§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to ensure that all game bird shooters have a licence to shoot;
(2) how many prosecutions of game bird shooters have taken place under the Game Licence Act 1860 in each of the last five years; and what plans he has to more rigorously enforce the Act;
(3) how many game licences have been issued in each of the last five years; and what proportion this represents of the number of game bird shooters.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe information requested is as follows:
Game Licences issued, 1988–89 to 1992–93 Number 1988–89 40,600 1989–90 43,600 1990–91 43,300 1991–92 46,700 1992–93 43,900 There is no information currently available on the extent of licence evasion.
Defendants proceeded against in magistrates' courts for offences under the Game Licence Act 1860, 1988–92 England and Wales Number 1988 61 1989 76 1990 86 1991 76 1992 70 Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police.
We are currently consulting interested groups to see how far the game licences continue to meet their original objectives of combatting poaching and enforcing the statutory close seasons, or whether there may be better means of achieving the same object.