Game License Scrapped

[new to the flock]

http://www.countryside-alliance.org.uk/our...mpaign-success/

 

Quote:

The Countryside Alliance’s campaign to scrap game licences and create a year round market for the sale of game has been successful.

 

DEFRA Minister Lord Rooker told the House of Lords on 3rd July that the new Regulatory Reform (Game) Order 2007 will come into effect on 1st August. The order will reduce the bureaucracy surrounding the taking and dealing of game in England and Wales*. It will abolish antiquated game licences, remove red tape surrounding the dealing of game and enable game to be sold all year round.

 

 

 

Robert Gray, Campaigns Director of the Countryside Alliance commented: “We have long campaigned for these changes, which recognise the increasing popularity both of shooting and of eating game. Streamlining the law will enable the game market to grow ever faster, and that can only be good for shooting and the rural economy

 

“Sales of game have grown 58% since our highly successful Game-to-Eat campaign started in 2002. Removing these outdated laws will ensure this market continues to flourish.”

 

Ends…

 

* A licence is still required in Scotland

[webber]

BASC STATEMENT ON REGULATORY REFORM GAME ORDER

 

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has welcomed the most significant changes to the game laws since their enactment in the 19th century.

 

Following the approval of the regulatory reform game order by parliament, the game licence will be scrapped in England & Wales from August 1 and people will be able to sell game all year round.

 

During a debate on the regulatory reform game order in the House of Lords on 3 July, Lord Rooker said: "Last July at the president’s lunch at the Game Fair, I announced that we were going to do this, and I shall go back later this month and say that I have delivered in one year something that took 17 years to get through."

 

Baroness Byford said: "I recognise the role which the various shooting organisations play in the conservation of wildlife. It seems strange that we always talk about killing animals, when those organisations help conserve and protect other species of wildlife."

 

BASC chief executive John Swift said: "It is very encouraging that Lord Rooker and Baroness Byford are so supportive of the changes to the game laws in England and Wales. The original legislation was laid down before the invention of the fridge freezer so the updating of the laws will make them fit for purpose in the 21st century."

 

The order "will remove the requirement to hold a game licence in order to take or kill game; remove the requirement to hold a local authority licence and an excise licence, commonly known as “dealing licencesâ€, in order to deal in game; and remove the restrictions on dealing in gamebirds and venison during the close season, permitting game to be sold by everyone all year round, providing that the game was lawfully killed."

 

The changes, which come into force on August 1 ahead of the start of the 2007 shooting season on August 12, will only apply to England and Wales. BASC's Director for Scotland, Dr Colin Shedden, said: "People who shoot in Scotland will still need a game licence. The Scottish Executive has expressed an intention to scrap licences but it will not happen in time for this year's shooting season. The shooting community can rest assured that BASC Scotland is doing all it can to hasten the removal of the game licence in Scotland."