§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the control of avian pest species. [21181]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordAnnual general licences issued by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food permit the year-round control by authorised persons of 13 species of pest birds. Populations of the 13 species concerned are monitored to assess their conservation status. There is no evidence to suggest that current levels of pest control are threatening the status of any of these species.