§ Mr. Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the pests officers of some war agricultural executive committees have been employing Italians to catch rabbits, and that they have set steel traps in open fields, under gates and along footpaths, thus causing injury to domestic animals; and whether he will issue instructions to the committees not to use this kind of trap in the open but only under cover and when snares and other more humane methods are ineffective.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsI have seen Press reports to the effect indicated in the first part of my hon. Friend's question, and am making inquiries into the matter. On the general question of open trapping country war agricultural executive committees have been instructed to give authority for the setting of spring traps in the open, subject to certain precautions, only where they are satisfied that other methods of destruction would be ineffective.