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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of the destruction of trees in (a) community forests and (b) other planting schemes by the grey squirrel.

Asked by

Diana Organ (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

3 November 2004

Reference

426 c255W; 192516

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to ensure that the red squirrel will be included in Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive.

Asked by

Diana Organ (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

25 October 2004

Reference

425 c965-6W; 192518

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Joint Nature Conservancy Council has produced recommendations for (a) the protection and (b) the re-establishment of the red squirrel.

Asked by

Diana Organ (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 October 2004

For answer on

21 October 2004

Answered on

21 October 2004

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Joint Nature Conservancy Council has produced recommendations for (a) the protection and (b) the re- establishment of the red squirrel. [192511] Mr. Bradshaw: The red squirrel is currently protected in the UK by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (and The Wildlife and Countryside (Northern Ireland) Order 1982), amended, most recently, by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW) for England and Wales and the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. It is included in both Schedules 5 and 6 making it an offence to kill or injure a red squirrel or disturb its place of rest. In addition to this the red squirrel was identified as a priority species for conservation action by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan process. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee, as a member of the UK Red Squirrel Group (UKRSG), has undertaken research into the conservation issues of the red squirrel, and has set out recommended actions and targets in the red squirrel Species Action Plan. The UKRSG has largely focused conservation action for the red squirrel in key woodland sites where they are still present. A prioritisation exercise has identified those sites with suitable red squirrel habitat that can be managed to ensure their continued survival and reduce the influence of factors that may be causing their decline, such as habitat loss and loss of habitat condition, grey squirrel incursion and disease. With regards to the re-establishment of the red squirrel in the UK, there are several issues to be addressed, including the amelioration of the reasons for their decline at different sites. JNCC, and the UKRSG, have produced best practice guidelines on the release of red squirrels, but do not recommend the re-introduction of red squirrels without careful consideration of the site to ensure that it is of suitable habitat to support a red squirrel population and that it can be protected from the above factors.

Date

21 October 2004

Reference

425 c840W; 192511

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action her Department intends to take to control the grey squirrel. - Inc ref to 12 July 2004, 423 c895-6W.

Asked by

Diana Organ (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

21 October 2004

Reference

425 c836-7W;425 c840W; 192512

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the change in the red squirrel population over the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Asked by

Peter Ainsworth (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

4 February 2004

For answer on

14 July 2004

Answered on

14 July 2004

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the change in the red squirrel population over the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [153746] Mr. Bradshaw: No assessment has been made in the changes to red squirrel population over the last five years. However, within England, significant populations of the red squirrel are still found in the north-west and north-east, the Isle of Wight and the islands in Poole Harbour. The population in Thetford Forest remains in a precarious position, with no recent sightings there. Little can be said about changes in numbers at any of these sites as the species is very difficult and costly to monitor at this level of detail. We hope that the recently- formed Tracking Mammals Partnership will make some progress with developing integrated monitoring methods for this challenging species. On the positive side, the red squirrel seems to have made some small gains in the Yorkshire Dales, where it has been able to expand into plantations that are now maturing and producing good crops of the pine cones that it needs. On the negative side, the grey squirrel continues to expand its range and threaten red squirrel populations, with the species now appearing in the west of Northumberland, where it is moving up the Tyne valley, and more northern parts of Cumbria, where it has moved north of Thirlmere and is now appearing around Keswick. The continuing expansion of the grey squirrel is to be expected and red squirrel conservation is focused on limiting that expansion in areas where the two species overlap. Some significant progress has been made in developing more effective and targeted ways of defending healthy populations of red squirrels against replacement by the grey squirrel. The UK red squirrel Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group has identified those areas of the UK where action to maintain red squirrels is most likely to be effective in the long term. In northern England, these priorities have now been translated into management plans for key forest areas, where we believe a combination of large-scale habitat management in forests and buffer areas allied to surveillance and targeted grey squirrel control gives the red squirrel the best chance of survival. These plans will form the basis of a bid for Heritage Lottery funding within the next few months by a consortium of government agencies, wildlife trusts and private landowners. Elsewhere in England, a red squirrel strategy for the Isle of Wight has recently been published. Work on improving the island's woodlands and hedgerows for the red squirrel has been continuing, funded by the Forestry Commission and the HLF, and a recent survey found signs of red squirrels in 86 per cent. of the woodlands, an improvement over the 71 per cent. found in 1996-97. The populations on the islands in Poole Harbour (Brownsea, Furzey) are also important and a joint management plan to ensure their survival here will soon be developed.

Date

14 July 2004

Reference

153746; 423 c1143-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to establish control on populations of grey squirrels; what regulations are in place on the permitted methods of despatch by landowners; and if she will make a statement. (Holding answer 10 June 2004).

Asked by

Nicholas Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

7 June 2004

For answer on

12 July 2004

Answered on

12 July 2004

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to establish control on populations of grey squirrels; what regulations are in place on the permitted methods of despatch by landowners; and if she will make a statement. [178085] Mr. Bradshaw: [holding answer 10 June 2004]: Grey squirrels are very difficult animals to control particularly on a wide scale and it is not practical to eradicate them totally. The Forestry Commission is engaged in the preparation of a policy statement on grey squirrels. This is one of the commitments made in the response to the recommendations contained in the "Sustaining England's Woodlands" review. It will recommend appropriate strategies for managing grey squirrels in England. The UK red squirrel Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group (UKRSG) has identified those areas of the UK where action to maintain red squirrels is most likely to be effective in the long-term. In northern England, these priorities are being translated into management plans for key forest areas, where it is believed a combination of large-scale habitat management in forests and buffer areas allied to surveillance and targeted grey squirrel control gives the red squirrel the best chance of survival. The Forestry Commission provides current Best Practice guidance on the control of grey squirrel populations. The methods currently available are the use of Warfarin poison for protection against bark stripping damage to woodlands, where there are no red squirrels or pine martens. This is regulated under `The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986'. The use of Warfarin for plant protection is currently under review by the Plant Protection Directorate of the EU, and there is a risk that it may not be available for use in the future. Cage trapping is as effective as poisoning at removing squirrels but more costly in terms of labour. Failing to check traps regularly may be an offence under the `Protection of Animals Act 1911', and the `Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996' . Spring traps (tunnel traps) may be used to take squirrels, but there is an increased risk to non-target species. The use of Spring traps is regulated under the Pests Act 1954, and only traps approved under the `Spring Traps (Approval) Order may be used. Shooting is generally ineffective at reducing numbers sufficiently to prevent bark-stripping damage, but can be effective for removal of nuisance squirrels, for example in amenity areas. The regulations on the permitted methods of dispatch include the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which lists prohibited methods. Under Schedule 9, Section 14 of the Act it is an offence to release grey squirrels into the wild. Options for non-lethal control are not currently practicable for squirrels, however the Forestry Commission is keeping them under review.

Date

12 July 2004

Reference

178085; 423 c895-6W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of grey squirrels on indigenous flora and fauna; and what recent research studies into the ecological effects of grey squirrels her Department has carried out. - (Holding answer 10 June...

Asked by

Nicholas Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

7 June 2004

For answer on

16 June 2004

Answered on

16 June 2004

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of grey squirrels on indigenous flora and fauna; and what recent research studies into the ecological effects of grey squirrels her Department has carried out. [178083] Mr. Bradshaw :[holding answer 10 June 2004]: The impact of the introduced grey squirrel on the native red squirrel is well known. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the spread of the grey has been closely linked with the decline and disappearance of the red squirrel from most of England. Although the two species may co-exist in some areas for many years, it seems that sooner or later the greys will dominate and the reds disappear. The exact mechanism for this replacement is not entirely clear; some recent work confirms the importance of interspecific competition, but a disease, parapox virus, which is harmless to greys but fatal to reds, may also be involved. Squirrel presence surveys carried out by the Forestry Commission since the 1950's recorded the presence of bark stripping damage to individual tree species in woodlands. During 2000 a survey of private and state owned woodlands within the distribution range of grey squirrels in Great Britain further investigated damage levels by recording damage severity. Current studies are investigating the effect of grey squirrel bark stripping damage to oak in terms of tree growth rates. The review "Possible effects of grey squirrels on birds and other wildlife", published in British Wildlife in February 2004, reviewed evidence of predation by squirrels on birds' eggs and nestlings, potential competition with birds for nest sites and food and competition with native mammals. Possible effects on woodland structure through their bark stripping activities and as a predator of tree seeds and bulbs were also considered.

Date

16 June 2004

Reference

178083; 422 c953W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of grey squirrels on the geographical incidence of the indigenous red squirrel population in England. - (Holding answer 10 June 2004).

Asked by

Nicholas Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

16 June 2004

Reference

178084; 422 c953-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the geographical incidence of grey squirrels in England; and what data is held by her Department on the spread of populations of grey squirrels since the species' introduction. - Inc estimated figure....

Asked by

Nicholas Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

16 June 2004

Reference

178082; 422 c952-3W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to receive the report from the Forestry Commission England on the control of grey squirrels. - Inc ref to "Sustaining England's Woodlands" review. (Holding answer 18 December 2003).

Asked by

Peter Atkinson (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 January 2004

Reference

144116; 416 c360-1W

House

House of Commons

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