HL Deb 22 November 1983 vol 445 cc233-4WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to issue licences to permit the killing of barnacle geese on Islay in Scotland this winter, and if so whether:

  1. (i) the licences specifically exclude the killing of geese in areas where no damage to crops could occur, such as on saltings:
  2. (ii) the driving of geese from such areas over guns will be prohibited;
  3. (iii) licences will only be issued to farmers who are suffering agricultural damage, or whether landowners will also be granted licences to shoot geese;
  4. (iv) advice is to be given to licensees about scaring techniques, and whether it is a condition of such licences that a variety of scaring techniques must be tried before any geese are shot;
  5. (v) licences to shoot geese have been or will be issued to permit the shooting of geese on any special site of scientific interest on Islay, and what advice was given to the Government by the Nature Conservancy Council on this point;
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  6. (vi) officials from the Department of Agriculture will monitor the scaring and shooting of geese on the island this winter in view of the widespread disquiet on the operation of licensing last year.

The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Gray of Contin)

My Department issued licences for the shooting of barnacle geese on Islay on 4th November 1983. The answers to the specific information sought by the noble Lord are as follows:

  1. (i) the licences are issued specifically to permit killing only to prevent serious damage to agriculture on particular farms but excluding the area of any foreshore. No other special exclusions of areas are made but all killing must he in accordance with the purpose of the licence;
  2. (ii) no, provided that the purpose of the action is to protect agriculture; otherwise it could be regarded as misuse of the licence;
  3. (iii) licences have been issued to tenant farmers, owner-occupiers and landlords where need has been established;
  4. (iv) advice is given but it is not a condition of the licence that scaring techniques must be tried;
  5. (v) in some instances licences have been issued in repect of areas within sites of special scientific interest. Although the Nature Conservancy Council recognise that improved grazing within such areas adds to their value and interest they advised against issue of licences in SSSIs on Islay. The Government felt however that farmers within the areas whose improved grazing and crops were vulnerable to serious damage should have some means of protecting their farms;
  6. (vi) yes.