Government may have failed to comply with bird protection laws

THE Environment Department (Defra) and its advisers Natural England may have failed to comply with laws relating to the protection of wild birds, a watchdog has found.

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The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) said Environment Secretary Steve Reed and Natural England could have failed to implement the recommendations of several conservation bodies to strengthen measures to safeguard bird species.

The Government has a legal obligation to maintain populations of wild birds and ensure they have enough suitable habitats.

One way in which they can do this is through special protection areas (SPAs), which are legally designated sites that protect rare or threatened birds, as well as migratory birds.

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), which advises ministers on nature and sustainability, as well as other conservation public bodies, previously provided several recommendations to the Government on the classification and adaptation SPAs on land.