HC Deb 20 February 1979 vol 963 cc273-5

4.23 p.m.

Mrs. Margaret Bain (Dunbartonshire, East)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make otters a protected species in Scotland; and for connected purposes. Making the otter a protected species in Scotland would effectively ban otter hunting as a sport north of the border. Lest anyone should think that I am arguing the case on the concept that it is Scotland's otter, may I explain that I am merely extending to the otter in Scotland the same privileges as are currently enjoyed by its brother south of the border.

Under the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975, provision was made, in section 7, for the addition of extra protected species should there be a situation in which any species was considered to be endangered. As a result, on 1 January 1978 a statutory instrument, No. 1700, was introduced to protect the otter in England and Wales. A direct result has been for the otter hunts to be transferred to Scotland.

I emphasise that it is not merely the killing of the otter that concerns me but the disturbance to the otter's natural habitat and the effects on the young.

Last year two hunts came to Mull and Ardfern, in Argyll. It was only through the hard work of conservationists, who are extremely vigilant in these matters, that the hunts were stopped. I would have had more respect for the huntsmen involved if they had shown some decency in their attitude to the people, who felt as strongly as the conservationists did. Car windows were smashed and the conservationists suffered considerable abuse.

Some of the conservationists came from my constituency. They included Mr. David Stephen, a well-known naturalist in Scotland, who runs a nature reserve in Cumbernauld new town. I reiterate what he said in The Scotsman in January last year. Referring to the protection of otters, he asked: Are we going to wait for a threat to Scotland's otters then do in a panic of conscience what we could do now by legislation? In asking for leave to introduce the Bill, I do not contend that a few packs of English otterhounds roaming around the western highlands and islands of Scotland will exterminate the otter. I regard it as purely coincidental that the otterhound was for the first time recognised as a breed at Crufts this year. At the same time, I am not saying that the hunts could not exterminate the otters.

It seems to me that we are permitting a threat to a species whose numbers and population stability we do not know. The very nature of the animal is such that we cannot readily assess its numbers. It is wrong to make snap decisions or judgments simply because frequent sightings of the otter are made in Scotland.

A survey of the otter population is currently being undertaken by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Mammal Society. It is scheduled to be completed late this year. Interestingly enough, the secretary of the trust, Mr. Bernard Gilchrist, wrote to me in connection with the Bill, saying: This is excellent news and something that the Scottish Wildlife Trust welcomes very much. The trust, like me, does not believe that we must await the findings of the survey before introducing appropriate legislation.

I understand from the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) that at the last meeting of the Endangered Species Committee it was yet again repeated that the Scottish otter was not an endangered species and that no action need be taken. I remind those who say that the otter is not endangered in Scotland of the joint report of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Society for the Promotion of Nature Conservation in 1977, where two areas of concern were indicated.

The first was: If the otter were protected in England and Wales this could increase pressure elsewhere, for example by English hunts being invited to hunt in Scotland ", which is exactly what is happening, as I have already outlined. Secondly, the report said, it is not thought advisable to add the otter "— to the protected species list— on an area basis, especially if this means excluding legislative protection for the otter in Scotland. Again, this is what has happened. To any hon. Member who has any doubts on the matter I emphasise two points. First, the Bill is not the thin end of the wedge in terms of blood sports, although I have my reservations about them. The Bill is aimed at the protection of one particular species.

To others who may be concerned that the otter can have a damaging effect on the sport of angling, which is one of the most popular sports of all, I point out that it does not destroy in large numbers any fish species in Scotland. The otter take single coarse fish, unlike the commercial fishermen, who tend to take the young in their hundreds.

On this basis, I hope that the House will give me permission to bring in the appropriate legislation.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mrs. Margaret Bain, Mr. Iain MacCormick, Mr. Donald Stewart, Mr. Andrew Welsh, Mr. Eric S. Heffer and Mr. Robin Corbett.