§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of Canada geese on the environment and on other forms of wildlife.
§ Mr. AtkinsThere is growing concern about the impact of Canada geese on the environment and last year my Department set up a working group to assess the need for and develop a strategy to manage the population. To assist the group's work the Government have commissioned research into whether the geese pose health problems and whether they interact adversely with the nesting and breeding success of native wildfowl. It is also proposed to commission research into population distribution dynamics and movement of the species, and to quantify damage caused by geese to amenity land in London.