered by SNP ministers. Initial plans, spearheaded by American entrepreneur Todd Warnock, were blocked in February 2020 after ministers ruled that the proposals would have 'significant' impacts on nature. C4C have since publicly led on revised plans they claim will be net-positive for the Ramsar site, and contribute between 270-400 full-time jobs and £8-12 million per year to the economy. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'As this is a live planning application it would not be appropriate to comment. 'The decision will be announced in due course.'
STV News
12-08-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Glorious Twelfth: Grouse shooting season gets under way
The start of the red grouse-shooting season gets under way on Tuesday. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) marked the Glorious Twelfth by warning that new muirburn licensing rules could 'jeopardise' effective moorland management. From the start of next year, a licence will be required for all muirburn activities in Scotland following the passing of the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024. The BASC has said that muirburn – the controlled burning of heather – actively enhances biodiversity, promotes fresh plant growth, supports species such as deer and grouse, and reduces wildfire risk by managing dry, combustible vegetation. But it says the new system is overly-complex and could unintentionally hinder controlled burning. 'This, in turn, risks increasing fuel loads across moorlands and raising the threat of wildfires across Scotland's moorlands,' it said. However, the Scottish Greens said there is 'nothing glorious about the mass killing of animals for entertainment' as it called on the Scottish Government to ensure all regulations are followed and that 'any new loopholes' are identified and closed. It said the new rules for the 'cruel' sport were a step forward, but suggested hunters could find a way to evade them. BASC is marking the start of Scotland's red grouse season by highlighting the sport's economic, social, and environmental contributions – and warning that new muirburn licensing rules could threaten effective moorland management. Find out more ⬇️ — BASC (@BASCnews) August 11, 2025 The BASC said shooting sustains thousands of jobs across rural Scotland and contributes £340m in GVA to the Scottish economy – including gamekeeping, hospitality, sporting tourism, and local services. It said its latest figures showed the recreational value to those involved in grouse shooting was £9.2m, while the value to the public of managed landscapes is £1.2m. Ahead of the 12th, the BASC is urging the Scottish Government to make changes to the 2024 Act to ensure that muirburn licensing does not hinder effective moorland management. BASC Scotland director Peter Clark said: 'The start of the grouse season in Scotland is the culmination of months and years of hard work by gamekeepers and land managers. 'The figures speak for themselves; this is an integral part of the Scottish rural economy. 'Moorland management is an enormous part of protecting and enhancing Scotland's uplands, delivering both economic and environmental benefits. 'Yet the new muirburn licensing regime, in its current form, hinders moorland managers in their efforts to reduce wildfire risk and provide habitats for grouse. 'We have urged the Scottish Government not to risk these benefits with an overly complicated and unworkable muirburn licensing scheme.' PA Media Ariane Burgess condemned grouse shooting (Fraser Bremner/Scottish Daily Mail/PA) Scottish Greens Communities spokesperson Ariane Burgess said: 'There is nothing glorious about the mass killing of animals for entertainment, but that is what was allowed to take place across our communities for far too long. 'The new protections have been a big step forward in curbing the cruel sport, but there are real concerns about loopholes in the licensing. 'We need to ensure that the system is as robust as possible. That means identifying any gaps in the legislation and ensuring that they are closed as soon as possible and that we do not undermine the intention of the Act that was passed. 'At heart this is a question about what kind of country we want to be. 'The Scottish Greens will always stand against bloodsports and the ritualistic killing of animals that goes with it. It has no place in a modern or compassionate Scotland.' Burgess said there was a 'big opportunity' to invest in greener jobs that boost nature as she described those who worked in shooting estates as 'extremely skilled'. She added: 'What we need is for them to be supported to take those skills and use them to work with nature in support of regeneration and restoration of our much degraded biodiversity.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
15-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Government urged to create action plan one year after housing emergency declared
A Holyrood committee has urged the Government to create a national action plan to address the housing emergency. MSPs voted to declare a housing emergency one year ago, following on from a similar move by local councils as homelessness reached record levels. An inquiry by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee found the housing emergency was 'years, even decades in the making and was therefore both predictable and preventable', according to convener Ariane Burgess. As of September 30 last year, 16,634 households were living in temporary accommodation, including 10,360 children, with both figures the highest on record. Figures for 2024 also show that the number of homes built dropped by 7%, while new homes started by construction firms fell by 9%. The committee's report urges ministers to create a plan and work across all Government departments to tackle the issue. 'The committee recommends that the Scottish Government develop a national overarching housing emergency action plan by the end of this session of Parliament in collaboration with the wider housing sector,' the report said. 'This should include clear milestones and outcomes to enable progress to be measured. 'A whole-systems approach is required that is led by the Scottish Government and its partners in order to stabilise housing in Scotland and help prevent future emergencies. 'The committee therefore recommends that the Scottish Government sets out how it will better coalesce its own departments around tackling housing need and ensure that wider policies across different portfolios can have a positive impact.' Ahead of the anniversary of the declaration, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville touted the Government's action in the past year and its plans for the future, including spending £768 million on affordable housing, funding local councils, and investing £2 million in the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership to free up unused housing stock. The committee also urged the Government to confirm how the increase in housing spending this year, around £200m from last year, will impact its target of building 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Ms Somerville said: 'Providing everyone in Scotland the right to a warm, safe and affordable home is essential to our key priority of eradicating child poverty. 'The measures we have taken have meant increased investment in the affordable housing sector and fewer families living in temporary accommodation. 'As a result of our actions, an estimated more than 2,600 households with children have been helped into affordable housing in the year up to December 2024. 'We have delivered 136,000 affordable homes, with 97,000 of those for social rent, between 2007 and the end of December 2024. 'We are also working to identify and turn around empty private and social homes and encouraging more funding streams into the sector through our housing investment taskforce. 'It is encouraging that we are seeing a reduction in families in temporary accommodation in some local authority areas. 'However, we know there is more to do, which is why we have increased the affordable housing budget for this financial year by £200m to £768m. In the longer term, we will also introduce homelessness prevention measures and a system of long-term rent controls in our Housing (Scotland) Bill. 'We are determined to tackle the housing emergency and ensure that everyone in Scotland can have somewhere to call home.' Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin described the Government as 'arrogant and out of touch', adding: 'Since the SNP was forced to declare a housing emergency a year ago, housebuilding has plummeted, the number of children in temporary accommodation has risen to a record high, and rent and house prices have continued to climb. 'The SNP's Programme for Government has been described as a 'programme for homelessness' and its incompetent housing minister is still in a job. 'The SNP's desperate spin won't wash with the people who are living through the dire consequences of this housing emergency.' Scottish Conservative housing spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher said: 'This stark report makes it clear the SNP have been missing in action since finally agreeing a housing emergency was occurring on their watch. 'They have continued to recklessly support rent controls, which do not work, and have continued to ask cash-strapped councils to do more with less as they try to meet local demand for housing. 'With a record number of children in temporary accommodation and housebuilding collapsing across Scotland, the SNP Government needs to wake up. 'They should mark this anniversary by accepting that current housing policies are failing, ditch plans for permanent rent controls, and instead encourage much-needed investment into our flagging housing sector.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
MSPs demand action plan from ministers to tackle Scotland's housing emergency
Figures for households and children in temporary accommodation are highest on record Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A Holyrood committee has urged the Government to create a national action plan to address the housing emergency. The Scottish Government has been urged to create a national action plan to address the housing emergency | PA MSPs voted to declare a housing emergency one year ago, following on from a similar move by local councils as homelessness reached record levels. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An inquiry by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee found the housing emergency was "years, even decades in the making and was therefore both predictable and preventable", according to convener Ariane Burgess. The Scottish Government has been urged to create a national action plan to address the housing emergency | PA As of September 30 last year, 16,634 households were living in temporary accommodation, including 10,360 children - with both figures the highest on record. Figures for 2024 also show the number of homes built dropped by 7 per cent, while new homes started by construction firms fell 9 per cent. The committee's report urges ministers to create a plan and work across all Government departments to tackle the issue. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "The committee recommends that the Scottish Government develops a national overarching housing emergency action plan by the end of this session of Parliament in collaboration with the wider housing sector," the report said. Need for clear milestones and outcomes "This should include clear milestones and outcomes to enable progress to be measured. "A whole-systems approach is required that is led by the Scottish Government and its partners in order to stabilise housing in Scotland and help prevent future emergencies. "The committee therefore recommends that the Scottish Government sets out how it will better coalesce its own departments around tackling housing need and ensure that wider policies across different portfolios can have a positive impact." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ahead of the anniversary of the declaration, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville touted the Government's action in the past year and its plans for the future, including spending £768 million on affordable housing, funding local councils and investing £2 million in the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership to free up unused housing stock. Target to build 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 The committee also urged the Government to confirm how the increase in housing spending this year - around £200 million from last year - will impact on its target of building 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Ms Somerville said: "Providing everyone in Scotland the right to a warm, safe and affordable home is essential to our key priority of eradicating child poverty. "The measures we have taken have meant increased investment in the affordable housing sector and fewer families living in temporary accommodation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "As a result of our actions, an estimated more than 2,600 households with children have been helped into affordable housing in the year up to December 2024 . "We have delivered 136,000 affordable homes, with 97,000 of those for social rent, between 2007 and the end of December 2024 . "We are also working to identify and turn around empty private and social homes and encouraging more funding streams into the sector through our housing investment taskforce. "It is encouraging that we are seeing a reduction in families in temporary accommodation in some local authority areas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "However, we know there is more to do, which is why we have increased the affordable housing budget for this financial year by £200 million to £768 million. In the longer term we will also introduce homelessness prevention measures and a system of long-term rent controls in our Housing ( Scotland ) Bill. "We are determined to tackle the housing emergency and ensure that everyone in Scotland can have somewhere to call home." SNP government branded 'arrogant and out of touch' Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin described the Government as "arrogant and out of touch", adding: "Since the SNP was forced to declare a housing emergency a year ago, housebuilding has plummeted, the number of children in temporary accommodation has risen to a record high, and rent and house prices have continued to climb. "The SNP's Programme for Government has been described as a 'programme for homelessness' and its incompetent housing minister is still in a job. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "The SNP's desperate spin won't wash with the people who are living through the dire consequences of this housing emergency." Scottish Conservative housing spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher said: "This stark report makes it clear the SNP have been missing in action since finally agreeing a housing emergency was occurring on their watch. "They have continued to recklessly support rent controls which do not work and have continued to ask cash-strapped councils to do more with less as they try to meet local demand for housing. "With a record number of children in temporary accommodation and housebuilding collapsing across Scotland , the SNP Government need to wake up. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
