Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to extend the initiative to reduce grey squirrel numbers in Anglesey to the rest of the UK.

Grey squirrel control is a devolved matter so I can only answer according to the policy in England.

Whilst Defra does not have any eradication plans for grey squirrels in England, we are supporting action to maintain areas of the country which are currently grey squirrel-free and to push surrounding grey populations back where possible. In 2014 the Forestry Commission reviewed our approach to grey squirrels and updated the action plan for grey squirrels in England. The revised action plan includes several measures to assist with control of grey squirrels both in areas where red squirrels have the best chance of surviving and expanding, as well as in woodlands where grey squirrels cause considerable damage.