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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

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