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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the Government did not meet the deadline for implementing the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards; who the Government consulted on its decision to delay that implementation; and whether the Government requested permission from the EU to extend that deadline.

The Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS) applies to a limited number of species in the UK (stoat, badger, otter, beaver and pine marten).

Of these, the stoat is the only species for which lethal traps are used in the UK. Defra has been working with trap testing facilities to test the humaneness of spring trap designs that can replace traps currently in use. Testing to date has not identified a suitable alternative design that meets AIHTS standards.

Defra aims to implement the AIHTS as soon as is practically possible, but to use a permitted transition provision to allow delayed implementation of the agreement for stoats whilst a suitable compliant design is identified.