§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the ability of a snare to discriminate between species. [110425]
§ Mr. MorleyNo recent assessment has been conducted on the discernment of snares for species. However, free-running snares are designed to be a restraining device that is intended to slacken, not continually tighten, thus not causing bodily injury. They are not considered an indiscriminate means of either capture or killing provided they are set correctly and are checked every 24 hours.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made as to the compatibility of the use of snares and the terms of the Bern Convention. [110426]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Bern Convention is implemented in England through the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Free running snares are permissible under Section 11 of the 1981 Act provided that the snare is not placed in such a way to allow injury to any animal listed on 472W Schedule 6 of the 1981 Act, which includes badgers. Section 11(3) makes it an offence to set in position, or knowingly cause or permit to set in position, any snare which is of such a nature and so placed as to be calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild animal. The snare must also be inspected at least once every 24 hours, so as to avoid any animal held in the snare suffering unnecessarily through starvation or dehydration. All non-target species must be released from the snare.
Free-running snares are not considered an indiscriminate means of either capture or killing provided they are set correctly and are checked every 24 hours. They are designed to be a restraining device that is intended to slacken, not continually tighten, thus not causing bodily injury.
The purpose of Section 11 is to expressly prohibit the use of indiscriminate means of capture and killing, in accordance with our international obligations, under the Bern Convention. Penalties for offences under Section 11, including not checking snares and not releasing non-target species, include fines of up to £5,000 and/or a custodial sentence of up to six months for each offence.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 27 March 2003,Official Report, column 310W, how and when her Department is considering ways in which to improve the correct use and effectiveness of snares; and whether this will include a public consultation. [110427]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department is currently undertaking discussions with various organisations on an informal basis. Once these discussions have been concluded we will be examining how to take this matter forward.