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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) protect red squirrels in Northumberland and (b) tackle the damaging effect of the invasive grey squirrel species.

This is a devolved matter. The information below only relates to England.

The Government is committed to protecting and expanding red squirrel populations and tackling the threats that grey squirrels pose to them. The Forestry Commission and Natural England are members of Red Squirrels Northern England, a red squirrel conservation partnership project managed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust, which works in seven northern counties, including Northumberland. The Forestry Commission has also partnered with the Mammals Trust UK and Newcastle University on the Northumberland Kielder Forest Project, which considers the role that forest management can have in conservation of the species.

The Forestry Commission undertakes actions to protect red squirrels from the impact of grey squirrels more widely as outlined in the Grey Squirrel Action Plan for England. This includes providing woodland management advice on maintaining red squirrel habitat and managing grey squirrels, including advising land-owners that receive funding through the Countryside Stewardship scheme who choose to control grey squirrels.

Defra, Natural England and the Forestry Commission are signatories to the United Kingdom Squirrel Accord, working with over 30 other signatories, including Red Squirrels Northern England, to secure and expand red squirrel populations. Defra, in partnership with the Accord, has provided funding for work by the Animal and Plant Health Agency for the development of a fertility control method for grey squirrels. This research continues to show promise as one potentially effective and humane method to control grey squirrel numbers in the longer term.