HC Deb 20 July 1994 vol 247 c348W
Mr. Marlow

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will set out the areas of research funded by her Department with regard to establishing cost-effective and humane rabbit control.

Mr. Soames

Listed are the research projects currently funded by the Ministry on the control of rabbits by non-lethal means:

  1. 1. Predicting damage to winter wheat in relation to the density of rabbits and the timing of population control.
  2. 2. Developing humane, environmentally acceptable and cost-effective techniques for reducing rabbit numbers or otherwise preventing crop damage.
  3. 3. Modelling rabbit populations and designing control packages.
  4. 4. Irreversible immunocontraception for the control of wild rabbits.
  5. 5. The management of mammal pests in farm woodlands.

The Forestry Commission is carrying out research on the use of tree guards against rabbits.