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Private
Member's Bill: Equine Welfare (Ragwort Control) Act published |
The
British Horse Society's initiative has plenty of support
The
Private Member's Bill initiated by the British Horse Society and
aimed at reducing equine fatalities due to ragwort poisoning has
now been published. The Bill, sponsored by John Greenway MP (Cons)
for Ryedale in Yorkshire, has its Second Reading on Friday 21 March.
The
Bill is supported by the British Horseracing Board, the National
Farmers Union, equine welfare organisations and a large number of
cross party MPs. It amends the Weeds Act 1959 to place a duty of
responsibility on public authorities such as highways authorities
and statutory undertakers to 'take all reasonable steps to remove
ragwort from relevant land occupied by him and to prevent the growth
or regrowth of ragwort on such land'. The Government is taking a
keen interest in the Bill as it affects authorities that are governed
outside of DEFRA's remit.
In
publishing his Bill John Greenway said, "I am pleased to be
promoting this Bill drafted by the BHS. My office has received considerable
support from equestrian organisations and horse owners and I look
forward to presenting it to the Commons on 21 March. With a conservative
figure of 500 equines dying in 2001* from the effects of ragwort
poisoning I hope this Bill will go a long way to alleviate the suffering
caused by this insidious weed."
BHS
Chief Executive, Kay Driver, added "We are now building on
the success of the Society's 'Root out Ragwort' campaign and the
response that Mr Greenway has received to this Bill shows how much
awareness has been created as to the dangers of ragwort ingestion
to all equines. We hope that the Bill is successful and can go forward
unopposed."
The
BHS is encouraging all equestrians to write to their MPs asking
them to support this Bill on its Second Reading. Letters should
be addressed to the relevant MP at: The House of Commons, Westminster,
London SW1A 0AA or their constituency office. Any replies should
be copied and sent to the Media Office at The British Horse Society,
Stoneleigh Deer Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2XZ.
Copies
of the Bill, which has the long title: 'Equine Welfare (Ragwort
Control) Bill; to make provision for the protection of horses from
ragwort poisoning; to amend the Weeds Act 1959; and for connected
purposes' can be purchased from Her Majesty's Stationery Office,
St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ for £1.50,
or can be viewed at: www.bhs.org.uk
www.bhs.org.uk
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