We plough throug about 6 inches of secondary legislation a week, none thicker than the Air Navigation Order 2009, at about 400 pages.
Clause 166 at the top of page 81 reads:
A person must not cause or permit any animal (whether or not attached to a parachute) to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft so as to endanger persons or property.
If anyone can enlighten me as to who has been bombing whom with hamsters, please could they let me know?
There was a Top pops video about 3-4 years ago, which was a very sexy tune indeed, and somehow
there were animals being dropped by parachute.
Evidently the Bill drafters took it seriously.
Full marks for humor.
Surely anonymous peer (Lady Deech?) it poses several obvious questions:
Can I “cause or permit any animal (whether or not attached to a parachute) to be dropped from a Large or manned aircraft so as to endanger persons or property”
What’s the definition of ‘animal’ in this context? If it’s the kingdom Animalia then it includes chordata/aves – i.e. birds. Since birds can generally stay airborne without a parachute am I endangering persons if they escape from my unmanned aircraft and fly happily free about the countryside. Just so we’re clear…
😀
Is this transposition into UK law of some piece of European idiocy or is this domestic idiocy?
Sorry Lord Lucas, you were listed as ‘anonymous’ and looking at the Select Committee on the Merits of Statutory Instruments members list I took a punt on whom it might be and guessed wrong.
Lord Norton has previously posted on the Digital Economy Bill in light of your speech of the 2nd which seemed to touch on many of the concerns expressed in our replies to Lord Norton perhaps you might be able to comment further and tell us of any progress on knocking some proportionality and due process into the bill
Perhaps Lord Mandelson can enlighten us ? He may be concerned that with recent events on “I’m a Celebrity…” and a ‘faking accusation’ on the hot air balloon on Top Gear, it may be just a matter of time before the Business Sec has to intervene on such a matter ?
Prevention is better than cure…
You’ve forgotten the real purpose.
You need OffHam. The office for hamsters. A chairman and committee are needed. A side line for a Lord. It’s a real job, not a part time one like the Lords at 2,000 a day cost. Plus it would come with a pension. A small Quango no doubt unlike the big ones. Say about 3 million a year total cost.
Funny? Not really. There is a cost to all these laws you pass. In a mature society with mature politicians you would be out of a job. You would have passed all the laws that are needed. Just the occasional tweak.
Instead, you have to justify your millions by passing stupid laws.
Lord Lucas: Welcome back to the blog! Your absence has been missed.
Anything in there about chunks of ice; I don’t know what would be harder to deal with, a fur ball or an icicle, any physicists out there to explain?
Sorry, its budget day and I have spare time on my hands.
It was a pop video about three years ago, a very sexy one, at about this time of year, probably designed for 12 year olds, where
hamsters were dropped on to a teenage girls’ belly.
My grandchildren thought it was hilarious.
It has been there a while I’m afraid:
98. (1) A person shall not cause or permit any article or animal (whether or notattached to a parachute) to be dropped from a small aircraft so as to endanger
persons or property.
– Air Navigation Order 2005
My Lord I bring the evidence you require, please see the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/user/jodyh54
Might it be Health and Safety stopping those lords-a-leaping?
I thought your bandwidth was in short supply?
Is anyone seriously suggesting it should be legal to drop an animal from a small plane in such a way to endanger people? If not – leave it alone!
Chris Card…A few pigs well aimed over Afg….Oh never mind.
It`s not politically correct !;-)
During WWII the US experimented with fitting incendiary bombs to bats so that they could be dropped en masse on Japanese cities… so, yes, it could be done.
I always knew that ‘Tales of the River Bank’ would have an influence on the legislative process sooner or later…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooFnXHelLWA&feature=related
Other surreal children’s television has been an influence on many other aspects of British life…