§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many game licences were sold; what each such licence costs; what was the gross revenue received from the sale of such licences; what was the same revenue net of administration costs; and what was the number of prosecutions of those not holding valid licences when shooting game, for each of the last 12 years.
§ Baroness BlatchThe information which is available on the number of game licences sold in England and Wales, and gross revenue raised, is given in Table 1 below:
104WA
Table 1 1Number of Game Licences Sold Gross Revenue 1983–84 39,101 204,370 1984–85 38,482 201,154 1985–86 37,799 196,146 1986–87 37,063 192,940 1987–88 39,484 205,114 1988–89 40,609 210,310 1989–90 43,631 228,118 1990–91 N/A N/A 1991–92 N/A N/A
Table 1 1Number of Game Licences Sold Gross Revenue 1992–93 39,986 207,068 1993–94 39,049 203,056 Source
Post Office Counters Ltd.
1 Includes licence to kill game, to deal in game and the game keeper's licence. Information for other years is not available.
The cost of game licences varies (within the range £2–£6) depending on the type of licence in question, and the periods of the year to which it relates. Licence fees have remained unchanged throughout the period.
It is not possible from the information held centrally, to distinguish offences of taking game without a licence from other offences under the Game Act 1831. Table 2 below shows the combined figure for prosecution for a number of offences under the Act.
Table 2
Number of Prosecutions for offences under Sections 3, 12, 23 and 24 of the Game Act 1831 England and Wales
Number 1981 165 1982 92 1983 149 1984 104 1985 83 1986 66 1987 72 1988 75 1989 77 1990 81 1991 50 1992 38 1Section 3 laying poison to kill or injure game Section 12 killing game illegally Section 23 killing or taking game without licence Section 24 taking or destroying the eggs of game, wild fowl, etc, or having eggs so taken in possession