To be honest with you Shambles - yes - if I've never seen snow then I'd want as much info as possible before forming or acting on any opinion about snow. To stretch the analogy - I'd want to know if there had always been a bit of snow around, or whether this was a new and worrying phenomenon. If there's always a bit of snow about then I might just decide not to worry about snow too much. Of course I can't prove there's no such thing as snow (for snow read PEL problems), but then I'm not seeking to prove that. I don't think you are misrepresenting anything - I am not demanding proof, I WAS asking whether certain additional information was available. Two year's worth of info is available here on Mudcat, but I was wondering about a much longer period of time.   
The ice-age may well be coming with the new legislation - but I don't think that's clear enough yet to be certain. My own position at the moment is that I'll wait and see what comes of the new legislation. I wrote to my MP voicing a general concern with respect to the new legislation, and her reply seemed quite reasonable. Until it proves itself one way or the other I'll wait and see.
I don't think I'll bother asking any more questions here.
I wish you well in your efforts.