To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences it has issued under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each of the last five years, stating in each case the species concerned and purpose of the licence and whether it has any plans to review its licensing policy.
Details of the licencesissued by the Executive under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981in each of the last five years (2002 to 2006) are listed as follows. There are currentlyno plans to review licensing policy. Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritageofficials are, however, jointly considering measures to simplify and streamlinethe application process.
Wild birds
Section 16(1)(a) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of birds for thepurposes of scientific research.
Licences Issued forthe Purposes of Scientific Research
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Ruddy duck | | 1 | | | |
Section 16(1)(cb)permits Scottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of birdsfor the purposes of conserving fauna.
Licences Issued forthe Purposes of Conserving Fauna
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Ruddy duck | | | | | 2 |
Section 16(1)(e) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of birds for thepurposes of falconry or aviculture.
Licences Issued forthe Purposes of Falconry (species taken by falcon)
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Meadow pipit/skylark/blackbird | 1 | | 1 | | |
| Meadow pipit/skylark | | 1 | 1 | | |
| Meadow pipit/ skylark/blackbird/song thrush | | | 1 | | |
| Crow/rook | | | | 1 | |
| Crows | | | | | 1 |
| Meadow pipit | | | | | 1 |
| Herring gull | | | | | 1 |
Licences Issued forthe Purposes of Aviculture, Exempting Keepers from the Necessity of Ringing a Schedule4 Bird, Indicated in Section 7 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Golden eagle | 1 | 8 | | 6 | |
| Parrot crossbill | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Gyr Falcon | 4 | 11 | 27 | 4 | 13 |
| Barbary Falcon | | 1 | | | |
| Scottish Crossbill | | | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Stellar’s sea eagle | | | | 5 | |
| Gyr Falcon x Gyr Saker | | | | 4 | 1 |
| Peregrine Falcon | | | | 2 | 1 |
| Gyr Falcon x Peregrine | | | | | 1 |
| Northern Hobby | | | | | 8 |
Licences Issued UnderSection 16 (1)(i) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as Amended)
Section 16(1)(i) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of birds for thepurposes of preserving public health or public or air safety.
Licences Issued forthe Purposes of Preserving Air Safety
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Common gull | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Black-headed Gull/Mallard/Tufted Duck/Mute Swan* | | | 1 | 1 | |
| Buzzard | | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Heron | | | 1 | 1 | |
| Curlew | 1 | | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Oystercatcher | | | 1 | | |
| Whooper Swan/Buzzard/Greylag Goose* | | | | 1 | |
| Ringed plover | | | | 1 | 1 |
| Whooper swan | | | | 1 | |
| Greylag goose | | | | | 2 |
| Black-headed gull | | | | | 1 |
| Common gull/herring gull* | | 1 | 1 | | |
| Rook | 1 | | | | |
Note: *Licence issuedfor more than one species.
Licences Issued forthe Purposes of Preserving Public Health or Public Safety
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Common gull | 2 | | 9 | 17 | 13 |
| Herring gull | | | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Black-headed gull | | | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Arctic tern | | | 3 | 2 | |
| Arctic tern and common tern | | | | | 2 |
| Arctic tern/ common tern/black-headed gull | | | | | 1 |
| Common Gull/ Buzzard/ Arctic tern/ House Martin | | 7 | | | |
| Sparrow | | | 1 | 1 | |
| Blackbird | | | | 1 | |
| Feral Pigeon | | | 1 | 1 | |
Licences issued forcontrol of birds in food-stores: no information available.
Licences Issued UnderSection 16 (1)(k) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)
Section 16(1)(k) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of birds for thepurposes of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops,vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters.
To Prevent SeriousDamage to Agriculture
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Geese* | 115 | 116 | 181 | 157 | 150 |
| Gulls | Nil | Nil | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ravens | 26 | 34 | 43 | 53 | 57 |
| Widgeons | Nil | 1 | Nil | 1 | Nil |
Note:*Geese species.
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Barnacle | 24 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 25 |
| Greenland White-fronted | 1 | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Resident Greylag in Sutherland, Caithness, Lewis and the Uists | 15 | 18 | 18 | 25 | 24 |
| Greylag, Canada and Pink-footed | 75 | 74 | 138 | 109 | 101 |
| Total | 115 | 116 | 181 | 157 | 150 |
Licences Issued forthe Purpose of Preventing Serious Damage to Fisheries
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Cormorant | 15 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Merganser | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Goosander | 12 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
| Heron | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Eider duck | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Section 16(2)(a) permitsScottish ministers to grant licences for the purpose of providing food for humanconsumption in relation to a gannet on the island of Sula Sgeir.
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Gannet | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Section 16(2)(b) permitsScottish ministers to grant licences for the purpose of providing food for humanconsumption in relation to a gull’s egg.
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Herring gull, lesser black-backed gull Black-headed gull Common gull | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Wild Animals/Plants
Section 16(3)(f) permitsScottish ministers to grant licences to control protected species of mammals forthe purposes of preserving public health or public safety:
Licences Issued forthe Purpose of Preserving Public Health or Public Safety
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Pine marten | | | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Section 16(3)(g) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of mammals forthe purposes of preventing the spread of disease, and
Section 16(3)(h) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences to control protected species of mammals forthe purposes of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock,crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or any other form of property or to fisheries.
Licences Issued UnderSection 16(3)( f), (g) or (h)
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Otter | Nil | Nil | 1 | Nil | Nil |
| Pine Marten | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
Section 16(4)(a) permitsScottish ministers to grant licences to, among other things, sell eggs.
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Black-headed gull | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Section 16(4)(b) permitsScottish ministers to issue licences for the purposes of selling dead wild animalsor plants, or any part of, or anything derived from, such an animal or plant.
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Wigeon/mallard | | | | 1 | |
| Pine marten | 3 | | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Otter | 3 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Red squirrel | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 2 |
| Grass snake | | | 1 | | |
| Pipistrelle | | 2 | | | |
| Wild cat | 1 | | | | |
| Adder | | | | | 1 |
| Freshwater pearl mussel | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Oblong woodsia | | | | 1 | 1 |
Section 16(4)(c) permitsScottish Ministers to issue licences for the purposes of introduction of new speciesnot ordinarily resident in and not a regular visitor to Great Britain in a wild state.
| Species | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Mink | 1 | 1 | | | |
| Barn Owl | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Rhizophagus grandis | | | | 1 | |
General licences
General Licences areissued annually under Section 16 to permit specific actions to be undertaken inaccordance with the conditions of the licences.
To allow the keeping of birds in certain cage traps for pest control purposes.
To permit the sale of certain captive bred native species of birds.
To permit the competitive showing of certain captive bred live wild birds.
To permit the competitive showing of certain captive bred live wild birds.
To kill certain birds with the aid of artificial light, sighting devices,mirrors or other dazzling devices.
To sell feathers and parts of certain dead wild birds.
To sell dead birds.
To sell certain species of wildfowl.
To kill or take certain birds, including the taking, damaging or destructionof their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purpose of conservingwild birds.
To kill or take certain birds including the taking, damaging or destructionof their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purpose of preservingpublic health or air safety.
To sell certain gulls’ eggs.
To keep disabled wild birds (Schedule 4).
To kill or take certain birds and take or destroy nests or eggs for the purposeof preserving air safety.
To allow the keeping of certain birds in show cages for training purposes.
To take birds’ eggs for the purpose of removing unsuccessful eggs from nestboxes.
To take the eggs of the Mallard Duck for the purposes of incubation.
To permit the exhibition for competitive purposes of a certain captive brednative species of Bird (Mealy Redpoll).
To permit the sale of a certain captive bred species of bird (Mealy Redpoll).
To permit Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners to keep certainbirds which are receiving professional treatment and which are listed in Schedule4.
To permit the keeping of a Schedule 4 bird for a maximum of seven days afterhatching.
To keep certain disabled wild-bred birds (Schedule 4) for the purpose ofRehabilitation.
To kill or take certain birds including the taking, damaging or destructionof their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purpose of preventingthe spread of disease and serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock,crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries and inland water.
To kill or take certainwild birds by the use of a semi-automatic weapon for the purpose of preserving publichealth or air safety; preventing the spread of disease or serious damage to livestock,foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries.
