§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they follow in full the advice given to them by the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) when issuing licences in Scotland to allow the killing of (a) herons, (b) cormorants, (c) shags, (d) goosanders and mergansers; if not, whether they will specify in each case in what respects they have not followed such advice; and whether, in respect of each of these cases, they will state what scientific investigations they have conducted to justify ignoring the NCC's advice.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Gray of Contin)I refer the noble Lord to the replies I gave him on 23rd November. Our licensing policy is in accord with the advice given by the Nature Conservancy Council except in one limited respect. We decided that, for reasons of practicality, it would be inappropriate to refer to the NCC the individual applications from certain parts of Scotland in respect of goosanders and mergansers.—[Official Report, Vol. 445, cols. 234–235.]