Yesterday afternoon we held a Parliamentary reception with the Minerals Products Association. This celebrated the good work that a growing number of mineral extraction companies are doing to create wildlife-rich sites after they have dug big holes in the ground.
The Minister, Richard Benyon, was present and was given a bit of a poke by industry about the loss of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (see earlier blog).
But I can't have a go at the Minister as he described this blog as 'very readable'. And he'd noticed that I said some nice things about him recently - but also noted that I don't always. This is the second time I've heard Mr Benyon mention reading this blog so I do believe he really does.
So, Sooty, redkite, BobPhilpott, nightjar, jockyshield and others you are in good company! Although wouldn't it be funny if one of you were Mr Benyon? Sooty - it isn't you is it?
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
As ever Trimbush gives his own particularly view, this is what the coalition Government's consultation document says on PCR:
'Defra's Chief Scientific Advisor chaired an expert group in July 2010 to consider whether a PCR test could be used to detect infected badgers or setts. This group concluded that PCR was not a test that could be usefully used for detecting bovine TB in badgers based on the current state of knowledge, particularly in the field.'
So Mark, on this one do you go with Trimbush or the Chief Scientist?
I'm not Mr Benyon either!