§ Lord Burtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many licences have been issued under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, permitting people to interfere with Schedule 1 birds, and for what reason these licences have been issued.
§ Lord SkelmersdaleThe information requested by my noble friend is not available in the form requested. However, my department publishes an annual report under Article 9 of the European Community Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, which contains the number and types of licences issued and, in some cases, the species affected.
A copy of the report for 1982 is available in the Library. The report for 1983 is being compiled and a copy will be placed in the Library in due course.