Bat Habitats Regulation Bill Revived

On Thursday the 11^th of June the Bat Habitats Regulation Bill, originally presented as a Private Members' Bill in the House of Commons by Mr Christopher Chope MP, was revived by Lord Cormack in the House of Lords. Many of you rallied to the previous call to action and we are asking for your help once more since we believe this bill to be detrimental to bat conservation.

Bats are protected by the Habitats Directive because of the severe declines they have experienced in the past through habitat loss, agricultural intensification, roost destruction, pesticides and deliberate killing. Bats are currently one of the wildlife groups that appear to be responding to the protection afforded by the Habitats Directive and the sustained effort that government, the public and conservationists have made to conserve them. To enable bat populations to continue to recover, we need the help of churches. The Habitats Directive provides an essential mechanism for safeguarding vulnerable species and habitats whilst ensuring social and economic needs are met. Diluting or requesting exemptions to this legislation will certainly harm wildlife and will not be a positive way forward for churches either.

We would urge you to contact members of the House of Lords to make them aware of the importance of this issue. You can contact the House of Lords members via: http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-a-lord/lord/

We don't know the date for the second reading as yet but will keep you posted with developments as they happen.

Please email comms@bats.org.uk if you need further details

LINKS:

Details of the bill (you can sign up for alerts here too): http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/bathabitatsregulation.html

Original news story for this bill: http://www.bats.org.uk/news.php/260/bat_habitats_regulation_bill_england_and_wales

Lords contacts: http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-a-lord/lord/