§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences have been issued by her Department for the slaughter of goosanders on the Duke of Devonshire's estates in the Yorkshire dales.
§ Mr. SoamesTwo licences have been issued for the Duke of Devonshire's estates in the Yorkshire dales to shoot a restricted number of goosanders as an aid to scaring.
Licences are not issued to cull bird populations. They are granted only where the Ministry is completely satisfied that the applicant has provided sufficient evidence of the serious damage being caused to the fishery and where other methods of non-lethal scaring have been shown to be ineffectual or impractical, not just difficult to implement.