§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place for offences under the Badgers Act 1973 or the relevant successor sections of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and in how many of these cases a conviction was secured.
§ Mr. MellorRecords available to us, which may be incomplete, show from 1974 to 1982, 182 persons proceeded against under the Badgers Act 1973—which came into force on 25 January 1974—of whom 146 were convicted. Proceedings can be taken under section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981—which came into force on 28 September 1982—but our records do not distinguish offences against badgers; we have no record of any such proceedings in 1982. Information for 1983 is not yet available.