Badgers Act 1973

9Licences

(1)A licence may be granted to any person by the appropriate authority specified in the next subsection authorising that person, notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Act, but subject to compliance with any conditions specified in the licence,—

(a)for scientific or educational purposes or for the conservation of badgers to kill or take within an area specified in the licence by any means so specified, or to sell, or to have in his possession, any number of badgers so specified;

(b)for the purpose of any zoological gardens or collection specified in the licence to take within an area specified in the licence by any means so specified, or to sell, or to have in his possession any number of badgers so specified;

(c)for the purpose of ringing and marking to take badgers within an area specified in the licence, to mark such badgers or to attach to them any ring, tag or other marking device as specified in the licence;

(d)for the purpose of preventing the spread of disease to kill or take badgers within an area specified in the licence by any means so specified.

(2)The appropriate authority for the grant of a licence under the foregoing subsection shall be—

(a)in the case of a licence under paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of that subsection, the Natural Environment Research Council;

(b)in the case of a licence under paragraph (d) of that subsection, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or, in Scotland, the Secretary of State.

(3)A licence granted under this section may be revoked at any time by the authority by whom it was granted, and without prejudice to any other liability to a penalty which he may have incurred under this or any other Act, any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any condition imposed on the grant of a licence under this section shall be guilty of an offence.