HC Deb 01 July 1997 vol 297 cc150-3W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions have been recorded under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 in Wales since its introduction, broken down by local authority; and if he will make a statement. [5704]

Mr. Michael

I have been asked to reply.

Information on the number of people arrested for specific offences is not collected centrally.

Information on court proceedings under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, which came into force on 29 April 1996, will first become available this autumn. That information will be by police force area and not by local authority area.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (C) convictions have been recorded under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in Wales in each year since 1992, broken down by local authority; and if he will make a statement. [5707]

Mr. Michael

I have been asked to reply.

Information on the number of people arrested for specific offences is not collected centrally.

Available court proceedings data, by police force area, are given in the table below. 1996 information will be available in the autumn.

Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted at all courts for offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 by type of offence and police force area 1992–95
Sections 1 to 5 and 101
1992 1993 1994 1995
Police force area Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con
North Yorkshire 7 2 1 1
Northumbria 2 2 3 3
Nottinghamshire 2 2
South Yorkshire 2 3 2
Staffordshire 1 2 8 6
Suffolk 1
Surrey
Sussex 1 6 1 3 3
Warwickshire
West Mercia 9 7 2 4 4 2 2
West Yorkshire 1 1 2 1 7 3
Wiltshire 1
England 42 23 46 20 32 22 33 21
Dyfed Powys 2 2 5 3
Gwent
North Wales 3 3 2 2 7 5 3 3
South Wales 3
Wales 8 5 2 2 7 5 8 6
England and Wales 50 28 48 22 39 27 41 27
1 Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts.

Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted at all courts for offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 by type of offence and police force area 1992–95
Section 131
1992 1993 1994 1995
Police force area Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con
Avon and Somerset
Cheshire
Cleveland 1 1
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon and Cornwall 1 1 1 1 1 1
Dorset
Essex 1 1
Gloucestershire
Greater Manchester 1 1 2 2
Hampshire
Hertfordshire
Humberside
Kent 2 2
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Merseyside 1
Metropolitan Police 2 1
Norfolk 1 1
North Yorkshire
Northumbria
Nottinghamshire 1
South Yorkshire
Staffordshire 1 1 1 1
Suffolk 1 1
Surrey 2 2
Sussex 2 1 1 1
Warwickshire 1
West Mercia 1 1 6 6 1 1
West Yorkshire 4 2 1 1 1 1
Wiltshire
England 11 8 12 9 10 8 6 5

Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted at all courts for offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 by type of offence and police force area 1992–95
Section 131
1992 1993 1994 1995
Police force area Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con Pros Con
Dyfed Powys 1 1 1
Gwent 1 1
North Wales
South Wales
Wales 1 1 1 1 1
England and Wales 12 9 12 9 11 8 7 6
1 Offence of failing to give up dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified (Powers of court where dog used or present at commission of offence under Sections 1, 2 or 3 of the Act).
Pros = Prosecutions, Con = Convictions.