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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the rising deer populations do not cause damage to farms and rural areas.

Wild deer, especially native species, are an important and valued part of our natural heritage. However, they present a threat to agricultural crops as well as new and existing woodlands.

That is why, as set out in the England Trees Action Plan, we have committed to developing a national deer management strategy, which will set out the actions necessary for a sustainable approach that leads to long term improvements. We will shortly be consulting on the strategy’s proposals.