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Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Answer

Ms Walley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the findings of the (a) 1996 English House Condition Survey and (b) commensal rodent survey undertaken by his Department and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in 1993, on the number and proportion of dwellings in England affected by rat infestations. [105481] Mr. Morley: The results of the 1996 survey show that the general level of rodent infestations in England is low. The figures are lower for both rats and mice compared to the 1993 survey, although the results are not directly comparable due to different sampling methods. Full results of the 1996 survey are in the recent MAFF report "Rodent infestations in domestic properties in England", a copy of which together with the Ministry's News Release, has been placed in the Library of the House. The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 requires local authorities to take such steps as may be necessary to keep, so far as is practicable, their district free of rodents and empowers them to require occupiers of land to take the necessary action to remove rodents from their land.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

342 c576W;342 c574W; 105481

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Housing Surveying Rodents Pests Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food