Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of stricter regulations on the use of snares and traps.

Rory Stewart

Regulation of traps and snares balances the welfare needs of the trapped animal against the need for effective methods of killing or taking target species.

With regard to snares, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins MP, on 11 February 2016, PQ UIN 25710.

As for other kinds of trap, we already ensure all new spring traps are tested for humaneness before they are approved for use and the use of any trap is prohibited against certain species of European or national concern, for example the European otter and pine marten.