§ Mr. HeppellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what policy consideration led to the decision to add four spring traps to the previous list of 11 traps already approved for use under the Spring Traps Approval Order 1995. [38699]
§ Mrs. BrowningUnder the Pests Act 1954, the Ministry has to consider proposals for the use of spring traps for animals. The four new traps met the necessary conditions for approval.
§ Mr. HeppellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria were used by him for approval of the four new traps he has added to the list of 11 traps already approved for use under the Spring Traps Approval Order. [38701]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe four traps were assessed for their safety, efficacy and humaneness. The impact and clamping forces delivered by the BMI Magnum 55, 110 and 116 traps were all at least equal to, or greater than, those for traps previously approved for the same species under the 1954 Act. The Aldrich spring activated animal snare is a spring-operated, live-capture, padded foot snare; it was tested first on a human volunteer and then results were collected in the field.
§ Mr. HeppellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he added four spring traps to the previous 11 traps already approved for use under the Spring Traps Approval Order before the outcome of the current consideration being given to the humane trapping standards by his Department and the British Standards Institute. [38700]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe work of the International Standards Organisation's Technical Committee 191 is not yet complete and discussions are still taking place. Under the Pests Act 1954, the Ministry has to consider proposals for the use of spring traps for animals and cannot unreasonably delay consideration of such proposals.
§ Mr. HeppellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if animals were used to test any of the four new traps he has added to the list of 11 traps already approved for use under the Spring Traps Approval Order; and if the Animal Procedures Committee of the Home Office was consulted. [38702]
§ Mrs. BrowningNo animals were used in the laboratory assessment of the three new BMI traps. For the Aldrich spring activated snare, field results were collected.
As required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the relevant Home Office inspector was consulted.
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