MONEY is tight in the public sector.

Every pound counts as the Coalition Government drives through its austerity measures. At least that’s what we keep being told.

How then can the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) justify spending £375,000 on primitive plans to destroy buzzard nests, and take the birds of prey into captivity, to protect pheasant shoots?

The buzzard is a protected species and the Defra proposals would be illegal under current wildlife laws.

But pheasant shoots are big business in privileged circles so Government officials apparently think it would be money well spent.

We vehemently disagree. If these proposals were to go ahead, the Government would be endorsing a kind of countryside vandalism which is at odds with nature.

It is hard to believe that Defra is serious about wrecking nests and capturing buzzards so they can be kept in falconry centres. If it wasn’t tabled as an official proposition, it might easily be viewed as a far-fetched script from Yes, Prime Minister.

In the great black hole of public finance, £375,000 may be viewed in Government circles as chicken – or pheasant – feed.

But it is taxpayers’ money which does not need to be spent and the Government should scrap the Defra plans without wasting any further time.

If they do go ahead, David Cameron will surely face further accusations that his Cabinet of millionaires is out of touch with ordinary people.