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CLA in the news: CLA president debates game Acts Reform In a discussion about the Government's intention to reform of the Game Acts, CLA President Mark Hudson, and the Minister for Nature Conservation and Fisheries Ben Bradshaw agreed on the need to protect landowners from poaching.
Speaking on Radio 4's PM programme (12 Oct), Mark Hudson said, 'The important thing to remember is that the principle function of the Game Acts is to prevent poaching. We in the CLA accept that the wording is antiquated and it needs to be made relevant for modern conditions but the need to have laws to prevent poaching remains.'The Game Acts also have a conservation value in that they impose closed seasons in respect to certain species and those too should be retained. But, in fact, both these can be achieved by an amendment to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There are aspects of the Game Acts which we would say should be abolished and, in particular, the need to hold a licence to shoot game and the prohibition on selling game meat the whole year round. We think these are thoroughly outdated.' However, Mr Hudson stressed the need to consider what would replace the Acts: 'The current Game Acts are the only way that a landowner can try to prevent poaching. If this was got rid of wholesale that would leave a problem for landowners.' In response, the Minster commented, 'I agree with what Mark had to say. The law is archaic, it needs modernising. We want to cut red tape and we want to ensure a plentiful supply of game all year round...I also agree with him that we need to keep the closed seasons, which are valuable, and we need to ensure that we don't do anything that allows poaching, which has been declining in recent years, to increase.' In response to a question on how the Government would deter poaching, Mr Bradshaw said 'There are already laws, armed trespass, trespass and theft, that could be used to control poaching but if Mark has concerns about the way we go around reforming the Game licensing and the impact that it might have on poaching then I'm happy to discuss them with him because that is the last thing that we want to do.' Mr Bradshaw also discussed the healthy qualities of game meat and his desire to see the demand and supply for it increase. In conclusion, Mr Hudson noted, 'Clearly, we are talking along the same lines and I look forward to discussing the detail with the Minister as soon as possible.' 13 October 2004 |
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More articles and documents [News Archive] [29 November 2011] GN14-05 Hunting Act 2004 - Landowner’s Consent and other FAQs [Guidance notes] [30 September 2005] Review of the general licences to kill or take certain species of birds under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 [Consultation response archive] [19 August 2004] |
Christopher Price is the Director Policy and Advice at the CLA. He has overall responsibility for managing all the CLA's national policy and advisory work. He makes sure that the organisation's policy work is focused on what matters most, and that members' queries are dealt with accurately and efficiently. A planning and environmental lawyer by background, he joined the CLA as public law adviser in 2002. He became Chief Legal Advisor in 2007 and took up his current post a year later. Before coming to the CLA Christopher worked in local government for a number of different authorities.
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