Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 6 July 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 11 July 2011. It was answered by Lord Benyon (Conservative) on Thursday, 14 July 2011 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Squirrels

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will consider the merits of introducing a bounty for grey squirrels to reduce the population of that species.

Answer: It has sometimes been suggested that a restoration of the bounty scheme operated by the Government in the 1950s could help to eradicate grey squirrels or at least make a serious impact on numbers. The scheme made no significant impact on natural fluctuations in numbers, however, and was abandoned as ineffective. Populations of grey squirrels actually rose during most of the scheme's lifetime. Therefore, we have no plans to reintroduce a bounty scheme for grey squirrels.

Secondary information