Philosophy
A controversial cull of around 1,500 badgers in south-west Wales has been halted after protesters won their legal challenge to stop it.
The Badger Trust appealed against Welsh Assembly Government plans for a trial cull to reduce TB within cattle.
The trust had questioned the cull's effectiveness, though farmers losing diseased stock wanted action.
The assembly government said it was "disappointed" with the Court of Appeal's judgement.
Wales' Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said she would need to consider the judges' decision in detail before deciding the next steps.
However, Badger Trust solicitor Gwendolyn Morgan said: "Welsh Assembly Government has indicated that they will accept today's decision and will not appeal to the Supreme Court."
Three law lords announced the trust's appeal against a judicial review was successful and quashed the order.
Lord Justice Pill said the assembly government was wrong to make an order for the whole of Wales when it consulted on the basis of a Intensive Action Pilot Area (IAPA) which only supported a cull on evidence within the IAPA.
He said if the order had been confined to the IAPA in north Pembrokeshire, he would have dismissed the appeal.
Plans for a pilot cull of badgers within a 288 sq km (111 sq miles) area of south-west Wales were outlined in September 2008.
The go-ahead was given in January.
The exact area of the proposed cull had not been given; but it was known to lie mostly in north Pembrokeshire, extending into Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.
More than half the TB compensation paid out across Wales goes to farmers in the area.
Under the cull, badgers were to be trapped in cages and shot.
Anti-cull protesters, led by the Badger Trust, argued it had not yet been scientifically proven that badgers are implicated in the transmission of TB within cattle and it doubts a cull would help eradicate the disease.
On 11 June, the trust won leave to appeal against the outcome of a judicial review that backed the assembly government's plans.
'Sources of infection'
Following the appeal decision, Geoff Hayden from the Badger Trust, said he was "relieved with the result".
"But I have to say there were no winners in the appeal court today," he added.
"The disease is still there, animals are still being culled. There's a real risk now of some farmers taking the law into their own hands - both sides agree that really is the worst scenario."
Ms Jones said the assembly government remained committed to eradicating bovine TB.
"I am disappointed with this judgement particularly as the court recognises the serious impact that bovine TB is having in Wales and the need to tackle the disease," she said.
"We will now need to consider the judges' decision in detail before deciding our next steps.
"It is however clear that if we don't tackle all sources of infection we will not eradicate it."
Badger update
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Is this a case of greed or genuine need. And as usual the government made sure their butts were covered from any further litigation. "Supreme Court: No review of award for US nuclear weapons tests" US settled a claim more than 25 years ago over damage...
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Philosophy
Badgers: 1; Pembrokeshire: 0
"Pembrokeshire badger cull halted after appeal"
July 13th, 2010
BBC NEWS
July 13th, 2010
BBC NEWS
A controversial cull of around 1,500 badgers in south-west Wales has been halted after protesters won their legal challenge to stop it.
The Badger Trust appealed against Welsh Assembly Government plans for a trial cull to reduce TB within cattle.
The trust had questioned the cull's effectiveness, though farmers losing diseased stock wanted action.
The assembly government said it was "disappointed" with the Court of Appeal's judgement.
Wales' Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said she would need to consider the judges' decision in detail before deciding the next steps.
However, Badger Trust solicitor Gwendolyn Morgan said: "Welsh Assembly Government has indicated that they will accept today's decision and will not appeal to the Supreme Court."
Three law lords announced the trust's appeal against a judicial review was successful and quashed the order.
Lord Justice Pill said the assembly government was wrong to make an order for the whole of Wales when it consulted on the basis of a Intensive Action Pilot Area (IAPA) which only supported a cull on evidence within the IAPA.
He said if the order had been confined to the IAPA in north Pembrokeshire, he would have dismissed the appeal.
Plans for a pilot cull of badgers within a 288 sq km (111 sq miles) area of south-west Wales were outlined in September 2008.
The go-ahead was given in January.
The exact area of the proposed cull had not been given; but it was known to lie mostly in north Pembrokeshire, extending into Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.
More than half the TB compensation paid out across Wales goes to farmers in the area.
Under the cull, badgers were to be trapped in cages and shot.
Anti-cull protesters, led by the Badger Trust, argued it had not yet been scientifically proven that badgers are implicated in the transmission of TB within cattle and it doubts a cull would help eradicate the disease.
On 11 June, the trust won leave to appeal against the outcome of a judicial review that backed the assembly government's plans.
'Sources of infection'
Following the appeal decision, Geoff Hayden from the Badger Trust, said he was "relieved with the result".
"But I have to say there were no winners in the appeal court today," he added.
"The disease is still there, animals are still being culled. There's a real risk now of some farmers taking the law into their own hands - both sides agree that really is the worst scenario."
Ms Jones said the assembly government remained committed to eradicating bovine TB.
"I am disappointed with this judgement particularly as the court recognises the serious impact that bovine TB is having in Wales and the need to tackle the disease," she said.
"We will now need to consider the judges' decision in detail before deciding our next steps.
"It is however clear that if we don't tackle all sources of infection we will not eradicate it."
Badger update
- Pardon My Cynicism
Mad Cow disease is one of TheWife's soapbox issues, so this wasn't news to me, but it is absolutely stunning. A small cattle ranch, Creek Stone Farms, wants to test all of its cows for Mad Cow disease and is being prevented by the government....
- "miracle On 34th Street"...bad Logic?
Miracle on 34th Street Bad logic, but a great story...Santa's authenticity is in doubt and winds up in a New York court. How do you prove with authority, accepted by all, of Santa's genuine status? The sharp attorney has the idea of making an...
- English Woods...update
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FORESTS "English forest sell-off put on hold" Government postpones sale of 40,000 hectares of public forest to allow for a review of woodland protection by Fiona Harvey and Damian Carrington February 11th, 2011 guardian.co.uk...
- Bikini Atoll And Enewetak Atoll Citizens Lose
Is this a case of greed or genuine need. And as usual the government made sure their butts were covered from any further litigation. "Supreme Court: No review of award for US nuclear weapons tests" US settled a claim more than 25 years ago over damage...
- Brian May And The Welsh Badgers
International Year of Biodiversity "Badgers?...I don't need no stinkn' badgers." So some in Wales think so. You know Brian May...lead guitarist of the rock band Queen and earning a Ph. D. in astrophysics. Now he is interested in an issue involving...