HC Deb 21 May 1996 vol 278 cc163-4W
Mr. Sykes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for changes to the existing system for registering the bird species listed in schedule 4 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement. [30585]

Mr. Clappison

My Department has been reviewing the scheme of fees for registration of certain bird species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife and Countryside (Registration and Ringing of Certain Captive Birds) Regulations 1982, Statutory Instrument No. 1221.

In the light of this review uncertainty has arisen concerning the power to charge for registration of certain bird species under regulation 3. We have concluded that certain changes are required.

Accordingly, I propose to introduce a Bill, at the earliest possible opportunity, to clarify the powers to charge such fees. The Bill will, if Parliament agrees: provide a clear statutory basis for the charges levied in the past under the 1982 regulations: enable the Department to seek to recover fees in respect of registrations made between today's date and the date when the Bill's provisions come into force; and enable the Department to continue to levy charges in the future in respect of these registrations.

As from today, therefore, I shall not be requiring the payment of any fee in respect of registrations under the 1982 regulations, pending the commencement of the proposed new statutory provisions. However, if and when this legislation comes into effect, my Department will be seeking to recover fees in respect of registrations made from today until the new statutory provisions come into force.

This announcement and the proposal to legislate does not affect the requirement in section 7 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for keepers of specimens of bird species listed in schedule 4 to that Act to ring such birds and register them with the Department. It relates solely to the power to charge for such registrations.

The proposed legislation will also cover fees previously collected by the Department under Statutory Instrument No. 1219/1982, the Wildlife and Countryside (registration to sell etc. certain dead birds) Regulations 1982. The scheme was discontinued on 1 January 1995.