Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment he has made of the merits of a risk-based approach to wildlife licensing compared to one based on the EU interpretation of the precautionary principle.
The Government’s policy on wildlife licensing already follows a risk-based approach. We believe that people should be free to manage wildlife within the law where they need to do so. Legislation provides statutory authorities with the parameters within which they may licence otherwise prohibited activities where there is a demonstrable need to do so. In taking a licensing decision the authorities balance a number of risks and issues before coming to a decision, involving taking a precautionary view of the risks where necessary in the circumstances.