§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of a greater incidence of Warfarin-resistant rats ; what are the dangers 44W attendant on such rats infesting the West Midland industrial conurbation ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerThe national situation remains substantially as described in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 17th December 1971—[Vol. 828, c.199–200.]—and Warfarin-resistant rats are still principally concentrated in the Montgomeryshire and Shropshire area. For two years there has been little evidence of the earlier trend towards general enlargement of this area, although two infestations have recently been confirmed east of the Severn near Bridgnorth and another is being investigated nearby in Staffordshire. There should be no attendant dangers if Warfarin resistance in rats spread to, or developed in, the West Midland conurbation provided all concerned applied the alternative control measures which are involved, of which the local authorities are well aware and which now include use of an approved new rodenti-cide that has lately become available.