§ Mr. OnslowTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for licences to cull(a) cormorants and (b) goosanders and mergansers in England and Wales were submitted to his Department in each of the past five years; and how many of these were granted.
§ Mr. SoamesThe agriculture Departments in England and Wales do not issue licences to cull the species of bird in question. Licences are issued only to shoot a limited number of birds as an aid to scaring.
With regard to licences for the killing or taking of cormorants, the requested information on the number of applications received is not yet available for the Ministry's north-east regional service centre. Details for the rest of England and Wales are as follows:
Year Applications received Licences issued 1987 6 3 1988 4 2 1989 3 2 1990 9 4 1991 8 3 A completed table including the missing information will be provided as soon as possible.
On mergansers and goosanders, only one application has been received for a licence to shoot these species in the last five years, in Wales in 1988, and no licence was granted.