§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Agriculture what instructions have been issued to local authorities and the public generally in regard to the menace of the grey squirrel; whether his Department is aware of the ravages of this creature upon all kinds of nuts, seeds, bulbs, and roots; and what progress, if any, has been made by his Department in the extermination of this animal?
564W
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe Ministry is aware of the damage likely to be caused to agriculture and horticulture by the spread of grey squirrels in England and Wales. In May, 1931, a conference of representatives of interested bodies was convened at the Ministry's offices to consider what steps could be taken to deal with the situation, and in accordance with the views expressed by the conference the Ministry subsequently issued a leaflet on the subject containing information as to the available means of destruction. This leaflet, a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member, was circulated to all agricultural committees throughout the country and to bodies representative of agricultural, horticultural and landowning interests, who were asked to co-operate by giving publicity to the matter and by encouraging the destruction of the grey squirrel wherever possible. The authorities responsible for the maintenance of parks and open spaces in which grey squirrels were known to exist, and from which they were likely to spread to surrounding districts, were also asked by the Ministry to take steps to bring the grey squirrels under control. Mainly as a result of an epidemic disease, the grey squirrel population in this country was much reduced during 1932 and 1933. I am advised, however, that in the opinion of competent observers, grey squirrels are once again increasing in numbers, and I have therefore recently caused a further letter to be addressed to agricultural committees and other bodies again inviting their attention to the matter. I am also arranging for publicity to be given to the menace by broadcasting and other means. I am not yet in a position to express an opinion as to the results which have attended the efforts of the bodies to which I have referred. The Ministry has no power itself to undertake the work of destruction.