Written question asked by Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 November 2004. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Monday, 15 November 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on falconry; and what assessment has been made of the effects of falconry on conservation.

Answer: Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on falconry; and what assessment has been made of the effects of falconry on conservation. [193152] Mr. Morley: The use of birds of prey for the purposes of falconry against protected species is permitted under various legislation. All wild birds in Britain are protected by the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act, but the Act does enable the issue of licences to take small numbers of birds for various purposes including falconry. The Department consults fully with its statutory scientific advisers before any licences are issued, on the species, and number of each species, that falconers should be permitted to hunt each season. These procedures ensure that the number of birds allowed to be killed by falconers is limited strictly to small numbers and only to species whose populations can sustain such slight losses. English Nature monitors the population numbers of various species. The small number of birds taken under licences granted under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 does not affect the conservation status of the species concerned.

Secondary information