The letter to Tim Farron and other MPs does seem to be getting noticed. Tim Farron has written to the Rt Hon George Eustice MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs to raise these concerns to his attention and to urge his intervention on behalf of commoners. Dr Neil Hudson MP has written to Rebecca Pow, the Ministry appointed lead on issues concerning Natural England, to ask that she consider and respond to the points we have raised. The letter has been circulated to all members of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
We have meetings arranged with Rob Cooke, Programme Director, Greener Farming and Fisheries, Natural England to discuss this issue, Daniel Zeichner MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Food and Farming and Cumbrian MPs. We are gathering case studies from different parts of England to highlight inconsistencies in the way Natural England staff are approaching HLS extensions.
Baroness (Sue) Hayman of Ullock has offered to raise our concerns in the House of Lords.