Today the BCT sent us some questions that we might like to consider asking our potential MP’s as below:
“We wanted to provide some questions that you might want to consider asking your Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPC). As we enter the last two weeks of the campaign, this is a real opportunity to press the candidates on what their plans are for protecting bats and other wildlife. You can email your PPCs, attend a hustings or ask them a question directly if you’re canvassed by them or their representatives. You will probably already have your own ideas about what you would like to ask, but below are some key questions that you could consider using:
- In 2018, the Red Tape Initiative concluded that the government should “maintain and enforce” the laws aimed at protecting wildlife such as bats. How can the parties ensure that our current high environmental standards are maintained and even enhanced in the future?
- Some of our bat species are finally starting to show signs of recovery after huge historical declines, and this is in part thanks to the legislation that protects them. In a new Environment Act will you commit to legally binding targets to reverse nature’s decline by 2030? Will you commit to a fully independent and properly-resourced watchdog with legal bite, to ensure that these targets are met?
- Many of the parties are committing to tree planting as part of the fight against climate change. How would you ensure that tree planting is done strategically? i.e. that the planting takes place in the right places, and secondly that it is linked to the proposed Nature Recovery Plans, to ensure that they are providing connectivity between our green spaces for species such as bats?
- Is your party committing to a new environmental land management system that rewards farmers receiving public payments for public goods, that benefit wildlife reliant on the agricultural landscape, for example, bats? How much funding are you committing to support such a scheme?
We hope you get a chance to raise these important issues with your PCC. We would be interested to hear of any responses you receive, please do send it to comms@bats.org.uk.
Many thanks.
Bat Conservation Trust”
