§ Sir T. Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will now give an indication of when he intends to withdraw the facilities which were given during the war for the use of spring traps to catch rabbits in the country; and whether, in view of the unnecessary cruelty caused thereby and the availability of alternative means of destroying rabbits, he will take early action in the matter.
§ Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyreasked the Minister of Agriculture the nature of the orders issued by his Department modifying Section 5 of the Prevention of Damage by Rabbits and Hares Act, 1939; and whether, in view of the damage to dogs and other animals from spring traps, he will now revoke all such orders made.
§ Mr. T. Williams, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 4th February, 1946; Vol. 418, c. 1376], supplied the following Statement:
Instruction have now been issued in the following terms to County War Agricultural Executive Committees regarding the conditions which henceforth must be imposed on the issue of permits to set traps in the open:
- (1) In every case the Pests Officer is required to state in writing the grounds on which he recommends the issue of a permit.
- (2) Each permit must be signed by the Pests Officer and countersigned by the Executive Officer.
- (3) The permit is to be given only where the Committee are satisfied that open trap ping is necessary in order to effect the destruction of rabbits.
- (4) The Ordnance Survey numbers of the fields or woods or some other method of precise indentification of the area covered must be stated on the permit, such area shall be the minimum necessary.
126 - (5) Each permit shall be granted only for the minimum period of time required to complete the work on the area specified under (4) above.
- (6) Neighbouring farmers and landowners shall be notified of the areas for which open trapping permits have been issued so that they may, if necessary, take precautions to prevent domestic animals or farm stock having access to the area in which open trap ping operations are in progress.
- (7) Any spring traps set out in the open must be visited at reasonable intervals of time and at least twice every day between sunrise and sunset.