Attached is a copy of an MSA press release, I am aware from one of
Ilkley's members who sits on the MSA's Production Trials Committee
that the MSA and LARA have appointed a QC to challenge DEFRA's
restriction on the use of agricultural land where farmer's/landowners
have rec'd a subsidy.

The restriction of use could kill off club motorsport, for us
historic boys it could drastically limit the venues available for
tests.

For anyone interested in cars they may find other events restricted
if landowners do not fully understand the rules and decline the use
of land for motoring events.

Please can you sign the enclose petition and ascertain what your
candidate for government will do on our behalf if elected!!

Les

http://www.petitiononline.com/som/



DEFRA

First motor sport events cancelled as campaign grows to overturn new
DEFRA regulations

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) has received notification of the
first cancellations of motor sport events as a direct result of
legislation imposed by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (DEFRA).

DEFRA's decision to stop subsidies to farmers who allow part of their
land to be used, even temporarily, for any form of motor sport has
threatened to destroy more than 40% of 4-wheeled grassroots motor
sport in the UK as well as 4,000 off-road motor cycle meetings.

The first events to fall victim to the legislation include sporting
trials, autograss racing and 4x4 events that had been due to take
place on rural farm land, but there are fears that these are just the
tip of the iceberg.

The media campaign to overturn the legislation is gathering momentum
and reflects the serious nature of the threat posed by DEFRA's
actions.

Auto Express magazine estimates that nearly 50,000 competitors and
officials will be directly hit by the new ruling, with as many as
250,000 spectators, families and service crews also affected. "There
will be a knock-on effect on garages, local B&Bs and other rural
businesses," 4x4 event organiser Chris Tomley told the magazine.

Motorsport News has started its own campaign to save Britain's
grassroots motor sport. It urges everyone to sign up to its petition
at www.petitiononline.com/som, and quotes trials multi-champion
Julian Fack: "As we see it, this could be the death of sporting
trials. This is devastating news."

Elsewhere in the paper, MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton has
written: "This is a fundamental threat to motor sport and we need
everyone to join the campaign. The time for taking it on the chin is
over; we now have to fight for our sport." The full text of his
article can be found on the MSA website, www.msauk.org, in the News
section, as can previous press releases.

Editor's notes:
The Single Payment Scheme (SPS) replaces the Common Agricultural
Policy and now pays farmers for the land they own, not what they
produce. The European Directive on agricultural subsidies does not
prohibit motor sports on land eligible for SPS. However, the
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has
taken the decision, without consultation, to stop these payments to
UK landowners if agricultural land is used, even temporarily, for
motor sport.

Release MSA05-026: 20 April 2005

Issued on behalf of the Motor Sports Association by MPA Media Limited
[B]