Debate

The petition to parliament initiated by Mark Avery on driven grouse shooting and its catastrophic effect on the upland ecosystems has so far reached about 30,000 signatures. That far exceeds the number necessary to elicit a formal government response but still falls well short of the number necessary to set up a debate in parliament. There are only a few days left. A hope might be that this will prompt a sympathetic MP or group of MPs to take this up in members time.

It's interesting to note that the numbers signing in each constituency are recorded on the website. So far from Sheffield Hallam there have been 94 signatures, from High Peak, Derbyshire 139, from Derbyshire Dales 102. On the whole you can see fewest signatures in the south east. Conservative constituencies in the north where more grouse shooting goes on tend to get most support for the petition. Food for thought.