Well done every body, the goverment has backed down. Democracy works!!

OUR SPORT UNDER THREAT!!!

Nothing for the Weekend Sir

Issued 29th April 2005

What will you be doing this weekend? Well the Department for
Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said to thousands
of motor-sport enthusiasts they will not be participating or
spectating at off-road events, such as grass-track racing, trials,
enduros and motocross, on fields that farmers have used for
generations.

The threat is real with over 180 events already having been
cancelled. The threat to these non permanent events is because of
the way the Government has introduced a new method of paying
agricultural subsidies. Defra has told farmers they will not qualify
for an EU farm payment if they allow their land to be used for motor
sports.

The new farm subsidy scheme is called the Single Payment Scheme
(SPS) and replaced the Common Agricultural Policy. The new scheme
pays farmers for the land they own and not what they produce.

As ever the UK government has gold plated a European Directive
without consulting the people that their decision affects. The
directive on agricultural subsidises does not prohibit motorsports
on land appropriate for SPS.

Thus by holding farmers and landowners to ransom without proper
guidance DEFRA has shown it is a department out of control.

MAG says the solution is simple, DEFRA should revise its guidelines
to reflect the European Directive and the department must consult
the governing bodies of the sport, the Autocycle Union (ACU), and
the Land Access and Recreation Association (LARA), set up to co-
ordinate the defense of motor sport and recreation.

MAG Director Of Public Affairs, Trevor Baird, says, "You can
support
your right to spectate by completing the online petition
(www.petitiononline.com/som/) voicing your opposition to legislation
that threatens the very heart of grassroots motorsport in
Britain."

 
You can contact the civil servents concerned to make your reasonable objections to this stupid ban known here-

pso.capri@DEFRA.GSI.GOV.UK
Cc: diane.duffy@DEFRA.GSI.GOV.UK