Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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New game licensing regulations from 1 August
New regulations to reform game licensing in England and Wales were announced today by Defra.
The new regulations will remove restrictions for those shooting and dealing in game.
Minister for Biodiversity, Joan Ruddock said:
"It is only right that we have legislation that is fit for modern times. The new regulations will make the shooting of and dealing in game less bureaucratic.
"By cutting all this red tape, we are improving consumer choice by enabling game dealers to sell locally produced game all year round."
This reform to simplify regulation is part of Defra's commitment to reduce its administrative burdens by 25% by 2010.
The Regulations which come into force on 1 August 2007 will:
* remove the restriction on dealing in game birds and venison during the close season. This means that any person will be allowed to sell game and venison all year round provided the animals in question were only killed in the open season;
* remove the requirement for a licence to kill or take game; and
* remove the requirement for two licences for game dealers to sell game.
More guidance for game dealers and retailers on implementing the new regulations can be viewed at http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/gamelicensing
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. The legislation relating to the shooting and dealing in game ("game" covers pheasants, partridges, grouse, heath or moor game, black game, woodcock, snipe, hares, rabbits and deer) dates back to the 19th Century - the principal Acts being the Game Act 1831 and the Game licences Act 1860.
2. In addition to removing various requirements and restrictions, the Regulatory Reform Order will introduce a new criminal offence to sell game birds which have been unlawfully killed or taken where the person concerned knew or had reason to believe that they were so killed or taken. The new offence is necessary to maintain the protection afforded to game birds during the close season whilst allowing the sale of game lawfully taken during the open season to be sold all year round.
3. Protections for wildlife during close seasons are not linked to the requirement for a game licence and these protections would be retained. Penalties for poaching game and shooting it outside the relevant open season and trespassing in search of game will be retained.
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