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Written question asked by Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party) on Friday, 9 November 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 14 November 2018 (named day). It was answered by Baroness Coffey (Conservative) on Wednesday, 14 November 2018 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Squirrels: Conservation

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the red squirrel population over the next five years.

Answer

The Government is committed to protecting and expanding red squirrel populations and tackling the threats that grey squirrels pose to them. This is a devolved matter. In England, the Forestry Commission works with Natural England and other conservation organisations and projects to help protect red squirrel enclaves and to allow the populations to expand.

The Forestry Commission also undertakes a number of actions to protect red squirrels from the impact of grey squirrels as outlined in the grey squirrel action plan for England. These actions include Countryside Stewardship funding for landowners who choose to help protect red squirrels within designated reserves.

Defra, in partnership with the United Kingdom Squirrel Alliance (UKSA), also provided funding for work by the Animal and Plant Health Agency for the development of a fertility control method for grey squirrels. This research, now in its third year, continues to show promise as one potentially effective method to control grey squirrel numbers in the longer term.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
189605
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Conservation Squirrels
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk